Hyundai Ioniq 6 review

You’ve probably heard people say car design is dead, with more and more models looking tediously similar, but we’re not convinced that’s true. Take this Hyundai Ioniq 6, for example.

It's based on the same underpinnings as the taller Hyundai Ioniq 5 and shares some of that model's styling cues, including the distinctive pixel-look lights. However, the Ioniq 6 is a four-door coupé with a much sleeker silhouette.

The slippery shape means that, while it's a big car (almost 4.9 metres long), the Ioniq 6 is more about looks and efficiency than practicality. In other words, it’s for those who don’t need to worry too much about carrying people and luggage.

Hyundai Ioniq 6 video review

Its closest rival is the big-selling Tesla Model 3, but similar electric executive car alternatives include the BMW i4, BYD Seal and Polestar 2.

So, is the Hyundai Ioniq 6 as good as those rivals – or, indeed, an even better buy? Read on and we'll tell you all you need to know.

The entry-level RWD version has a single 225bhp electric motor driving its rear wheels. Performance is perfectly acceptable (0-62mph takes 7.4sec), but can't match the Tesla Model 3.

For that, you'll need to go for the more potent 321bhp dual-motor option. This has a second electric motor driving the front wheels to give the Ioniq 6 four-wheel drive (AWD). With a total of 321bhp, this version can do 0-62mph in just 5.1 seconds – faster than a Model 3 RWD, if not as rapid as a the Long Range and Performance versions of that car.

We'd stick with the RWD version, though. That's partly because it's significantly cheaper to buy (more on that later) but also because it can travel farther between charges. You see, all versions of the Ioniq 6 have the same 74kWh (usable capacity) battery, but since the AWD model is heavier it uses electricity less efficiently.

Officially, the AWD version can do 322 miles on a full charge, compared with 338 miles for the RWD model. However, in our tests (in cold weather) the efficiency of the RWD version pointed to a range of around 220 miles. The Model 3 Long Range managed 281 miles in our winter Real Range tests.

The Ioniq 6 puts in a convincing performance elsewhere, though. Body lean is well contained when cornering, with plenty of grip available. While the steering is fairly light, the Ioniq 6 is effortless to drive, and flows down a twisty country road really nicely. Okay, it isn't as agile as a Model 3 nor as fun as a BYD Seal, but the margins aren't huge.

The Ioniq 6 is also very hushed at a cruise. There’s only a hint of wind noise around the windscreen pillars and door mirrors, with far less road noise disturbing the peace than in a Model 3 or Seal. 

Ride comfort impresses at motorway speeds, but the relatively firm suspension and big 20in alloys means the Ioniq 6 is less agreeable in town than a Model 3 or BMW i4. Things never get truly uncomfortable; you just feel more of a jolt over potholes and raised ironwork.

Driving overview

Strengths Quiet at a cruise; tidy handling; comfortable high-speed ride

Weaknesses Low-speed ride a bit lumpy; rivals are faster; real-world efficiency could be better

The interior layout in the Ioniq 6 will be familiar to anyone who’s spent time in the Ioniq 5. That means you get the same conjoined 12.3in digital instrument panel (behind the steering wheel) and 12.3in infotainment touchscreen. 

The small touch-sensitive buttons for the climate controls can be a little tricky to aim for when driving, but at least you aren't forced to use the touchscreen to adjust the interior temperature like you are in a Model 3, Seal or Polestar 2.

It’s easy to find a comfortable driving position, thanks to powered adjustment (including lumbar support) for the seat, although you might find the steering wheel blocks the top corners of digital instrument panel. It will depend how tall you are and how high or low you like to have your seat.

Forwards visibility is hampered slightly by the wide windscreen pillars, and your rearward view is badly compromised by the Ioniq 6's unusual rear styling. However, all trims come with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard to help out with tight manoeuvres. 

You can also opt for digital door mirrors, which replace the traditional door mirrors with cameras and two small screens showing the rear view. We wouldn't bother, though – they're expensive and it's more difficult to judge distances than with a conventional mirror.

The 12.3in infotainment touchscreen is responsive and the graphics are fairly sharp. Some of the icons are a little small and fiddly to use on the move, but you do get some helpful physical shortcut buttons. Overall, it's a better system than the one in the Polestar 2, but less impressive than the Model 3 and BMW i4's.

The Ioniq 6 fails to stand out for interior quality. The door panels are made from hard plastic, so even though they have a rippled effect to stop them feeling too cheap, the i4, Polestar 2 and even Model 3 are more upmarket inside and have more soft-touch plastics in their interiors.

Interior overview

Strengths Comfortable seats; good infotainment system

Weaknesses Interior quality doesn't impress for the price; some visibility issues; gimmicky digital door mirrors

Whether you’re sitting in the front or rear seats, you'll find lots of leg room in the Hyundai Ioniq 6. Head room is rather less generous, though, and much of the blame lies with that swooping roofline.

Head room is particularly poor if you go for top-spec Ultimate trim. It adds a sunroof, lowering the height of the ceiling even more. Don't get us wrong – six-footers will fit in the back, but they'll need to slouch to keep their heads off the ceiling. There isn’t much space for feet under the front seats, either.

More positively, there’s an abundance of storage space dotted around the interior and the huge rear doors make getting in and out surprisingly easy.

Higher-spec Ultimate trim also adds Relaxation front seats, which fully recline so you can lounge in comfort while the battery is being topped-up. Either way, the rear seatback splits in a 60/40 configuration rather than the more practical 40/20/40 split you get in some cars, including the BMW i4.

The saloon boot has a relatively narrow opening, but there’s enough space inside for seven carry-on suitcases. That trails the 10 cases that fit in the two boots of the Model 3, but matches the Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Polestar 2.

There’s some further storage under the bonnet for the charging cable, but that's about all you'll fit under there – particularly in the AWD version. There's RWD has a slightly larger front boot.

Practicality overview

Strengths Lots of leg room; some under-bonnet storage

Weaknesses Limited rear head room; small boot opening

The Ioniq 6 is priced above the BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3, but it does undercut the BMW i4 and VW ID 7. 

To keep the price respectable, we reckon you're best off going for the single-motor RWD version and entry-level Premium trim. This will get you the longest range of any Ioniq 6, along with plenty of standard kit, including heated front and rear seats, dual-zone climate control and wireless phone-charging. You even get a heat pump for more efficient warming of the interior in cooler weather.

Ultimate trim adds a head-up display, a sunroof, a Bose sound system upgrade and ventilated front seats, but also thousands to the price. Upgrading to the dual-motor AWD adds a lot to the price and reduces the range.

As with all electric cars, the Ioniq 6 has a very low BIK tax rate so it will cost much less to run as a company car than any petrol or diesel equivalent.

Whichever version you go for, the maximum charging speed is a seriously impressive 233kW, which is more than a BYD Seal or Polestar 2 can accept, and almost as much as a Model 3. That means a 10-80% charge can take less than 20 minutes in ideal conditions (and assuming you can find a fast enough charger).

Hyundai finished in an impressive seventh place (out of 32 brands) in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey manufacturer league table, above BMW and Tesla (BYD and Polestar didn't feature).

And for further peace of mind, the Ioniq 6 comes with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty on most components, beating the four-year, 50,000-mile cover the Model 3 comes with, and the three-year, 60,000-miles you get with the Polestar 2. All three cars have separate eight-year warranties to cover their main drive batteries, though.

Buying & owning overview

Strengths Long warranty; lots of standard kit; fast charging capability 

Weaknesses BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3 are cheaper; range-topping Ultimate trim pushes the price too high

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