Hyundai Ioniq 6 offers an easy and familiar high-tech drive

When I first saw photos of the Hyundai Ioniq 6, it seems as though the car was taken straight out of a video game like Cyberpunk 2077 — the strong theme of retrofuturism ensured that. Hyundai calls it an electrified streamliner, and that further confirms the theme — streamliners generally refer to aerodynamically optimised trains in the past, while electrification is clearly the future of vehicles in the world.

Retro designs are charming, but most wouldn't want to live with technology of yesteryear. Hence, what Hyundai is doing here has the potential to offer the best of both worlds. The question is: Has Hyundai managed it with the Ioniq 6? 

Old-school charm is the way forward

Hyundai is a brand that has never been afraid to experiment with designs — unlike almost every other brand, its range of cars are clearly defined.

The Ioniq 6 is the second car from the brand to be built upon its E-GMP platform and it looks nothing like the Ioniq 5 SUV.  Unlike the boxy Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 has a streamlined body consisting of a single curved aerodynamic profile, allowing it to achieve Hyundai's lowest drag coefficient figure of 0.22.

With a wide and low front end that seems fitting for a sports coupe, the Ioniq 6 instantly demands the attention of bystanders. As you cruise on by, the curved side profile that leads to a Porsche 911-esque duck tail locks in their attraction to the car. By the time that you have driven passed, they will now be fixated on the dramatic assembly of Parametric Pixels that forms the taillights and makes up a significant chunk of the svelte rear end.

The streamlined body style, along with generous use of over 700 Parametric Pixels in the head lights, taillights, and other parts of the Ioniq 6, not only portrays the brand's Ioniq branding, but also gives it the charming retro vibes that will draw you in.

A welcoming cabin with everything you need

The Ioniq 6 is a car that beckons you to get in and find out more about it. Unlock the car and its flush door handles pop out, welcoming you to get inside. The designers at Hyundai call the cabin cocoon-like, evoking expectations of a soothing and comfortable personal space, and it truly is such.

With the dedicated E-GMP EV platform, interior space is maximised along with a flat floor. This translates to expansive legroom and plenty of space for the front and rear occupants — while the rear bench is indented for two rear passengers, the absence of a transmission tunnel means the centre passenger can sit in comfort as well. Although, it is worth pointing out that headroom is compromised due to the low and curved roofline of the car.

Eco-friendly materials are extensively utilised to craft the cabin. While there are plenty of hard plastic surfaces, the texture, fit and finish of all the interior trim pieces are well-executed and feels premium to the touch. The quality of the interior can further be felt from the well-damped tactile feedback from the knobs and switches, such as the signal stalk and the volume knob.

Like its slippery exterior, the interior of the Ioniq 6 is clearly the result of much thought — the door lock buttons and window switches are all located on the centre console to create the simplified and stylish door panels. The door pockets also feature the use of translucent materials that softly diffuses the customisable ambient lighting to create a warm and homely atmosphere.

The abundance of storage spaces, including cubbyholes in the rear door panel that perfectly fit a smartphone, and the provision of enough USB ports for all occupants to keep their devices juiced up, further confirms that thoughtfulness that went into designing this space.

Well-assisted and easy drive

The same thoughtfulness can be experienced when you are behind the wheel of the Ioniq 6. Unlike other EVs that I have driven, the steering is nicely weighted and communicative enough to offer plenty of confidence when driving. Even more impressive is the 'natural' brake feel with excellent modulation. 

And as expected of such a modern platform, the Ioniq 6 is laden with thoughtful technology to make driving a breeze. Equipped with Hyundai's SmartSense Package, the car has all the driver assistance systems that you are probably already familiar with, and more. Turn on Adaptive Cruise Control and the car will follow the car in front at a safe distance. Combine it with the car's Lane Following Assist and Lane Keeping Assist systems and it will practically drive itself on expressways.

Additionally, the car will alert you of traffic all around with audio warning, along with live visuals of the blind spots on both sides of the car. Meanwhile, the high-definition Surround View Monitor will utilise all cameras on the car to guide you through the narrowest of roads and into parking lots with ease.

Apart from the comprehensive driver assistance package, it is also well-equipped with comfort features. Ventilated electric front seats, dual-zone climate control, sunroof, wireless charger and a power tailgate, you name it, the Ioniq 6 has it. The large 12.3-inch infotainment touch screen display that sits on the same panel as the similarly-sized digital cluster has an intuitive smartphone-like interface that is easy to operate - there's even a blue light filter option for the display!

There is one bit of the car that isn't as intuitive — the gear selector is located below the wiper stalk, and there have been a few times when I found myself reaching for the wrong one. That said, by the time I returned the car, I had already gotten used to it.

New things can often be daunting, but I'm glad to say that transiting over to the Ioniq 6 from my usual old, internal combustion engine car is seamless and easy. Yes, with 605Nm of instant torque on tap and 321bhp, it does seem kind of scary. However, behind the wheel, everything's business as usual — the controls are familiar and the car is easy to drive.

I managed to clock 180km on the car and it was showing a remaining range of 225km when I returned it, and this works out to over 400km of actual range, even with plenty of harsh acceleration (I have quite the heavy right foot, and that electric torque is just plain amusing). If driven sensibly, I'm certain the car will get much closer to its advertised range of 519km.

Retro-futuristic style and a familiar and easy drive with futuristic performance

So, can you really have retro charm and futuristic technology in equal measure? These may seem to be fundamentally contradictory. However, it does seem like Hyundai has managed offer the best parts of retro and futurism with the Ioniq 6. It's body lines, two-tone colour and those Parametric Pixels are certainly old-school cool. Meanwhile, its powerful electrified drivetrain still manages to be easy to control and familiar to drive. 

While $262,888 (price as of press time) seems like quite a pretty penny, there are a few points to consider — the Ioniq 6 has a cutting-edge EV drivetrain, it is well-built, and is packed with features that you won't even find in most German compact sedans. With all things considered, it is clear that the Ioniq 6 is a winner.

What we like

• Attention-grabbing retro-futuristic styling
• Great real-world tested range of over 400km (with plenty of hard driving)
• Easy and enjoyable to drive
• Spacious and well-built interior
• 605Nm of torque!
• Packed full of features and equipment

What we dislike

• Styling might not be for everyone
• Gear selector positioning takes some getting to used to

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.