ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS DRIVES THE HYUNDAI IONIQ 6

Hyundai will certainly remember 2023, their IONIQ 6 taking the World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle and World Car Design awards and just as the Festive season clicked into gear my colleagures across the Irish Sea, voted it Scottish Car of the Year.

However, this South Korean car company is hardly going to result on its laurels as we accelerate into this new year, one in which expect to see a large number of new EVs enter the market. I recently spent a week behind the IONIQ 6, which to some as become known as “The Streamliner” thanks to its slippery profile; it certainly got attention as I enjoyed my time behind the wheel. It is the second model in the company’s dedicated all-electric line-up and it takes full advantage of a bespoke Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) architecture to offer 800-V, ultra-fast charging capabilities and a spacious interior.

In a market which sees more and more SUVs in the arena, it was refreshing and pleasant to drive a saloon and when it comes to comfort, it is fair to compare it with what Mercedes offers and that take it from me this is praise indeed. The IONIQ 6 has an ultra-low drag coefficient of just 0.21 which makes it one of the most aerodynamic and energy efficient EVs currently available. Regarding range which often puts customers off in purchasing an EV; well Hyundai claim a range of 554 km (338m). Alas I fell well short of that figure, just shy of 386km (240); still a figure which will be most acceptable to a number of buyers. The minute I took charge of this Hyundai I was well aware of a vehicle packed with features; which honestly has come to be the norm. Amongst the many features, Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology, driver assistance systems and advanced connectivity with over-the-air (OTA) software updates that offer the ultimate in-car experience. I had on more than one occasion to rely on the navigation system; one of the most user friendly I have ever used. With voice recognition it made locating a destination so easy and it achieved the result very fast; one of my favourite features of the IONIQ 6 without a doubt. When it comes to proportions this Hyundai is generous and the spacious and ergonomic interior takes full advantage of the elongated 2,950 mm wheelbase to provide an array of empowering features, such as Dual Color Ambient Lighting, Speed Sync Lighting, EV Performance Tune-up and Electric Active Sound Design (e-ASD), to enhance the electric driving experience. There is the choice of either a rear-wheel drive powertrain with 228PS and 350Nm or an all-wheel drive version with 325PS and 605Nm and of the models feature the long range 77.4 kWh battery.

Performance I found to be brisk, a feature of all the EVs I have tested and on the open road the drive is ultra smooth, only interrupted by tyre noise. I do feel there is somewhere yet to go regarding tyre technology and the EV. As already introduced on IONIQ 5, V2L also features as standard on IONIQ 6, with internal Each occasion I ventured out with the IONIQ 6 I discovered further aids to make driving an even more enjoyable and ones which frankly I did not expect such as Vehicle 2 Load (V2L), this provides 3 pin plug compatibility to power devices directly from the high voltage battery and the IONIQ 6 also provides the capability to power devices directly from the vehicles rear charge port with a V2L adapter.

There is no doubt in my mind that Hyundai have the complete package with this car and for drivers who may have become bored with SUVs and the like, there will be no disappointment in being the keeper of this Hyundai.

Ian Lynas