We’ve been talking about the new 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV for months and months now, ever since it was leaked in June, and we’ve written about it a lot since then, because it’s a very exciting-looking new EV from a company that’s been killing it lately, EV-design-wise. We’ve covered the look and the hard numbers and the specs and we’ve heard guesses that it’ll start somewhere in the low-to-mid $40,000 range, but so far we haven’t seen it in person, touched it, smelled it, licked it, communed with it. But now I have and I’m gonna tell you all about it, so prepare yourselves accordingly.
I pushed my way through the crowd of eager journalists, delivering strategically-placed bites to hips and midsections to get people to move, and fought my way to the front row, just in time to see a pair of likely working actors you should IMDB removing the cover.
And the result is great! The Ioniq 6 looks fantastic in person/automobile, I think, and it’s genuinely midsized – think Oldsmobile Aurora sized – and the proportions work well. Both ends feel like they have a lot of unashamed Porsche influences, something perhaps unexpected from a Korean electric sedan, but it works.
The dramatic curve of the roofline that flows into the tail is unusual and thankfully doesn’t feel like every other damn thing on the road today. The full-width, again very 911-style heckblende taillight looks great and the “Parametric Pixel” lighting design language is distinctive and really helps push the unique identity of the car.
The individual pixel elements are these little cubical units I want to grab with my damp fingers, and it’s repeated up front in the DRL/indicators:
Since I actually got to touch the car, I decided to pull levers and push buttons and open some shit up, so let’s check out the trunk:
First, it’s not a true hatch, but it is an absolutely colossal trunk lid, and the actual trunk aperture is nicely sized, too. Plus, that trunk is deep, deep like the poetry I sent my various junior high crushes, just much better finished and less empty:
But if you feel it’s base or vulgar to force your belongings into the rear of a vehicle, like some sort of filthy animal, I’m happy to report that unlike certain other carmakers I could mention, the Ioniq 6 has a small-but-usable-looking frunk:
It’s not big, but it’s big enough to do an EV’s frunk’s basic job: to hold cables and chargers and first aid kits and other random stuff that normally would be banging around in the rear, getting in the way of everything. They took the time to carve out some space and I appreciate the designers and engineers for that.
Another important detail that has become important in Our Modern Age: the glove box opens with a simple, basic latch and not some touchscreen horseshit:
Also, as a bit of public shaming to the autojourno community, I’d like to point out that the car was open to the journalists for all of three minutes before someone dropped some trash in the center console storage bin:
Way to go, jerkos.
The interior looks clean and modern, there’s a floating “bridge” type center console which seems to be popular now, and the wireless charger is the pocket-type, which I think is a wise idea. Interior materials feel pretty good, though I do hope there’s interior color options beyond Ennui Gray.
The rear spoiler incorporates the third brake lamp, and even when off, the dimensional pixel pattern is satisfying:
That photo makes the inset edge of the CHMSL look kinda rough, but I didn’t notice it in person. Hm.
Overall, based on my physical interactions with the Ioniq 6, I think I like what I’m seeing and feeling and smelling and tasting. I’m very curious to drive it, of course, but once again Hyundai seems to be bringing it to the EV space.
Too bad it’s not a hatchback. Otherwise a really nice job.
What’s the situation on physical buttons for stuff like radio, climate control, and windows?
I assume there’s a multi-driver memory function for seats, steering, and mirrors?
And finally, a question that to me has equal importance to that of glove box opening mechanism, which I hope will eventually be brought up just as naturally: It is possible for an owner to disable all wireless communication and telemetry? I mean completely, as no 4G/5G communication whatsoever (radios off), and WiFi to a secured hotspot only on active user initiation? And when communication is enabled, what is the possibility to select, defer, or entirely dismiss OTA updates?
There needs to be a name for front storage that is comically small. Front glove box—-Frox?
Shame the US model has to have actual side mirrors instead of the sleeker side cameras with interior displays. I wonder what the efficiency hit is for that.
(Also, the blanked-out spot at the edge of the dash where the displays should be makes things feel “cheaper,” in the way that blanked-out spots for buttons/switches traditionally serve as a constant reminder of nicer options you didn’t spring for.)
The “not a hatch” kills it. The difference between “ooooh!” and utter disinterest.
I’d rather one fewer safety start and a functioning hatch. Crap like this is how we got CUVs.
They really dumbed this one down from the concept. I mean.. yeah lots of cues are still there. But the product they came up with doesn’t look nearly as good. Womp womp what a let down.
Some people compare this to the melting design of certain Mercedes, and while there may be some similarities in profile I think this is way more successful and interesting. But a wagon would be even better…lol.
Funny that you mention it’s similarly sized to the Olds Aurora. I was trying to think of what the front end reminded me of — am I the only person here who thinks it looks and feels a lot like a (slightly) modernised take on the second-generation Olds Aurora? (For reference — here’s the Aurora:
)
Agreed. There’s also a touch of Intrigue…the car, not the noun..
I like it. If it doesnt crash itself or spontaneously combust i could see having one.
I do wonder with all the electric doodads do any have an easy connect hookup for a normal battery that would allow you to at least get in/out and/or tow if the EV battery conks out?
Seems counterintuitive, but most (all?) BEVs have a normal 12v battery for powering all the traditional car electric systems.
Finally, the 6000 SUX is here.
I too want to see/touch/smell/taste one. Maybe we can upgrade my wife from her 2018 Leaf to one of these elegant beauties.
not much of a frunk though, I would kind of prefer a full size spare tire there to be honest.
GM called from 1999. They want their battleship grey switches back.
I didn’t like it when Mercedes did the droopy bodylines and I’m pretty sure I don’t like it here either. :-/