2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 AWD EV - Bottom Line Review

SEDANS HAVE AN EV FUTURE : Perusing the now packed again lots lining American new car dealership districts, these days, yields a yearning for a former staple, the four door family petrol car. They say it is an active adventure lifestyle thing.

Yet a ray of sedan hope shines forth from the battery electric vehicle industry. Second wave battery electric vehicle makers have begun catering to seekers of highly stylized performance vehicles.

Earlier this year Hyundai, a rising volume star in the race to widespread EV proliferation, launched its revolutionary Ioniq 5, patronizing a healthy crossover SUV appetite. The Korean brand's follow-up in the second electrification wave, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6, more boldly seeks to stave off starvation for a sleek sport sedan.

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WHAT: 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 AWD plug-in battery electric mid size passenger sedan. It is the 4-door family fastback complement to the Ioniq 5 5-door crossover SUV. Both are founded its Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) foundation with the Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60 BEV crossovers. Unlike the first series Ioniq, no gas electric hybrid versions are available.

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD - Bottom Line Review

GONE IS THE PRIUS CHALLENGER : By the fourth generation of Godfather of Green, gas electric hybrid vehicle fans had developed burn out from the awkward looks. All that would be required to challenge the Toyota Prius hegemony was a more conventional look and a name actually referring to electrically charged

RoadBlazingGeorge Straton

WHAT (A) STYLING DIFFERENCE(S): Hyundai already has a petrol family sedan in the DN8 Sonata, a daring parabolic effort, refreshed for 2024. How much of that Luc Donckerwolke's design influenced the Korean automaker's first battery electric vehicle four-door car relative to performance dictates is debatable.

The reality is that sedans are a beneficial palette for reducing range robbing frontal area on EVs. Hence the vague resemblance of the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 to the Porsche Taycan EV down to the headlight housings and lower rear taillight bar, cannot be mere coincidence. How Ironic is that then that the Ioniq receives the fixed classic air-cooled Zuffenhausen style "whale tail" raised rear spoiler, which also doubles as a housing for the optional accessory consumption solar panel array.

As with rear engine Porsches, no grille is necessary without a front radiator fan. Instead radiator airflow is fed from the concave lower airdam with closing dampers. Thus, the Ioniq 6 nose slopes sharply to the front bumper cover. Doing so leaves a valley with tall parabolic fenders. A dark front valance matches side skirts and rear valance for contrast.

Ioniq 6 goes more subtly on the lower body intersecting creases for more befitting a sedan. Lots is going on after the "C" pillars where the widened hip rear quarter panels radically slope down below the beltline. An almost deck-less trunk lid is stopped by a lower duck bill spoiler, beneath which a slim pixelated rear lighting array fully spans to the corner directionals.

Letter "H" Has It: The gloss black character lateral line terminates in outbaord corner folds each hosting a single chrome vertical fang, to form a wide letter "H" shape denoting the Hyundai brand. The same effort is apparent in the simulated rear bumper cover outboard uprights filled with split by a lateral chromed bar.

WHY: Plus One to Second Wave of charged particles driving, is a sleek mid size EV sport sedan.

WHEN: On-Sale (in the U.S.) since Winter 2022-2023

WHERE: Hyundai new vehicle dealers (designated HYUNDAI EV, on a state by state basis)

WHERE MADE: Ulsan, Yeongnam Province, South Korea

WHERE TO: Drive mode dependent front and rear axle independent dual motor torque distribution locks the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Limited AWD all-wheel drive for smooth launches whether on dry or slick pavement.

HOW ROADWORTHY: Lighter by a hair than the similarly dual electric motor powered Ioniq 5, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 sedan moves imparts no pressing occupants instantly into their seatbacks thrust. The constant 30:70 front:rear power split puts down all the power by merely nudging the rear end wide, but never overwhelming the rubber.

Flipping the right dorsal steering wheel paddle three times from the least regenerative slowing simulates a traditional transmission downshift. Experienced EV drivers will likely stick with I[ntelligent]-Pedal single pedal driving, meaning the brake pedal rubber cover will remain barely worn years into the Ioniq 6's use.

Pedestrian low speed alert whine is effective without being obtrusive. Subtle motor whirring seems distant in a well isolated cocoon of a cabin, with nary any wind whistle or tire roar.

