Up Close With the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6: The Latest Ioniq Swoops In
The brand-new 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 made the biggest splash at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show — at least among production cars — and with good reason. Featuring unique, swoopy styling that defies conventional body style labels and makes Hyundai’s “streamliner” description seem appropriate, the Ioniq 6 joins a growing lineup of promising and user-friendly all-electric vehicles.
Related: More 2022 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
Others on staff are high on the Ioniq 6’s exterior design, and while I like it and it’s growing on me, I’m still more lukewarm — the proportions don’t seem quite right and there’s probably one more rear spoiler than I would like. But I love the pixelated design elements that first appeared on the brand’s Ioniq 5 electric SUV.
The Ioniq 6 rides on the same global platform as the Ioniq 5, but it has a slightly shorter wheelbase. Despite that, the interior feels nearly as roomy. Its cockpit has a more enclosed feeling because there’s a center console that extends all the way to the dashboard (as opposed to the wide-open space in the Ioniq 5), but there’s still ample storage. In an interesting user-interface decision, Hyundai moved the window switches off the front doors and onto the center console to add storage; it doesn’t feel like this adds more space for that, but it does create a more convenient door pull that runs almost the full length of the front doors. The downside might be that this crevice collects crumbs, dust, french fries and other traditional automotive detritus.
In back, the swooping roofline eats into headroom, particularly for taller passengers, but there’s so much legroom that even NBA-size occupants should be able to slouch their way to a comfortable position. The flat floor also adds to the roomy feel.
Cargo storage is adequate, but the Ioniq 6 isn’t a secretly convenient hatchback or liftback; the rear cargo area is more like the trunk of a sedan. Based solely on a show-floor eye test, the cargo opening seemed on the narrower side, but we’ll have to measure it ourselves to see how the Ioniq 6 compares with other vehicles.
Perhaps the biggest issue for the Ioniq 6 is its reliance on dated infotainment technology. There isn’t wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity and, while there are four USB-C charging ports, the sole data port is a USB-A design. This problem is consistent across the brand, at once equally confusing and frustrating. Hyundai does say the Ioniq 6 is capable of over-the-air firmware updates, a first for the marque.
We’ve been impressed with the charging capabilities of the Ioniq 5’s electric drivetrain, and given that the Ioniq 6 has the same EV architecture, it doesn’t seem as though it will disappoint. Hyundai also promises the Ioniq 6 will have more range, though we’re still waiting on official EPA ratings.
Given how much we enjoy the Ioniq 5, the sleeker, more driver-oriented Ioniq 6 is full of promise we can’t wait to test.
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