With possibly even more hype and anticipation than the Ioniq 5, on July 13th Hyundai launched its Ioniq 6, the launch attended remotely by motoring journalists around the world.

DriveLife viewed the event to get the low-down on Hyundai’s all-new EV.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 6 – Design

Built on E-GMP global platform, the Ioniq 6 is claimed to be their “Electrified Streamliner”. It’s a 4-door fastback sedan with a low drag coefficient of just 0.21, the lowest for any Hyundai car.

Hyundai says the Ioniq 6 adheres to the 3 key design pillars of any Ioniq: Living space, parametric pixels, and sustainability. On a practical front, that means things parametric pixel headlights and taillights, as well as parametric pixel high brake lights right across the boot.

The rear of the car is almost a semi-buttress design, with even Hyundai calling it “almost a boat tail”. The boot incorporates a ducktail spoiler. It’s 4.855m long, with a 2.95m wheelbase.

Up front, there are active air flaps, and all front sensors are hidden behind a black, full-width panel which makes the car seem even wider. Side-on, there a digital side mirrors very similar to those on the Audi e-tron SUV.

It’s interesting that Hyundai is launching a 4-door sedan at a time when everyone seems to want an SUV, but Hyundai answered this with comments around wanting to make a statement, and have something that is different and a bit unique. Their Ioniq 7 SUV will be announced later in the year.

So, how does it actually look? There are shades of the Audi TT at the front, and overall it’s a great-looking car. One of the cars on stage at the launch was finished in Green Pearl, and it looked outstanding. We’ll have to confirm the attractiveness of the car when we get one to review.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 6 – Interior

The 6 has a stretched wheelbase to give the best possible amount of interior space, and to highlight this some transparent materials are used to make the interior feel even bigger.

Actually, the details were pretty light for the entire car. We can see the interior’s design is very similar to the Ioniq 5, complete with Relaxation Comfort Seats on the top-spec model. There are four dots on the steering wheel, instead of the traditional Hyundai badge. Why? Because in Morse Code, 4 dots stand for an H.

A nice option is the Smart Table; great for workers on the road, it folds out to cover the centre console to hold a laptop, and more.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 6 – Drivetrain

The car comes with a 77.4kWh drive battery, enough to give it a WLTP rating of 610Km. That’s over 100Km more than the Ioniq 5, says Hyundai, and is achieved by different battery technology (packing more batteries into a single cell), more efficient EV motors, and a more aerodynamic shape. With energy usage of 14kWh/100Km, the Ioniq 6 is claimed by Hyundai to be one of the most energy-efficient EVs in the market. The WLTP figure of 14kWh/100Km is for the base rear-wheel-drive model with 18″ wheels. The Ioniq 6 can achieve a charge time of 18 minutes for moving the battery from 10 to 80%, with the right (350kW) fast charger.

Like the Ioniq 5, there will be both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive options, with a combined power output of 239kW and 605Nm of torque. The car will accelerate to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds.  While that certainly isn’t slow, there were solid hints that we will see an N version of the Ioniq 6 at some point, with an announcement planned for later this week.

Like the Ioniq 5, a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) adaptor will be available, so you can run 230-volt appliances from the car. I expect that like the V2L adaptor for the Ioniq 5, this will be an additional cost option.

Unlike the Ioniq 5, the 6 will take over the air updates, and the car has an “Electric Active Sound Design”, meaning you can vary the fake engine noises the car makes. There’s also a new feature: EV Performance Tune-Up, where the driver can freely adjust steering effort, motor power, accelerator pedal sensitivity and driveline mode. Drivers can create a variety of different combinations with just a few button clicks to meet their individual needs, choosing from Minimum, Moderate or Maximum. If you are pushing along, the cabin’s interior lighting will increase in intensity to remind you your speed is increasing.

There is no solar roof option (like the Ioniq 5 has) at this time, as it uses too much headroom.

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 6 – Features

Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2) helps to maintain a set distance and speed from the vehicle ahead when driving on a highway and helps to centre the vehicle in the lane while driving, even though a curve. In case the vehicle on the side is driving very close, it assists to adjust the vehicle’s path, not to be in danger. If driving above a certain speed, holding the steering wheel, and operating the turn signal switch automatically changes the lane in the indicated direction.

The SEL and Limited trims includes enhanced functions of Junction Crossing, Lane-Changing Oncoming and Lane-Changing Side along with Evasive Steering Assist. While driving through an intersection if there is a risk of collision with oncoming vehicles from the left or right, it automatically assists with emergency braking. When changing lanes while driving, if there is a risk of collision with an oncoming vehicle in the next lane or a preceding vehicle in the next lane, it automatically assists with avoidance steering. And while driving, if there is a risk of collision with a pedestrian, partially in the vehicle’s intended path, it automatically assists with avoidance steering.

The SEL and Limited trims includes enhanced functions of Junction Crossing, Lane-Changing Oncoming and Lane-Changing Side along with Evasive Steering Assist. While driving through an intersection if there is a risk of collision with oncoming vehicles from the left or right, it automatically assists with emergency braking. When changing lanes while driving, if there is a risk of collision with an oncoming vehicle in the next lane or a preceding vehicle in the next lane, it automatically assists with avoidance steering. And while driving, if there is a risk of collision with a pedestrian, partially in the vehicle’s intended path, it automatically assists with avoidance steering.

A variety of Parking Convenience features make parking in a variety of circumstances easier than before. Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 (RSPA 2) helps remotely park by Remote Parking or it helps remotely exit a parking spot from outside the vehicle by Remote Operation. This feature works for parallel, perpendicular, and even diagonal parking.

IONIQ 6 Digital Studio is extended reality (XR) content that provides an immersive experience for people to encounter IONIQ 6 in a virtual reality space. IONIQ 6 Digital Studio consists of six themed spaces that reflect the lifestyles of IONIQ 6 consumers. Customers can access the Studio via their computers, laptops, or mobile phones and experience a variety of interactive content including a driving experience and product specifications through virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and Head Mounted Display.

Production of the Ioniq 6 will start in the third quarter of 2022.

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Fred Alvrez
How on earth to start this? I've been car/bike/truck crazy since I was a teen. Like John, I had the obligatory Countach poster on the wall. I guess I'm more officially into classic and muscle cars than anything else - I currently have a '65 Sunbeam Tiger that left the factory the same day as I left the hospital as a newborn with my mother. How could I not buy that car? In 2016 my wife and I drove across the USA in a brand-new Dodge Challenger, and then shipped it home. You can read more on www.usa2nz.co.nz. We did this again in 2019 in a 1990 Chev Corvette - you can read about that trip on DriveLife. I'm a driving instructor and an Observer for the Institute of Advanced Motorists - trying to do my bit to make our roads safer.

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