The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Up to 361 miles of range
- Sleek aero style
- Good standard features
- Priced right
- Exceptional efficiency
Dislikes
- 20-inch wheels bite into range, efficiency
- Doesn’t qualify for EV tax credit
- Small trunk
- Limited rear headroom
- Not as sporty as it looks
Buying tip
features & specs
Sharing a platform with the Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 electric sedan balances efficiency, range, style, and value to rival the Tesla Model 3.
What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6? What does it compare to?
The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is a slippery electric sedan with exceptional aerodynamics that give it class-leading efficiency and range. It takes on the Tesla Model 3 and other electric sedans.
Is the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 a good car?
Yes. Standout style, value-loaded standard features, and the top EV efficiency rating all boost its pretty profile. The aero shape limits some rear space, and it’s not as sporty as its design suggests, but it still earns a high TCC Rating of 8.0 out of 10, pending a safety score. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6?
The Ioniq 6 is new for 2023, though the sedan shares its platform with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60. Their shared identities lurk deep with their 800-volt electrical architecture, and aside from the badging on the outside, each member of this family projects its own distinct identity.
Guided by aerodynamics but driven by daring design, the Ioniq 6 sedan carves out the most aerodynamic production car in the brand’s history with a super-low 0.22 coefficient of drag. That in part helps it attain a max range of 361 miles and an efficiency rating of 4.2 miles per kwh. The one-curve design rises from a rounded front end over a coupe-like roofline into a rear end that carries automotive evolution in its haunches, from a Stout Scarab to a Porsche Taycan. A pixelated theme carries over inside, where its open horizontal dash houses twin 12.3-inch screens and the center console hosts the power door and window controls.
The sedan stretches nearly nine inches longer than the Ioniq 5, yet has a 116.1-inch wheelbase that’s 2.0 inches shorter. It also sits more than four inches lower than the Ioniq 5, which results in significantly less passenger and cargo space overall versus its crossover counterpart.
Arriving later this year, the base SE Standard Range is the only Ioniq 6 offered with a 53-kwh battery pack and 240-mile range. All other Ioniq 6 use a 77.4-kwh battery pack and the choice of either a single permanent magnet synchronous motor with rear-wheel-drive or a dual-motor setup with all-wheel drive. In those Long Range forms, it’s spry but not sporty, responsive but not necessarily quick. Different modes tweak the driving characteristics, but it’s mostly a quiet sedan with calm, controlled manners.
A 350-kw DC-fast charging connector enables a charge from 10-80% in just 18 minutes. An 11-kw onboard charger allows 240-volt charging at home in about eight hours with the Long Range pack. A heat pump and the capability to power other appliances enhance its practicality.
Standard safety features include automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control down to a stop.
How much does the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 cost?
The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 can be optioned with one of two battery packs, single- or dual-motor layouts, and in SE, SEL, or Limited trims. The entry-level SE Standard Range model starts the bidding at $42,715, including a $1,115 destination fee, while the 270-mile Limited AWD tops the listing at $57,215.
Where is the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 made?
In Asan, South Korea. For now.
2023 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Styling
Form greets function in the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6.
Is the Hyundai Ioniq 6 a good-looking car?
Inspired by airplanes, designed for aero, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 slips into distinction. The one-curve design carves out a super-low 0.22 coefficient of drag (0.21 in markets where it uses camera-based side mirrors). A rounded hood dips low into a flat front end with active air flaps. Two body lines arc between wheel arches with narrow gaps that house 18-inch and 20-inch wheel designs. The round theme continues over the coupe-like roofline to the rear, where a kind of whale tail flaps over an elliptical spoiler. It has elements of the Porsche Taycan and 911, as well as the Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan, but it stands entirely on its own. It’s worth two points, and the interior adds another to an 8 here.
Hyundai leans into a pixelated theme that starts outside with running lights lined up like mini ice cube trays, but then goes berserk on the inside. Tiny pixelated squares stamp nearly every surface, from the door panels and dash trim to the dead pedal and four squares on the steering wheel that change colors along with the drive modes. The horizontal dash stretches like wings to the end, replete with wingtips, and hosts twin 12.3-inch displays under a single pane of glass. It’s a calm, uncluttered space befitting the car’s personality.
2023 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Performance
The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 leans more to the spry than the sporty.
With a choice of a small or large battery pack, and rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive, the Ioniq 6 presents a range of driving characteristics to suit shopper’s needs, from the eco-minded to the quick-footed. The Ioniq 6 earns a point each for its 0-60 mph acceleration in less than 7.5 seconds, and its mostly planted handling.
How fast is the Ioniq 6?
The base SE Standard Range—the only Ioniq 6 offered with a 53-kwh battery pack—has a single-motor unit driving the rear wheels with an output of 149 hp and a 240-mile range. The value pick takes 9.0 seconds to get to 60 mph.
All other Ioniq 6 use a 77.4-kwh battery pack and the choice of either a single permanent magnet synchronous motor with rear-wheel-drive or a dual-motor setup with all-wheel drive. The 168-kw single-motor version makes 225 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, and it posts a 7.4-second time to 60 mph. It’s neither quick nor slow, and once off the line there’s plenty of responsiveness to pass slower moving vehicles even on an incline.
The dual-motor setup uses a 75-kw motor up front and a 165-kw motor at the rear that combine to make 320 hp and 446 lb-ft, same as in the Ioniq 5. It hits 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, and while it doesn’t jump off the line like other EVs it has plenty of quickness to leap ahead of traffic.
Is the Hyundai Ioniq 6 4WD?
