Text by Tom Appel
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Limited AWD
Specs
Class: Midsize sedan
Color: Curated Silver
Seating Capacity: 5
Miles driven: 122
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | B+ |
| Power and Performance | B+ |
| Fit and Finish | B+ |
| Fuel Economy | A |
| Value | B+ |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | A |
| Tall Guy | B+ |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 320-horsepower |
| Engine Type | Electric motors |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Drive Wheels | AWD |
Battery capacity: 77 kWh
EPA-estimate MPGe: 111 city/94 hwy/103 combined
EPA-estimated driving range: 270 miles
Consumer Guide range estimate: (ideal conditions): 270+ miles
Charge-port location: Passenger-side rear fender
Snow performance: N/A
Base price: $56,100 (not including $1115 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Carpeted floor mats ($210)
Price as tested: $57,425
Pros and Cons
The great: Quick acceleration, roomy cabin, fast-charging capability
The good: Respectable driving range, striking styling inside and out, pleasant ride/handling balance
The not so good: Prices rise quickly as customers ascend through trim levels, limited trunk space
Overview
There’s an interesting comparison to be made between Lexus vehicles, and Hyundai Ioniq vehicles. I’ve long said that Lexus products only look sporty, but at their core, the brand’s cars and crossovers are really all about comfort and refinement.
Hyundai’s all-electric Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 seem to employ a similar tack. Though their exterior designs are aggressively modern, the core experience is more about comfort and simple operation than high-tech engagement. And, we sincerely appreciate that.
Indeed, the Ioniq 5 compact crossover, and the Ioniq 6 midsize sedan, are among the best electric vehicles available at the moment. And while their edgy styling makes a statement, it is during a test drive that these impressive Hyundai electrics will close sales. Both vehicles ride and handle like premium German vehicles, but their simple controls and infotainment interfaces quell much of the apprehension consumers might experience before driving a futuristic, design-forward electric vehicle. We recently reviewed the fun and functional Ioniq 5, you can read that test drive here.
Prices and Trim Levels
New for the 2023 model year, the Ioniq 6 rolls into 2024 unchanged. The ‘6 is offered in three trim levels: entry SE (about $44,000), midlevel SEL ($47,000), and topline Limited ($52,000). Both standard-range (53 kWh) and long-range (77 kWh) batteries are offered. Available with the latter is AWD. The fully charged range of the Ioniq 6 varies by drive (front- or all-wheel), battery capacity, and wheel size, and ranges between 240 and 361 miles.
Should I Lease My Electric Car?
Consumer Guide recently spent a week with a ’23 example, in high-end Limited trim in a color curiously dubbed Curated Silver. Our car was equipped with the long-range battery, AWD, and 20-inch wheels. All told, our Ioniq 6 came to $57,425, including the destination charge. Per the EPA, our test Hyundai was good for an estimated 270 miles of range.
Guide to Electric Vehicle Charging
Design
While we at Consumer Guide generally shy away from styling critiques, we’ve found public response to the Ioniq 6’s design so polarized we feel it needs to be addressed. First of all, we like it. And, we don’t see too much that qualifies as controversial until we get to the rear of the car, at which point things to get a little crazy.
Keep in mind that aerodynamic drag matters a great deal when designing an EV for long-range highway travel, and the Ioniq 6 was built with streamlining in mind. The funky fastback rear end of the ‘6—which reminds us of the classic Seventies/Eighties Porsche 928—goes a long way towards improving the range of the car. Love it or hate it, it makes a statement, and the Ioniq 6 looks like no other car on the road as a result.
Cabin
And, as crazy as the Ioniq 6 looks on the outside, it looks refreshingly clean and modern on the inside. While we were less than impressed with the cabin materials quality, assembly quality appears top notch, and the open and airy environment helps the car seem even roomier than it is.
The dashboard instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen are housed in a single contagious element, which presents as both clean and simple. As in most Hyundai products, the touchscreen icons are large and easy to locate, and the screen is easy to read, even in direct light. Climate control operations are still handled via physical switchgear, while most other operations are handled through the touchscreen.
Room and Comfort
And, much like the brand’s gasoline-powered midsize Sonata, the Ioniq 6 offers up a roomy and inviting cabin with plenty of long-trip room for four adults, and large door openings for easy entry and exiting. What impresses us most about the Ioniq 6, apart from the smooth power delivery, is the sophisticated level of ride and handling.
Ride and Handling
We weren’t exaggerating earlier when we compared Hyundai’s EV chassis tuning to that of premium German vehicles. The Ioniq 6 is smooth and composed over even the nastiest road surfaces, and handles with rewarding sportiness.
Power and Performance
As expected from an electric vehicle, power delivery is excellent. The Ioniq 6 serves up plenty of power from a stop, and is ready to pass or merge without notice. While most EVs delivery instant throttle response, Hyundai electrics seems to do an especially good job of it.
Cargo Space
If you’re waiting for bad news, here it comes: as you might expect, the Ioniq 6’s extreme design has taken a toll on trunk space. The car may look like a hatchback—and maybe it should have been one—but instead features a—sort of—conventional trunk. While the trunk itself isn’t especially small, the opening to it is. The trunk is loaded from the rear—not the top—and the aperture is fairly narrow. Banker’s boxes, for example, would be difficult to load and unload from the trunk.
Price
At almost $58,000, the Ioniq 6 Limited feels expensive to us, especially because the revised-for-2024 federal tax credits no longer apply to the car. Note, however that Hyundai has been offering rebates of up to $7500 on the Ioniq 6, which goes some distance towards softening the price.
Review
We might recommend going with the just-as-capable SEL, which lists for $5000 less than the Limited. All of a sudden—with the rebate—becomes a $45,000 car, which seems like a good deal to us. If you’re thinking EV, you owe it to yourself to give the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 a serious test drive. While going electric can be a complicated affair, the actual driving experience can be a revelation. And Hyundai’s excellent plug-in models are among the best EVs currently on the market.
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Pictures
(Click below for enlarged images)
