√2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric car detailed, due in Australia next year

Hyundai’s second dedicated Ioniq electric car is a sleek four-door ‘streamliner’, with 610km of range and semi-autonomous driving tech.

Full details of the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric car have been revealed, ahead of its Australian launch in the first half of next year.

Shown in initial images late last month, the Ioniq 6 is the second vehicle under Hyundai’s reborn Ioniq electric sub-brand, pitched as a sleeker, larger rival to the top-selling Tesla Model 3.

Underpinned by the same E-GMP modular electric platform as the Ioniq 5 medium SUV, the Ioniq 6 is slated to offer a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive when it reaches Australia in six to 12 months’ time.

Power outputs span up to 239kW with dual electric motors, while there’s more than 610km of driving range in certain rear-drive variants – 150km more than a rear-drive Ioniq 5, and on par with Tesla and BMW’s latest EVs.

Pricing is yet to be locked in for Australia, however Drive understands it will cost in the region of $70,000 to $80,000 plus on-road costs, depending on variant – aiming at the heart of the $65,500 to $95,276 Tesla Model 3 range.

All of the Ioniq 5’s trick tech features are available in the Ioniq 5, from dual 12.0-inch interior displays and reclining relaxation seats to digital camera side ‘mirrors’ and semi-autonomous driving technology.

For everything you need to know about the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6, scroll down through the subheadings below.

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 power and battery specs

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 will be available in overseas markets with a choice of two battery packs, offering 53kWh and 77.4kWh of usable energy – though only the latter is expected to come to Australia.

Flagship variants couple the 77.4kWh battery with two electric motors developing 239kW and 605Nm, good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.1 seconds, thanks to all-wheel drive. Driving range for this variant is yet to be confirmed.

The longest-range option will use one rear-mounted electric motor and the 77.4kWh battery, capable of more than 610km of estimated driving range (with 18-inch wheels), according to European WLTP protocols – a 150km increase over a 72.6kWh, rear-drive Ioniq 5’s 481km WLTP claim.

Power and torque outputs for this variant have yet to be confirmed, however all other E-GMP models with 77.4kWh batteries and rear-wheel drive develop 168kW/350Nm, for a 0-100km/h time of around 7.2 seconds.

Entry-level models sold overseas will offer a 53kWh battery pack, which Hyundai says consumes less than 14kWh per 100km in combined driving (with 18-inch wheels) – which, if sold here, would make it Australia’s fourth most-efficient EV. A range claim has not been confirmed.

Underpinning the Ioniq 6 is the same E-GMP modular electric architecture as the Ioniq 5, capable of running 400 or 800 volts, and 350kW DC fast charging for a 10 to 80 per cent fast charge in 18 minutes.

It borrows its Hyundai group range-mates’ vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology, allowing the car’s battery to power small external electrical devices from an adaptor plugged into the exterior charging port, or a three-pin household power outlet under the rear seats.

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 debuts a new ‘EV Performance Tune-up’ menu allowing drivers to tune the car’s power output – in addition to the usual throttle and steering sensitivity setting – and plays an “optimum, spaceship-like sound” in the cabin as you drive, branded ‘e-ASD’.

While not confirmed today, the Ioniq 6 range is expected to add a high-performance N variant in the coming years – at least if a teaser image shown earlier this week is any guide.

“Never say never. But seriously, Hyundai N has been a real success story… in order to pave the way for future requirements, we had to think about electrification, and this started three years ago … If you ask me, the only solution was to utilise the E-GMP platform,” Hyundai high-performance vehicle chief Thomas Schemera told global media this week.

“This upcoming Friday we are going to make an official announcement about the launch of the first fully electric N vehicle, and we are also giving you an outlook of our vision of N in the future to come, and I can tell you this is electrifying.

How big is the Hyundai Ioniq 6?

The Ioniq 6 measures 4855mm long, 1880mm wide and 1495mm tall, with a 2950mm wheelbase – similar length and width to Hyundai’s petrol-powered Sonata sedan, but with a 50mm-lower roofline, and a 110mm-longer wheelbase, thanks to the dedicated EV platform.

Compared to a Model 3, the Ioniq 6 is about 160mm longer overall, 50mm taller and 75mm longer in wheelbase (but 50mm narrower), while Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 SUV sits on a 50mm-longer wheelbase, but with a 220mm-shorter body.

Buyers can opt for 18-inch wheels for maximum driving range, or 20-inch alloys for improved aesthetics.