Most shoppers will opt for the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system for its boosted performance and better traction. The five drive modes, Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, and Custom, automatically apportion torque between the axles, so Eco mode is nearly all rear-wheel drive, Snow mode splits the torque evenly, and Sport mode adjusts it on the fly based on inputs.
It might be tuned a bit firmer than the Ioniq 5 and since it rides and sits lower, it feels sportier, but it still leans into turns and doesn’t beg to be pushed hard. It has hydraulic bushings instead of rubber, and frequency-sensitive shocks that help stabilize the independent suspension and smooth out road surfaces. It’s quieter and calmer than a Model 3, but not as sporting.
The modes affect the steering feel as well, dialing up more resistance to its default light setting in Normal or Eco.
How does regenerative braking work in the Ioniq 6?
The Ioniq 6 uses paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel to engage regenerative braking. The four settings go from a coast function similar to a gas car to a one-pedal drive mode with significant deceleration if you let off the throttle entirely. Instead, ease off the throttle to modulate a full, even stop, then set the auto hold to lay off the pedals at a light.
2023 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Comfort & Quality
A small trunk and limited rear headroom limit practicality in the Ioniq 6 sedan.
Longer, lower, and with less passenger space than the Ioniq 5 hatchback, the sedan makes some concessions inside due to its aerodynamic bod. Comfortable heated front seats covered in cloth and exceptional quiet on the road earn the Ioniq 6 a point each, but the limited headroom in back cramps 6-footers and costs it a point. It’s a 6.
Four adult passengers can sit comfortably in the five-seater thanks to ample legroom of 39.2 inches, but the curving roofline trims rear headroom for taller passengers. Toeroom might also be cramped for the long of leg, especially if the front seats are in the lowest position.
The rear seats lack a pass-through to the trunk, but the 60/40-split rear seats fold down from a cramped trunk that has only 11.2 cubic feet of storage. The narrow opening doesn’t help much, neither does the frunk’s 0.4 cubic feet of space, big enough for the charge cord or an attache case.
The saving grace here is the quiet ride that even with 20-inch wheels only begins to thrum at highway speeds.
2023 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Safety
Crash testing is not completed on the Ioniq 6, but Hyundai loads it with driver-assist tech.
How safe is the Hyundai Ioniq 6?
The 2023 Ioniq 6 has not been crash tested by the IIHS or the NHTSA, but expect it to mirror the related 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 that has a five-star NHTSA rating and Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. We’ll wait to assign a rating until testing is completed.
Hyundai equips the Ioniq 6 with standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control down to a stop. New front and rear corner radars, as well as new camera hardware, make the driver-assist tech more comprehensive in detecting cyclists, pedestrians, and turning cars. It also enables available features such as the latest iteration of the brand’s remote smart parking feature.
2023 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Features
Good standard features and an exceptional warranty inflate the value of the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6.
The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 earns a strong 9 with a point each for its good standard equipment, large touchscreen, industry-leading warranty, and electric sedan value starting at $42,715, including destination. Hyundai’s electric vehicles currently qualify for half of the $7,500 tax credit.
Each Ioniq 6 has heated side mirrors, heated front seats, a power driver seat, five USB ports, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. An updated Digital Key smartphone controller no longer requires a subscription and comes with greater functionality. Over-the-air updates promise to keep the tech fresh, and it could be used to upgrade features or boost power in the future.
It also has a five-year/60,000-mile warranty, with three years or 36,000 miles of complimentary scheduled maintenance.
Which Ioniq 6 should I buy?
That’s a question of range and performance. We’d skip the base SE Standard Range for the $46,615 SE RWD Long Range with 361 miles of range. Adding a second motor for all-wheel drive adds $3,500 across the Long Range lineup.
SEL grades add a wireless smartphone charger, synthetic leather upholstery, and larger 20-inch wheels that look cool but take a bite out of efficiency.
How much is a fully loaded Hyundai Ioniq 6?
Since the Ioniq 6 is so well equipped, the $57,215 Limited AWD gets nominal upgrades such as a heated steering wheel, a Bose 8-speaker sound system, a power passenger seat, and cooled front seats. The biggest selling point is the inclusion of the brand’s Vehicle to Load (V2L) connector that can power appliances or camping equipment, or to slow-charge another EV.
2023 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Fuel Economy
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 powers past the Tesla Model 3 in range and efficiency.
Is the Hyundai Ioniq 6 good on energy?
The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE Long Range has an EPA-estimated range of 361 miles when it runs on 18-inch wheels, but its efficiency is even more noteworthy. The single-motor rear-wheel-drive model has an MPGe rating of 140 combined, expressed in more practical terms as 4.2 miles per kwh. That ties all-wheel-drive versions of the six-figure Lucid Air as the most efficient electric car on sale in the U.S. It’s a 10.
The entry-level SE Standard Range model goes 240 miles.
Heavier SEL and Limited RWD models have larger 20-inch wheel and tire sizes that drag on efficiency, down to 305 miles, and 3.5 mi/kwh.
The SE AWD has a 316-mile range, 3.6 mi/kwh, whereas the SEL or Limited AWD with 20-inch wheels drops down to 270 miles, 3.1 mi/kwh. For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD goes 358 miles and 3.9 miles per kwh.
Ioniq 6 charging
Like the Ioniq 5, all Ioniq 6 models are built on an 800-volt architecture that enables 350-kw DC fast charging from 10-80% in 18 minutes, briefly reaching a peak rate of about 235 kw. At 50 kw, it’ll take 73 minutes to charge the larger battery pack to 80%.
With an 10.9-kw onboard charger, the Ioniq 6 gets a full charge from a 240-volt connector in six hours with the Standard pack or about eight hours with the Long Range pack. A heat pump and battery heating system come standard to help reach peak charge rates quicker in cold climates.
