Hyundai IONIQ 6 unveiled as a sleek aerodynamic saloon

IONIQ History

Hyundai has garnered a bit of a reputation with their fully electric line-up, and it’s a story of two sides. The first is of nothing but praise. Hyundai’s electric vehicles are brilliant cars underneath, offering reliable, clean motoring. Cars come well equipped, with all of the tech customers have come to expect from the latest EVs, all with a modest price-tag and a badge that has become synonymous with reliability. There’s no questioning the bones of the car are solid.

Second to that, is the design. The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is considered a brilliant EV. Ask a crowd what they think of the design however, and waters begin to become choppy. The chunky strip of square LEDs wrapped across the rear are divisive, as is the design of the rims.

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 is a completely different shape, targeted at a much different customer base. But with the first press rumblings and crowd reaction, it seems the designers may have replicated the exact same debate.

“Do you like the design of the IONIQ 6?”

Design & Exterior

There’s no denying it’s a striking car. The sleek dynamic shape is of course completely purposeful, serving to grant the IONIQ 6 a very impressive drag coefficient of 0.21. This allows the car to cleanly slice through the air, reducing the amount of power required to punch through the resistance created by the general atmosphere. In theory, cars with a better drag coefficient should maximise their range.

To achieve this, engineers installed near-silent, active air flaps at the nose of the car to control air flow. There are wheel gap reducers to stop any air creating unnecessary turbulence in the wheel arches and the whole underside of the car is completely covered. Maximum aero was the aim for the IONIQ 6, which is reflected in every scintilla of the body.

Hyundai designers claim the external design ethic coalesces into what’s known as ‘Emotional Efficiency’. Clean, simple lines that contribute to a pure aerodynamic form.

As mentioned above, one of the most divisive design factors of the IONIQ brand is the ‘Parametric Pixels’ - as seen on the IONIQ 5 lights. This brand identity is clearly important to Hyundai, who have doubled down on the IONIQ 6, integrating over 700 throughout the design: headlights, rear lights and even the air vents. Hyundai are especially proud of the light display achieved via the ‘High-Mounted Stop Lamp’, firing up whenever the brake pedal is pressed.

The entire vehicle is built on Hyundai’s ‘Electric Global Modular Platform’, allowing it to be designed as a fully electric vehicle right from the initial sketches.

Interior

Utilising this platform gave engineers the option to maximise the footprint of the vehicle, granting the IONIQ 6 a vast amount of cabin space.

The dashboard is adorned with screens galore. A 12-inch touchscreen infotainment screen displays everything you’d expect; although not announced, it’s likely the IONIQ 6 will ship with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Another 12-inch digital cluster displays key driver information and telematics of the car.

Ambient lighting throughout the cabin is available in 64 colours, with 6 pre-installed colour schemes developed by Hyundai’s ‘colour experts’.

Sustainability

The demand from consumers for manufacturers to have an eco-thread throughout the vehicle is reflected in the IONIQ 6. The car uses recycled pigment paint from end-of-life tyres, and the body is sprayed with bamboo charcoal pigment paint. Other nice touches are the use of recycled PET fabric in the seats and carpets made from recycled fishing nets.

Iconic IONIQ

The IONIQ 5 became a bit of a cult favourite; the love for its design buoyed further by its detractors. The IONIQ 6 is a slightly safer design, but compared with its direct competitors in the sector, its styling cues are completely unique and is very clearly ‘IONIQ’ - just as Hyundai intended.

We’ll have to wait a couple of years for the IONIQ 6 to touchdown in the UK, but the IONIQ 5 is still one of the best all-rounders on the market.