Last updated on April 8th, 2020 at 08:23 pm
Exterior Design
Hyundai doesn’t take many risks with its styling, but at least none of its models make you glad you’re inside rather than outside. The Ioniq carries on that tradition of safe appearances. A layman could be forgiven for thinking this was a Prius. It has the same wedge-like look from the side, although the front is more stubby, due to the need for this chassis to support models with internal combustion engines. On the Electric, a slightly odd silvered panel surrounds the Hyundai logo, but on the Hybrid and PHEV models this becomes a grille for the radiator.
The Prius isn’t a bad look to emulate for an EV, but it’s kind of the future as imagined a couple of decades ago. So the Ioniq won’t be wowing your friends by shouting “I’m an EV, I’m so advanced”. Instead, the design says exactly what this car is – an unassuming eco-friendly family car meant for competent everyday duties, rather than showing off. However, there is one external design feature that we question – the way the rear spoiler blocks your view out the back window. This is clearly part of the wedge design but is hardly ideal for visibility.
Interior Comfort
Long gone are the days when cars from the Far East felt cheap inside. The Ioniq’s interior is futuristic, and there is a lot of plastic involved. But the faux leather stitching on the dashboard still adds a quality feel even though you know it’s not real. You do get leather seats with the Premium SE spec, whilst the regular Premium spec is cloth.
The seats are comfortable enough, including the three passenger positions in the rear. These are a little cramped, but fine for a family rather than three sizeable adults. Overall, the cabin feels quite spacious. The central armrest is a bit minimal, but you get not one but two central cupholders with sprung clips to keep your beverages stable. A nice touch is the support for Qi charging in one of the central cubbies, so you can simply sling your phone in there when driving and have it charge en route.
Storage and Load Carrying
Considering that the Ioniq is essentially a hatchback, load capacity is respectable. It has a basic boot capacity of 357 litres, but this goes up to 1,417 litres with the rear seats down. This is decent compared to a PHEV, with (for example) Mercedes new C300de estate offering less from a car that is ostensibly bigger on the outside. However, the Nissan LEAF offers more basic boot space (435 litres), although not so much when you put the seats down (1,176 litres). Unfortunately, the Ioniq suffers from not being a purely EV design by the absence of a front compartment like you get on some competitors, such as Teslas. Instead, the electric engine and other electronic components are located under the bonnet.
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