Louth Motors: Hyundai Ionic 6 - A true world beater

Stop the presses. “Car manufacturer launches a saloon car”.

Who’d have thought that would ever be newsworthy but in these ever-changing motoring times we live in, a saloon car is quite a rare thing.

Hyundai would not be best pleased if the car was solely described as that calling it an Electrified Streamliner and to be fair it is more of a streamliner than a saloon.

In fact, the first time I saw the car on the road from behind at a distance, I was sure it was a Porsche 911 (that, coincidentally, has the same extremely low drag co-efficient figure of 0.21) and what better car to exude sleek and sporty which the Ionic 6 most certainly is.

Personally, the name could be better as it deserves something more exotic other than the 6 after the 5 being to my eye unrelated in terms of proposition to its lesser numbered sibling.

At the front there is also another bit of Porsche going on as those lights look familiar.

So, what is the Ioniq 6? It is an executive class car that’s fully electric.

It won three awards at the 2023 World Car Awards which you cannot have escaped with blanket radio ads everywhere as Hyundai are rightly proud of their achievement.

Those awards were for World Car, World Electric Car and World Car Design. That’s Erling Haaland hat-trick territory and an endorsement of Hyundai’s engineering in delivering fantastic cars.

I think the Ioniq 6 is one of the most striking cars on sale joining the Ioniq 5 with that accolade.

There is simply nothing quite like them either on the outside or inside.

The level of quality on offer is superb and a match for the absolute best the others can offer.

For a volume manufacturer to deliver this level of quality consistently is some feat.

With the price of electric cars still considered pricey it’s good to record that the Ioniq 6 only attracts a premium of approx.

€4k over the Ioniq 5 and is, regardless of the method of propulsion, right on price in the executive sector.

Pricing commences at €48,296 topping out at €71,250 for the top spec AWD version.

The level of equipment on the entry Signature model is good but the extra for the good stuff you get with the Elegance trim requires an additional €14k which only comes with the desirable bigger battery.

That sector is fiercely competitive and contains the likes of has the BMW i4, Tesla Model 3 and the Polestar 2.

The driving experience in the Ioniq 6 is quite sublime.

It has a refined cabin and noise is treated as public enemy no.1.

You definitely get the executive treatment in the Ioniq 6.

All models are rear wheel drive too and again it’s refreshing to be driving such a car being all too rare these days.

I found the performance staggering and when pressed it really delivers.

That comes at the expense of range but that’s the same for all cars.

The algorithm that projects range is good and dynamic and factors in your driving behaviour for accurate forecasting.

Range is quoted at 614kms. I got a return of 14.5kW/100kms that should be good for 533kms from the bigger 77kW battery, the one to choose, for a price premium of €6k.

All isn’t perfect with the Ioniq 6 and the main criticism I have for it is the boot.

Not so much in terms of volume, more practicality.

It’s a hinged boot and the opening slit is quite narrow from top to bottom.

We had a weekend away and it swallowed our weekend bags, but suitcases would be a challenge and anything like bikes will need a carrier, which is available from Hyundai and not too spoiling of the looks.

The cabin has a lot of space for passengers and even the sloping streamlined roof doesn’t rob rear passengers of much headroom.

In terms of refinement, attractiveness, and competitiveness there is truly little to touch the Ioniq 6.

Apart from the Ioniq 5 that is, which I really like. I’d opt for the Ioniq 6 over the 5 and live with the less than optimum boot just for those looks.

The competition is really hotting up in the executive, electric car space.

Hyundai, with Ioniq 6 is perfectly placed to see off the competitors, even outshine them.