Our Korean-spec test car was an AWD Long Range on 20in wheels, which has an official range of 322 miles, thanks to an efficiency of 3.7mpkWh. We actually managed around 4mpkWh on our test route, suggesting that even in AWD form, 300 real-world miles are possible. As with other E-GMP cars, the platform’s 800V electrical architecture allows for charging at rates of up to 350kW, giving a 10-80% charge in 18 minutes.
Efficiency benefits aside, the Ioniq 6’s styling won’t hurt its cause. In an EV market struggling with homogenisation, it’s a genuinely different proposition. From the rear, there’s more than a passing resemblance to a digital-age 911, a comparison surely encouraged with the vertical grooves on the dramatic rear spoiler. The bodywork also disguises its size: it’s about 200mm longer than the Ioniq 5, but the roofline is 152mm lower and the wheelbase is marginally shorter, so it’s a surprise when you step inside and find as much room as there is.
Presumably because redesigning the interior wouldn’t have an impact on the drag coefficient, there’s a lot more family resemblance with the Ioniq 5 here, but since that car has a classy, clean and upmarket cabin, we’re not exactly complaining. The two 12in digital screens for the infotainment system and your driving information are crisp and clear, and the software works well. New for the Ioniq 6 is an ambient lighting system that offers 4096 colour combinations and the ability to set the lights to change colour as you drive faster.
There’s also the new e-ASD system, a “spaceship-like” noise that changes pitch as you accelerate. Most will, of course, set that to ‘off’. Our test car featured the optional ‘digital wing mirrors’ (apparently worth around 0.9 miles to the range), with the screens displaying your rearward views contained on two prominent ‘wing tips’ that fold out from the end of the dashboard. While still not as intuitive as actual mirrors, the screens are better placed than in many other EVs that feature them.