Hyundai has updated the Ioniq 6, its electric ‘streamliner’, but the really interesting thing here isn’t the actual facelift but the price.
It’s now available from £33,240, and that’s for the 84kWh, 423-mile version. For comparison, Mercedes-Benz wants at least £39,150 for the CLA 200 Electric, the smaller-battery, 328-mile version of its much smaller saloon. As good as the CLA is, that’s a price difference you can’t ignore.
What has happened here is that Hyundai has played the Electric Car Grant game very well: it has reshuffled the trim levels so that it’s able to offer the car for less than the £37,000 threshold (which is already cheaper than the CLA or the Tesla Model 3) and worked hard to convince the British authorities that the Korean-built Ioniq 6 is produced sustainably enough to qualify for the full-whack £3750 off.
As a result, entry-level Premium trim has become a bit of a steal. The one-up N Line (which gets sportier styling) is still excellent value at £36,240. The top-tier N Line Evo and the 320bhp dual-motor versions don’t get the grant so are a lot more expensive (£43,270 and £46,770) but still quite competitive with the CLA.
This process was lengthy, which is why it has taken a while for the facelifted Ioniq 6 to go on sale here. But it’s here now, and with that pricing, it almost doesn’t matter whether the Ioniq 6 is any good – but I’m pleased to report that it is actually a very appealing car.
The visual changes are actually quite extensive, with slimmer headlights, new wheel designs and the loss of that distinctive Sierra RS Cosworth-style rear wing. You still won’t mistake the Ioniq 6 for anything else and you probably have a strong opinion about its styling. I love it, but it’s easy to see why some people hate it.
Inside, the materials have been upgraded so there are fewer hard, scratchy plastics, and if you pick the N Line model you get the three-spoke steering wheel from the Ioniq 6 N instead of the slightly weird two-spoker. The centre console is still delightfully button-tastic but more logically laid out than before, and while there are digital screens and they work well, they don’t dominate.
The sheer amount of rear leg room is incredible, so the high floor isn’t really a problem for rear passengers.
It is still an issue in the front, because the seat feels like it’s stuck in a medium-high position, perching you over the controls. The CLA and Model 3 give you a far more authentic saloon driving position.
