Hyundai Discontinues Ioniq 6 for 2026, Will Only Offer High-Performance N Version in U.S.

What Car Shoppers Need to Know

• Hyundai is discontinuing the regular Ioniq 6 sedan in the U.S. for the 2026 model year.
• A refreshed 2026 Ioniq 6 is currently on sale in some global markets, but its future in the U.S. was in question due to disappointing sales and tariff considerations.
• Hyundai is still committed to bringing the high-performance Ioniq 6 N version to the U.S. for 2026.

Hyundai has been on a roll with its electric vehicles recently — if you want an EV that’s also a Hyundai, there’s something for almost everyone. From the everyday capability of the Ioniq 5 to the blistering performance of the Ioniq 5 N to the three-row, family-hauling Ioniq 9, every Ioniq EV offers tons of value, great tech and some of the fastest charging speeds on the market. However, Hyundai has made the decision to ax one of the more interesting EVs to come out in recent years: the Ioniq 6 mid-size sedan.

Related: Hyundai Expands Complimentary EV Charger Offer to More Models

An Excellent, Quirky EV

• Takeaway: Hyundai made some interesting styling and design choices with the Ioniq 6. While some were endearing, others were just plain puzzling.

When the Ioniq 6 was first shown in the U.S. in late 2022, our editors were smitten with it. Here was an EV that was not only a sedan, but a sedan with styling that looked like nothing else on the road. From its swoopy, coupelike roofline to its rear deck that, despite looking like a hatch, actually had a trunk, we named it Best in Show at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show. It wasn’t without its quirks, though, like dual rear spoilers that aided in aerodynamics, some strange interior control placements and an awkwardly small trunk.

In spite of those quirks, the Ioniq 6 was an excellent EV. Hyundai offered the Ioniq 6 in either single-motor rear-wheel-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive configurations. With two different battery sizes to choose from, buyers could expect to get power ratings ranging from 149 horsepower on the base model up to 320 hp on higher trims. Range was also impressive as long as you stuck with the bigger battery, which got up to 342 miles of range on a full charge. Speaking of charging, the Ioniq 6 had some of the fastest charging speeds around thanks to its 800-volt architecture. Using a 350-kilowatt DC fast charger, the Ioniq 6 could charge from 10%-80% in an estimated 18 minutes, according to Hyundai.

Buyers Largely Ignored It

• Takeaway: Since the Ioniq 6’s introduction for the 2023 model year, fewer than 37,000 have been sold in the U.S.

Despite the Ioniq 6 featuring great tech, charging and range, buyers didn’t line up at the dealership to get one. Through February, some 36,000 Ioniq 6s have found buyers in the U.S. In 2023, its first full year on sale, Hyundai sold 12,999 examples; 2024 sales dipped 6%, with 12,264 sold. That slide continued into 2025, with a 15% sales drop to just 10,478 sold. The 2026 calendar year is shaping up to be worse, with just 573 sold so far. These lowering sales combined with the financial impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs may be why Hyundai has decided to throw in the towel on the regular model.

The Regular Ioniq 6 Is Gone, But the Performance N Is Still on Deck

• Takeaway: The only Ioniq 6 model slated to be available going forward is the high-performance Ioniq 6 N version.

But all is not lost for the Ioniq 6 nameplate overall. With the discontinuation of the regular-line Ioniq 6, Hyundai is taking an approach similar to the route Volkswagen took when it dropped the mainstream Golf in the U.S. but continued to offer the enthusiast-focused GTI and Golf R versions. Though originally slated to preview the regular Ioniq 6, in an emailed statement to Cars, a Hyundai spokesman confirmed that though the regular Ioniq 6 is dead, the Ioniq 6 N is still scheduled to arrive later in 2026:

“Going forward, our award-winning Ioniq 6 lineup will consist of the all-new Ioniq 6 N. This high-performance electric sport sedan delivers truly thrilling, track-ready dynamics coupled with everyday usability. Ioniq 6 N arrives later this year. In the meantime, 2025 Ioniq 6 sedans continue to be available at dealers alongside our award-winning and U.S. assembled Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 SUVs.”

Hyundai first showed the Ioniq 6 N in the U.S. at the 2025 L.A. Auto Show. Similar to the Ioniq 5 N, the Ioniq 6 N gets a dual-motor setup that puts out an impressive 641 horsepower with the N Grin boost feature; the standard power rating is 601 hp. Combined with a list of other N performance upgrades and settings, the Ioniq 6 N should be one of the most engaging performance EVs on the market when it goes on sale.

Read More About the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 6 N:

• 6 Quirks of the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
• The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N’s Fake Shifting Equals Real Fun
• Hyundai Recalls 31,000-Plus Ioniq 6 EVs for Charging Port Door
• Hyundai Ioniq 6 N: A Performance All-Electric Super Sedan
• Hyundai Expands Complimentary EV Charger Offer to More Models
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