• Three (3) drive modes = Eco, Normal, Sport: the latter for testing occupant G-Force tolerance.
• Variable Regenerative Slowing: 3 levels, with 3 being most aggressive, accessible via steering wheel dorsal paddles
• One pedal driving: "I-Pedal" about the easiest to master.
• Drive actuation = twist to shift steering column lower right side stalk

In the realm of ride composure and responsiveness the four door package of the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 has it all over the Ioniq 5 crossover ute. The lower center of gravity parallels road bends or dips in sport sedan fashion. There is a taut absorbance commensurate with prestige executive cars. The helm feels livelier and the performance all season Pirelli P-Zero tires claw with more responsive turn-in. Brakes digging hard do so with little dive. That rear biased full time all-wheel drive tempers the any tendency of the tail to tug.

HOW FAR (EV Range): 266 miles (77.4 kWh). Quite possibly no other EV broadcasts range so conspicuously in a multitude of displays.

HOW TO CHARGE IT:

Hyundai EV Charging account available with an established Electrify America ("EA")public charging network account (w/ bank credit card for overage). The Electrify America account is available via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay OS.

Non- Electrify America public charging requires proprietary app accounts; Native GPS navigation includes dedicated public charging location search in vicinity; Native in-vehicle at-home charge scheduling with remote BlueLink + control; Charge depletion level re-charge notification settings.

• +1 Prominent instrument cluster & infotainment battery charge status + range graphics
• +1 Three (3) years complimentary 30 minute Electrify AmericaDC station charging,
  • +/- Complimentary charging limited to 30 minutes per charge and 60 minutes wait between successive complimentary charge.

HOW BIG/ LITTLE: √ 5 Occupant 2+3 seating; +1 Entirely flat 1st & 2nd Row floor; -1 Front buckets seat cushions narrow; -1 Sloping roof and moonroof makes the 2nd Row a tighter fit.

HOW USEFUL: √ Fully carpeted trunk + power lid; √ 60/40% split near flat folding 2nd Row seat backs; √ 2nd Row 110 VAC V2L* capable outlet; √ Sub cargo floor management & home 110V charging cable; √ Split-level glove box w/ damped lid; √ Center console bin with aft hinged lid; √ Under-hood bay covered bin = "Frunk"

• +1 *Vehicle to Load (V2L) 1900 Watts available through 110V AC outlet at base of 2nd Row seats or via external charging port
  • Continues outbound feed for 36 hours
  • 1.1 kW supply to another vehicle = 110V charge supply
  • +1 Low load liftover; Floating center console with floor storage tray;
  • +/- "Frunk" = a small, shallow covered tray located under-hood
  • - Compact, low height trunk

HOW SAFE: 2023 IIHS = Top Safety Pick Plus status

STANDARD: √ 7 airbags; √ Rear camera w/ predictive grid; √ Audible rear park assist; √ Roll mitigation; √ BlueLink + restrictive access & geo-fencing; √ Auto high beam LED headlamps; √ Rear occupant alert + sensor + mobile device app notification; √ Driver attention monitor; √ Traffic street side driver's door alert + 2nd Row door lock-in; √ Rain sensing interval windshield wipers

INCLUDED ADAS: √ Blind Spot & Rear cross traffic warning + avoidance braking; √ Blind Spot View adjacent lane monitor; √ Post collision S.O.S. alert; √ Lane Departure Warning & Steer Prevention; √ Forward collision, pedestrian detection warning w/ avoidance braking; √ Intersection left turn oncoming traffic avoidance braking; √ full Adaptive Cruise control, curve speed control, w/ lead vehicle lane follow notice; √ Sonar fore & aft park collision warning w/ avoidance auto-braking.

+/- Remote Smart Parking Assist limited to moving directly forwards or backwards in a straight line where convenient where there is limited space to open doors, while stopping for obstructions in the path.

AVAILABLE ADAS:^{(included in test vehicle)}

• Surround View camera w/ sonar proximity warning
• Lane Change Assistance

HOW PEOPLE FRIENDLY: Given its premium executive car objective, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Limited AWD swaps out some austere conventions of its Ioniq 5 crossover sibling for slimmer, more curved panels and splashier finish. Traditional door card controls have been moved to the broad center console, ergo the full floating bridge. The de rigeur contiguous dual panoramic displays are framed in brightwork. Dashboard and door card print schemes match the welcome displays with waveforms. Otherwise climate and infotainment controls have been retained in the same intuitive groupings, using tasteful matte metallic buttons set within a restrained amount of piano gloss black bezels.

