It’s interesting to see what’s happening in the EV marketplace – with questions on the ending of EV rebates and possible tariffs, the electric vehicle is not the slam dunk choice it was even a year ago.
On the other hand, Kia/Hyundai has been making some great EV’s, and they don’t show any plans on stopping. The Kia EV9 brings EV to the 3-row SUV world, the Ioniq 5 is a great hatchback, and the Ioniq 5 N is a game changer in performance vehicles. And today we’re testing the Ioniq 6, a gorgeous sedan that offers loads of tech, performance and style – and a surprisingly reasonable price.

Time for a test drive!

All aboard the Electric Streamliner

It starts with stunning looks. While the Ioniq 6 has been a couple of years now, it remains a fresh standout in the crowd.

Hyundai calls the design the “Electric Streamliner”, and while it does look very aero, we think it also has a strong performance vibe as well.
Up front, there’s a slightly demonic smiling face, with LED headlights, underscored by loads of little squares Hyundai calls “Parametric Pixels” – a styling theme that runs throughout the vehicle – they say are over 700 of those cubes wrapped around the car. Fun!

There’s a smooth front end with a lower fascia that has a toothy grin. Function comes with the fun with active grille shutters that can open to help cool the battery pack.

We love the 6’s aggressive profile, with big sweeping arcs in the roof and doorlines, a rakish C-pillar that makes you think this is a hatchback – but it’s not, it’s a sensible sedan with a trunk. Sharp cut-ins in the lower door panel adds visual muscle, but to our eyes the most delectable part of the design are the optional stunning 20-inch alloy wheels with a throwing star like pattern. With everyone going towards blacked-out rims, we love the bright, blingy and oversize of these lovely hunks ‘o metal!

That unique theme carries on ‘round back, with double spoilers, one built in the trunk lip and one below the rear window. I O N I Q 6 is spelled out in big block letters, and it’s pixels, pixels everywhere, with the little cubes wrapping around the rear to create a wide, horizontal taillight that’s super cool. The bumper also features a blacked out lower fascia that looks sporty and cries out for a nice set of exhaust pipes. Oops, no pipes on an EV!

Finishing off the display was our tester’s Transmission Blue paint, a creamy blue-gray that looks very modern, and suits the eye-catching design perfectly. In our time with our tester, we never got tired of turning around and giving it a second look as we walked away. This is a great looking vehicle. We understand it can be polarizing, but in our eyes, it’s a winner!

Minimalist meets Sport In Ioniq 6

Inside, the 6 has an interesting mix of Swedish-style minimalism, EV tech and performance.

Like the Ioniq 5, the EV drivetrain makes for a flat floor and that creates a wide-open, horizontal vibe, with a large dual screen display, and a two-tiered center console that separates driver and passenger.
Settle into the H-Tex (vinyl) heated and ventilated front seats, and they’re supportive and easily adjustable. In front of you, a horizontal-design two-spoke steering wheel, leather wrapped and featuring a flat bottom that would look right at a home in the latest BMW.

Also like the BMW, there’s a seamless display featuring dual 12-inch displays. You’ve got a selectable driver’s display, and it always makes sure you see your range and battery percentile – a big help in reducing range anxiety.

Sharing the limelight, the 12-inch info-tainment display looks great and with an easy tablet-style swipe pulls up multiple pages with ease. The interface is super easy to use and intuitive – we’d say this one of the best systems available.

A separate volume knob is a welcome treat, and the dedicated climate control touchpad is another intuitive, simple system.

OK all is not peachy here – to take the transmission off the center console, a stalk sprouts out of the steering column, and while it is easy to use. It took us a long time to get out of the habit of reaching for a shift lever.

And speaking of the center console, the remote controls for the windows is in the center – ok, that makes it easy for the passenger to access all the windows, but it feels more like a cost-savings item than a smart design. We like the remotes on the door panel, where they are on 99% of all other cars.

There’s plenty to love inside, though, the rear seats are adult friendly – although if you are over 5’9” you will be hitting the headliner – and the EV flat floor design gives great stretch-out space.

A power trunk lid opener reveals a nicely sized trunk, and the rear seats fold down for impressive space, thanks to a large size pass-through. If you feel you need more room, or cargo carrying ability the Ionic 5, or 3-row Kia EV9 may be a better choice. But we’re still thankful you can get such a sporty design as the Ioniq 6.

Roller Coaster Thrills

Driving the Ioniq 6 is a real treat.

It’s an EV, so we won’t bury the lead – you can get an Ioniq 6 with 225 horsepower and an estimated 342-mile range on the appropriately-named SE Long Range model with 18-inch rims. That is impressive.

We like a nice range, but we also love strong performance, so we were happy our tester was the Limited Long Range AWD. That AWD gets you a bump up to 320 hp, and the range comes down to 316 miles. Because our tester had those hot 20-inch wheels, the range further reduces to 270 miles. We’d live with that, since we love those wheels.

And the AWD model flies – 0-60 mph comes in at just 4.3 seconds in Sport Mode, and that is pretty fast, no matter what you drive. And since it’s an EV, that power comes storming off the line, and it’s silent, vibration free, and pins you to the back of your seat. Giggles ensue. Just as nice, you can dial it back to Eco Mode and still have plenty of power, but have a more relaxed and efficient experience.

More than just a straight-line demon, the Ioniq 6 is a great handler, with the batteries keeping the center of weight low, and those big wheel and tires, you have loads of grip and it’s a fun car to toss in the corners – yes it does feel heavy, EV’s are that – but it’s an engaging drive, with great steering feel and the 6 also serves up a smooth, controlled ride. It feels like you’re getting Euro-luxury performance – fun, refined and quick.

Charging is equally speedy, and with available 800V DC ultra-fast charging capability, you can ramp up from 10% to 80% in as little as 18 minutes. Another big win, with an adapter the Ioniq 6 can take advantage of the Tesla Supercharger network.

While you might opt for the 6 as a performance car, it’s designed to be family friendly too. Top features include Forward and Blind Spot collision assist, Lane Keep and Following assist, Rear Cross Traffic and Parking Collision assist for front, rear and sides. You also get an excellent Smart Cruise Control, and a super handy 360-view parking monitor.

And let’s not forget the 6’s party trick – Remote Smart Parking Assist that lets you pull in or out of a parking space from the outside of the vehicle via the key fob. Great for tight parking spots or just to impress your friends!

Does EV = Expensive Vehicle?

Another nice surprise, the Ioniq 6 is a smart value. The SE standard range starts at just $37,850. With great looks inside and out, loads of tech, a fun drive and 240-mile range, money well spent. We’d recommend opting for the SE model at $42,800 that bumps you up to estimated 342 range.

Our Limited AWD tester was the fully-loaded model, and yet we were impressed with $54,500 sticker. Add in $210 for carpeted floor mats and $1,150 for Destination, and we rang the bell at $55,860. And since this is a Hyundai, you also get the reassurance of a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and 10-year/100,000-mile Electric Vehicle System warranty.

Other sporty choices would include the BMW i4 – lots of European thoroughbred goodness, but at $71,775, it’s a huge jump in price. If you’re Euro-jonesing on a budget, the 5-door hatchback VW ID4 comes in at a more reasonable $60,520. And don’t forget the sibling Ioniq 5 – a bit more practical and similarly priced.

With its exterior style, futuristic interior and fantastic performance, the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is our favorite EV sedan!