Two and a half years after showing off the stunning Prophecy concept, Hyundai has unveiled the production Ioniq 6 electric sedan ahead of its sale date later this year. While the Ioniq 6’s signature styling is sure to be divisive, it certainly stands out from the crowd and fits well alongside the existing Ioniq 5. If the Ioniq 5 looks like an ’80s hatchback concept coming to life, it’s the Ioniq 6, a crazy show car from the 90s made real.
The Ioniq 6’s design is busier than the Prophecy concept, but the overall shape and theme are intact. The sloping silhouette helps give the Ioniq 6 a drag coefficient of 0.21, which matches the Lucid Air and beats the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model 3. The arc of the roofline and side windows makes the rear of the Ioniq 6 look drippy from some angles, but I’m into the look — it’s reminiscent of a Citroën DS or a cool old Tatra, not to mention something like a Porsche 911. The bodywork is extremely clean, with a single sharp rising line in the door sill, and the side skirts and lower bumper sections have a contrasting gray finish. I love the subtle curve of the D-pillar that flows into the tailgate and meets the wide, smooth rear fender.
The Ioniq 6 has more than 700 parametric pixel lamps.
Hyundai
A thin black band runs along the top of the front bumper, hiding all the necessary sensors, cameras, and lights that indicate the car’s charge status. A single slim intake in the lower bumper uses active hatches and is flanked by black trapezoidal inserts on the edges of the bumper that hide more air curtains. The short hood has a nice styling, and the headlights feature the same pixelated LEDs as the Ioniq 5 but housed in a more evil-looking bezel. But the back is when things get weird.
AThe complex lower bumper has vertical strips and additional pixel lighting, as on the Prophecy concept, as well as air intakes on the corners. nice little ducktail spoiler above a pixelated taillight bar spans the width of the rear, forming a point on each edge. The strangest (and coolest) feature is the s, additionaligher up on the tailgate at the bottom of theandt has a transparent panel with more pixel lights to form the CHMSL. There are more than 700 “parametric pixels” on the car, and the Ioniq 6 also debuts with Hyundai’s new H badge.
While not as radical as the exterior, the Ioniq 6’s cabin is still freakin’ cool. The upper dash is much the same as the Ioniq 5, with a pair of 12-inch screens merged into one screen mounted above a vented band that runs the length of the dash. Instead of an open space under the climate control panel, where the Ioniq 5 has a movable, floating center console, the Ioniq 6 has a higher bridge-style center tunnel with storage compartments and window controls. There is a large open space under the bridge. The Ioniq 6 uses recycled PET fabric for the seats, vegetable oil-based paint on the doors, and carpets made from recycled fishing nets.
It is one of the most aerodynamic production cars ever.
Hyundai
On the Ioniq 5, the steering wheel has four square dots instead of the Hyundai logo — Morse code for the letter H –, but on the Ioniq 6, they light up in different colors, such as green for when the car is charging. The door maps are fantastic, with a bar with the speaker grilles separate from the ribbed door panel and a complete lack of buttons for more comfort and space. Configurable mood lighting is standard, spreading light gently over the interior surfaces. Since the US doesn’t allow cameras in place of mirrors, our version of the Ioniq 6 will do without the rearview screens at each end of the dash. Unfortunately, Hyundai has not yet released any photos of the rear seats or luggage compartment, but the brand promises passengers will have plenty of legroom and a flat floor.
This mood lighting is wild.
Hyundai
We don’t know the exact specs of the Ioniq 6 yet, but it rides on the same E-GMP platform used by the Kia EV6, Genesis GV60, and virtually all of Hyundai Motor Group’s other upcoming EVs. A single-motor setup and rear-wheel drive are standard, with twin-motor four-wheel drive as an option, and the Ioniq 6 is likely to use a 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack. As for range, expect at least 300 miles on the EPA cycle, if not more, given the aerodynamic body of the Ioniq 6.
The Ioniq 6 will go on sale in the US in 2023 with a likely starting price of around $45,000. We will know more details when the Ioniq 6 makes its public debut at the Busan Auto Show in July, and it will be followed next year by the large Ioniq 7 SUV.