Dueling Blended Big Screens: Curved, contiguous, landscape dual 12.3 TFT instrument and touch LCD infotainment displays have the acreage to disseminate power, charge/ discharge, maps, road signs, ADAS systems, media & comm in a story book way. The BlueLink + infortainment screen contains the expected corporate swipe menu screens to touch set up, with absolutely logical menu flow. Variable size font script is welcome. MFI displays, usefully including ADAS settings, are selected via a ribbed metallic steering wheel spoke toggle.

• -1 Audio fine tune settings contained under SETUP sub-menu

ICE Non-traditional, EV Conventional: √ Power ejecting, retracting blade style exterior door handles; √ Open center console; √ Center console knurled metallic rotary drive position twist knob

√ H-Tex vegan leatherette seating - heated Row 1; √ Wide berth, sport bolstered front bucket seats; √ 8-way power front seats, w/ 3-setting driver memory; √ Push button start; √ Thick rimmed, flat bottom heated leather tilt + telescoping steering wheel with spoke integrated tactile redundant controls; √ Automatic 2-zone climate control; √ 2nd Row climate vents; √ 2nd Row outboard heated seats; √ Large center console ribbed rotary metallic transmission position dial; √ Overhead console retracting sunglasses bin; √ Power folding side mirrors.

Cool Gizmo(s): √ 12.3" drive mode variable TFT instrument cluster w/ navigation map; √ Blind Spot View gauge cluster display; √ Tinted panoramic moonroof, front power open & venting + power barn door shade; √ Variable color foot well, center console & striated door panel ambient lighting; √ Driver attention detection four lavender LEDs embedded in steering wheel boss.

Details Done Right: √ Vegan simulated leather seating; √ Recycled cabin plastics; √ Segment printed soft touch dash and center armrest; √ Knurled aluminum button + barrel controls; √ Matte metallic switches and bezels; √ Parametric pixelated mid-dashboard accent printing; √ Aluminum trimmed pedals; √ Variable color illuminated "Bose" door audio loudspeaker covers.

Nearly Non-Descript: -1 Coarse grain below waist-height, pillar, aft cabin wall plastic cabin trim & omission of center console knee padding; seats low on lateral torso support.

HOW CONNECTED: √ BlueLink + center dash top pod mount 12.3"-inch landscape, capacitive touch LCD infotainment screen is curved and contiguous to the instrument display; √ Bluetooth & voice command hands-free communications; √ GPS HDD OTA Navigation w/ 3-D map, voice guidance w/ connected weather at destination app; √ SMS messaging + pre-defined replies; √ Android Auto / Apple Car Play smart phone projection; √ USB-A x 2, USB-C x 2, 110 VAC (Row 2), 12V x 2 (incl., cargo);

♦ Audibly: 8-speaker, 480 watt DTS 5.1 Bose audio quite crisp + punchy

HOW "APP" -LICABLE: Hyundai BlueLink + (formerly BlueLink telematics - 5 years included)

• +1 Extensive Hyundai BlueLink + voice commands for climate, audio, and navigation inputs; Traditional Hyundai BlueLink + system + simple decipher menus
• "Last Mile" pedestrian walking destinations from between 0.1 and 1.2 miles distance
• -1 "Navigation Charging POIs" lacks real time charger status and electricity cost (in contrast to phone projection charging apps)

By Subscription: √ Sirius XM (90 days included); √ Navigation maps OTA updated (3 years incl.) √ Wi-Fi hot spot (by Verizon Wireless - 90 days or 2 GB included)

HOW MUCH: $58,005 = as tested 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Limited AWD suggested retail price. Final assembly outside in Korea = INELIGIBILITY for the Clean Vehicle federal tax Credit per Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 amendment, effective August 17, 2022, (though eligibility remains for leased vehicles to selling dealerships and state by state purchase rebates).

WHAT'S MISSING: Lighter weight; More tightly grained cabin walls; public DC charging which comes close to 350 kW speed

ANY COMPETITION: Polestar 2 Dual Motor: Nordic take on performance executive EV sedan, plus fifth door.