The Ioniq 6 is a Feature-Laden and Spacious EV Rocket
COMFORT
Primary Ride: Not enough suspension travel for its mass, especially with heavy 20-inch wheels and low-profile tires. The SE may ride better, as its tires have a taller sidewall. Less apparent at low speeds and on smooth roads, but obvious with constant jostling at highway speeds over dips, transitions onto overpasses, and concrete-slab surfaces. Since styling and other attributes compromised suspension travel, it should have gotten speed- or frequency-dependent damping, hydraulic end stops, rebound springs, or semi-active damping to help recover ride. Not enough time was spent tuning for highway conditions.
Flat Ride (Pitch): Front and rear spring rates are not perfectly balanced, so vehicle pitches forward and backward at higher speeds, preventing comfortable headrest use.
Secondary Ride & NVH: Noticeable steering column and seat vibration modes, possibly aligned with other structural vibration modes or road inputs at highway speeds. Cabin boom detracts from otherwise quiet, well-isolated interior. These issues aside, good isolation from minor road imperfections and higher-frequency road inputs, creating an impression of refinement and a premium feeling. After 15,000 miles, there are a few minor buzzing and rattling sounds from around the interior.
Head Toss: Significant lateral oscillation sways occupants back and forth (head toss) when driving diagonally over speed bumps and parking lot entrance ramps or when encountering a bump on one side of the car. Contributes to primary ride issues described above. Shared platform suspension geometry (Genesis, Kia, Ioniq 5) perhaps suboptimal for the Ioniq 6, so Hyundai engineers were forced to choose handling over ride in this regard.
Stability: Wanders over split-camber surfaces (where road angle is different under left and right wheels) and grooved surfaces at higher speeds. Front end feels tight and planted, so it may be caused by compliance in the rear suspension (e.g. subframe isolators). The subframe isolators may have been used to recover ride to compensate for limited suspension travel.
Interior & HVAC: Generally great, aside from above issues. Seats are comfortable, even for long trips. Seats and steering wheel accommodate a wide range of driving positions. Footrest is wide and unobstructed. Overall noise isolation reduces stress and gives the cabin a premium feel. Immensely spacious back seat with ample legroom, even with front seats adjusted for taller drivers. Climate control readily deals with extreme temperatures and operates quietly.
BUILD QUALITY
My Ioniq 6 came with two flaws:
1. Driver side external door handle was defective, preventing use of capacitive touch button for locking and unlocking. Technician forgot to plug the side mirror connector back in during warranty replacement of door handle, requiring return trip to dealer.
2. Maintenance reminder was set for the wrong interval (5,000 miles instead of 7,500 miles), causing confusion and extra trips to the dealership. This should have been corrected at PDI, or at least after the first service.
PERFORMANCE
Acceleration: Smooth and exhilarating torque delivered instantaneously from the AWD powertrain. Drive modes and regen levels offer a diverse range of vehicle response for various moods and occasions. Noticeable front motor engagement delay in Normal mode, but not a serious concern. After all, there is Sport mode.
Cornering: At least when equipped with 245/40R20 Pirelli tires, plentiful grip and control. Sufficient roll stiffness to maintain relatively flat roll angle in corners. Easy to steer with throttle modulation and power out of turns.
Braking: Adequate stopping power, but cannot seamlessly blend friction braking and regen during moderate to aggressive braking (have to lift off brake pedal at the end). Frequently violent/clunky engagement of parking brake. Strange brake calibration causes extremely sensitive pedal when braking in reverse.
FUN TO DRIVE
Surprisingly fun to carve corners and weave through traffic. Regen paddles and different drive modes offer control and help make up for not having a third pedal.
FEATURES
i-Pedal: Needs a setting to stay on after turning off the vehicle or reversing. One-pedal driving is a requirement in the EV market, and customers expecting it should not have to select it every time. Vehicle rocks back and forth when coming to a stop, possibly because control software does not account for sign of regen torque vs. driving direction around 0 mph.
HDA2: Driving assist is one of the reasons to get this car and use it for long-distance commuting. Works well most of the time, except on light-colored (concrete) surfaces with dashed lane dividers and under certain ambient light conditions with shadows. Operates smoothly all the way down to stop and go driving. Lane change assist is too slow to be practical; opportunities quickly disappear as other drivers take them. Occasionally confused by stopped traffic in adjacent lanes around curves (applies brakes unnecessarily). At certain times of year, system flips out on startup and displays many error messages, but is restored after a few minutes. Regardless of flaws, this feature significantly reduces mental strain and the stress of driving long distances.
Parking Sensor: Incredibly annoying when driving into or backing out of a narrow space. Frequently mistakes cars beyond planters/dividers or non-existent objects for hazards. Needs a way to be toggled on and off when needed, not just silenced temporarily.
Blind Spot Monitoring: Cannot understand tandem left-turn lanes; thinks adjacent vehicles are hazards when turning together.
Washer Fluid Level: Constant, annoying warnings with plenty of fluid left in the tank. Should have been positioned lower in the tank. Resolved by simply unplugging the sensor and periodically checking the level.
Ambient Lighting: Provides customizable, elegant ambiance to the interior. Animation across dash is a nice touch, making It feel like the car is responding to the user.
Locking/Unlocking: Timeout after remote unlocking is too short. It would be nice to be able to turn off beeping sounds for locking and unlocking to avoid disturbing neighbors late at night.
VALUE FOR THE MONEY
With the IRA incentive and some even better dealer incentives, as well as free Electrify America charging for 2 years, the Ioniq 6 is good value for money.
RELIABILITY
Other than the driver aid issues mentioned above, the capacitive touch lock buttons on the exterior door handles can be slow and unresponsive.
OVERALL STYLING
Reminiscent of the Prophecy concept and close enough to still be attractive. The pixel theme, illuminated “H” in Morse code on the steering wheel, translucent antenna cover, sleek and sculpted exterior proportions, and elegant interior with floating center console make the Ioniq 6 feel special.
INTERIOR DESIGN
Overall, interior feels well-appointed and premium. Physical buttons for key functions are a selling point. General layout is intuitive. Some materials, such as on upper door panels and sides of floating center console, attract smudges and fingerprints or mar easily. Door pockets do not fit any beverage container but the smallest of water bottles, which have to be squished into place.
EXTERIOR DESIGN
Wipers cannot be lifted up for windshield cleaning without being put in special park position (presumably for styling and aerodynamics). Trunk opening is too small to fit larger items; a lift-back like the Polestar 2 and BMW i4 would improve practicality. Side mirror field of view is too limited for reversing into tight spaces; they should be convex or should angle down automatically as standard. Better airflow management with air guides around wheel openings, underbody covers, and deflectors could improve range significantly.
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