2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 new car review

Australians are lining up in droves for the latest car from Hyundai but despite having the cash there is a big reason why you might not be able to buy one.

Hyundai plans to muscle in on Tesla’s EV heartland with its sleek new Ioniq 6 sedan.

But don’t expect the “electric streamliner”, which shares its high-voltage architecture with the Ioniq 5 SUV, to make a dent on the fast-selling Tesla Model 3.

Continuing supply problems and a hefty price tag will hamper the striking Hyundai.

It’s roughly $10,000 more expensive than its Tesla rival and is too expensive to qualify for the circa-$3000 EV rebates available in most parts of the country.

Hyundai has launched its Ioniq 6 electric sedan.

Priced from about $79,600 drive-away – or $3000 less in NSW due to a stamp duty exemption – the Ioniq 6 is loaded with features.

The cheapest Dynamiq model has heated and powered front seats, Bose audio, a head-up display, wireless phone charging, matrix LED headlights with auto high beam, a smart key, dual 12.3-inch information screens and a full arsenal of crash-avoidance tech.

It’s also the first Hyundai with over-the-air software updates.

It’s aerodynamic design helps boost its driving range.

The Dynamiq is powered by a 168kW/350Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels and Hyundai claims it can travel up to 614km between charges. It’s a $10,000 jump to the Techniq (or $13,000 in NSW because it doesn’t qualify for the stamp duty exemption) which brings 20-inch alloy wheels, a heated steering wheel, sunroof, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and the ability to fully recline the front seats. There’s also another electric motor that delivers all-wheel drive and 239kW/605Nm combined outputs, although range drops to 519km.

Pay about $95,000 for the Epiq and the exterior mirrors switch to cameras, there’s a heat pump to warm the cabin more efficiently and it can precondition the battery pack for faster charging.

Prices start at about $80,000.

In any guise the Ioniq 6 is among the fastest charging EVs in the country. All models have a 77.4kWh battery capable of charging from 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes. Hyundai claims it can charge at a rate of up to 350kW but in reality the peak is about 230kW.

Home charging can be done at up to 10.5kW, for a circa-eight-hour full charge. It will take roughly 35 hours from a regular power point.

There are plenty of hi-tech features, including digital side mirrors.

The Ioniq 6 has a modern cabin, although the sloping roofline takes its toll on back seat space. While legroom is generous – in part courtesy of thinner front seats – taller people will feel confined by the roof. If it’s space you’re chasing, the taller Ioniq 5 makes more sense.

The 6 is more about aerodynamic efficiency than practicality. The boot has a small opening limiting its usefulness for swallowing larger items. There are no issues up front, though, where the floating centre console creates a handy storage space underneath. Throw in ambient lighting and some quality finishes and it makes for a welcoming space.

Window switches in the centre console keep the doors clean and buttonless. The steering wheel does without a Hyundai badge, instead boasting four dots that illuminate as part of the ambient lighting elsewhere in the cabin.

It shares its underpinnings with the Ioniq 5 SUV.

On the road, the Ioniq 6 builds from its Ioniq 5 base. Suspension is more firmly tied down, ensuring better control over bumps. Steering is responsive and sharp, although there’s little feel and Sport mode simply adds weight.

The eco-focused Hankook tyres on the Dynamiq generally work fine although dive too deep into a corner and the stability control can intervene early. That’s less of an issue in the Techniq and Epic, which are on grippier Pirelli rubber that also improves steering response.

The speed warning is a regular annoyance. Stray 1km/h over the limit and you’ll encounter beeping and bonging. Drive through a school zone out of its operational hours and you also get the unwanted warnings.

There are no qualms with the performance, though. Even in single motor guise the Ioniq 6 accelerates smartly and smoothly. The dual-motor model has loads more thrust and more differentiation between the drive modes. Eco is mostly rear-wheel drive while Sport ups the throttle responses and boosts outright power.

Despite the Tesla-rivalling ambition, the Ioniq 6 is shaping up to be a niche dweller rather than a game changer, partly because Hyundai can only get hold of 1300 for Australia this year but ultimately because of the lofty price tag.

VERDICT 3.5/5

Sleek four-door has Tesla in its crosshairs but a hefty price tag and limited supply could limit its appeal.

HYUNDAI IONIQ 6 DYNAMIQ

PRICE From about $79,600 drive-away

WARRANTY/SERVICING Five years/unlimited km, $1120 for four years

SAFETY Seven airbags, auto emergency braking, lane-keep and blind-spot assist, safe exit warning, rear cross-traffic alert

POWER Single electric motor, 168kW and 350Nm

RANGE 614km

SPARE Repair kit

LUGGAGE 446 litres