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 styling

As detailed last month, the production Hyundai Ioniq 6 is derived from the Korean car maker’s Prophecy concept of 2020, with smooth, aerodynamically-optimised styling said to look like a ‘streamliner’

The concept car’s single-arch roofline, sharp shoulder line and ‘whale tail’ rear spoiler all carry across to the road car, though its proportions have been altered to boost interior headroom, smaller wheels fitted, and a more conventional LED tail-light bar fitted.

Hyundai claims a drag coefficient of just 0.21 – one of the lowest of any production car – thanks to a low nose, active front ‘grille’ shutters, “wheel gap reducers”, the unique rear spoiler, rear bumper “separation traps”, and a covered underbody.

Digital side mirrors – which project a camera feed from each side of the car onto two screens on the dashboard’s wings – will be available in Australia, contributing to the new EV’s long driving range.

The Ioniq brand’s Parametric Pixel LED signatures feature across the headlights and tail-lights, plus in non-illuminated form in various exterior sensor modules.

A total of 12 exterior colours will be available: Gravity Gold Matte, Abyss Black Pearl, Serenity White Pearl, Curated Silver Metallic, Nocturne Gray Metallic and Matte, Transmission Blue Pearl, Biophilic Blue Pearl, Ultimate Red Metallic, Digital Green Pearl and Matte and Byte Blue.

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 interior

Inside, a pair of 12.0-inch screens feature for instrument and infotainment duties, the latter offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite navigation and multi-connection Bluetooth.

The infotainment system incorporates over-the-air updates, which is now capable of upgrading the car’s powertrain, autonomous driving technology and battery software, for improved performance.

The Ioniq 6 will also feature Hyundai’s Bluelink suite of connected car services – the second model to offer it in Australia (after the 2023 Palisade large SUV), included with a complimentary five-year subscription with the new-car purchase.

The new electric sedan offers the same optional Relaxation Comfort front seats as the Ioniq 5, capable of reclining close to flat for quick naps while recharging. They’re made specifically for Hyundai’s EVs, and are 30 per cent thinner than the seats in other Hyundai models.

Sustainably-produced or recycled materials trim nearly all interior surfaces, which buyers can specify in one of four colour schemes: dark grey with light grey, dark olive green/light grey, black/pale brown, and single-tone black.

Covering the dashboard and door cards is a 64-colour ambient lighting system that increases in brightness as vehicle speed increases, while the steering wheel incorporates four LEDs used for “communication between the driver and vehicle”.

Other interior features on offer include one USB-A and four USB-C ports, an eight-speaker Bose sound system (including subwoofer), dual-zone climate control, and heated seats.

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 safety technology

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is equipped with the car maker’s latest Highway Driving Assist II semi-autonomous technology, capable of centring the car within its lane, and keeping a safe distance to the car in front on freeways.

The system incorporates adaptive cruise control (with artificial intelligence tech to learn the driver’s style), automatic lane changing (when holding the steering wheel), and a function that corrects the car’s positioning if another car is driving close to the edge of its lane.

There’s also autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian/cyclist detection and support for intersections, blind-spot monitoring (able to detect and then brake for hazards), rear cross-traffic assist, and evasive steering assist, which turns away from pedestrians or cars in the Ioniq 6’s path.

Other available features include traffic sign recognition, automatic high beam, driver attention warning, safe exit warning, low-speed side and rear AEB for car parks, and a 360-degree camera.

The Hyundai group’s Blind-Spot View Monitor feature – which projects a camera feed from the side of the car when the indicator is activated – is also available.

The Ioniq 6 debuts the second generation of the Hyundai group’s Remote Smart Parking Assist system, which now allows drivers to not only move the car forwards or backwards when standing beside it, but remotely enter and exit parallel, perpendicular and diagonal parking spaces – without anyone in the vehicle.

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 release date in Australia

The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is due in Australian showrooms sometime in the first half of next year, after global production commences in the coming weeks.

Pricing and specifications for Australia have yet to be finalised, however expect pricing between $70,000 and $80,000, with a choice of two highly-specified variants offering rear- or all-wheel drive.

High demand for EVs and low supply means Australia is unlikely to receive many more Ioniq 6s than Ioniq 5s, with the same online sales model to be adopted for Hyundai’s second dedicated electric car, as its first.

For more information on what to expect in Australia, click here to read our separate story.

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