It seems that every week we hear about another new EV being announced, but the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is something different. To begin with, it actually exists, and deliveries should begin in a matter of months, not years. Second, it is targeting the electric sedan segment, which has so far been the nearly exclusive playground of Tesla. Third, it brings some tantalizing new features to the table rather than simply being another “me-to” EV that is just aping the segment leaders. Finally, it looks amazing with one-of-a-kind styling and parametric pixel lighting.
Reimagining the Sedan
Take one look at the Ioniq 6, and it is clear that Hyundai was not interested in playing it safe. This swoopy, futuristic sedan looks like a mashup of all the best design cues from Porsche, Mercedes, and Tesla, with a distinctive Hyundai stamp over it all. Hyundai has been hitting it out of the park with its designs lately, and the Ioniq 6 doesn’t disappoint. However, this is more than a crazy concept car that actually made it into production.
Its sleek looks give the Ioniq 6 a coefficient of drag of just 0.22, making it one of the most aerodynamic vehicles on the road. That number is a bit higher than the Lucid Air and Mercedes-Benz EQS, but it needs to be remembered that the coefficient of drag is multiplied by the frontal area of the vehicle to calculate total drag, and the Ioniq 6 is smaller than either of those large luxury models. The result is an extremely slippery vehicle, which pays dividends when it comes to range.
Long Range, Enviable Performance
The 2023 Ioniq 6 shares its 77.4 kWh battery pack with the Ioniq 5 SUV that was released late last year. However, the sleeker design of the sedan means the Ioniq 6 has an estimated range of 340 miles for the base rear-wheel drive model––almost 40 miles more than the Ioniq 5. It’s almost 40 miles more than the BMW i4, another new electric sedan, even though the German brand is using a noticeably larger 82 kWh battery. Opt for the extra power and traction that comes with the all-wheel drive Ioniq 6, and the range will drop slightly to an estimated 310 miles, which is still more than the BMW can offer with rear-wheel drive.
With all-wheel drive, this new Hyundai produces 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under five seconds. That’s not the fastest EV you can buy, but it is significantly faster than the majority of the cars on the road. The Ioniq 6 is also faster than most when it comes to charging. Thanks to its 800V architecture, it can recharge from 10 percent to 80 percent in 18 minutes with a DC fast charger and can add 65 miles of range in just 5 minutes. The combination of long-range and fast charging makes this one of the best road trip EVs on the market.
Unique Features for the Modern World
The Ioniq 6 wouldn’t be a modern EV if it didn’t include some high-tech novelties designed to improve your driving experience. Probably its most revolutionary feature is Hyundai’s Digital Key 2.0 Touch, which allows you to use an iPhone, Apple Watch, or Samsung Galaxy as your key. Simply hold the smart device next to the door handle to open the car, and then place it on the wireless charger to drive away. Even better, you can use Apple Wallet or Samsung Pass to share your digital key with family and friends. How’s that for convenience?
Another cool tech addition is “EV Performance Tune-Up.” Because every aspect of electric vehicles is governed by computers, Hyundai decided to open things up and let you customize your driving experience. With this feature, you can set your preferred steering weight, accelerator sensitivity, and powertrain performance exactly how you want them. Of course, you still have Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Snow selectable drive modes as well. Since the Ioniq 6 is the first Hyundai to offer over-the-air updates, you can expect that even more options will be added in the future.
The EV Segment Is Evolving, and Hyundai Is Leading the Way
So far, electric vehicles have mostly been confined to luxury cars and city cars, with a growing number of compact SUVs. The 2023 Ioniq 6 is striking out in a new direction, offering an affordable and stylish electric sedan to challenge the segment-leading Model 3. While it doesn’t quite match the Tesla in terms of raw power, its range is comparable, it has just as many tech features, and we can expect the price tag to be lower. If you’ve been waiting for something different before getting behind the wheel of an EV, the Ioniq 6 may be the car for you.
