HYUNDAI IONIQ
Korea’s electric triple threat, still available in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full EV guises but now plusher and with better battery-powered range
HEN HYUNDAI first launched its three-powertrain Ioniq range in
2018, some of us wondered if this was a bet-hedging exercise by the Aussie arm of the South Korean giant, unsure of which ‘green car’ solution would find favour here.
For this MY2020 model update, the company has continued with the threeprong approach, indicating there’s genuine sales validity to a line-up that sees one core model offered as a Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Electric.
The model line-up remains as originally established: a mid-spec (Elite) and top-spec (Premium) is available for each of the three powertrain alternatives, making for a six-strong range.
All variants benefit from vastly improved interior design and trim materials, more safety and convenience equipment, and a better multimedia system. But given that nearly half of
Ioniq sales to date have been the EV, it’s fitting that this is the variant that brings the most significant gains in terms of range and performance.
The outgoing model’s 88kW motor has been upgraded to a 100kW unit, while the original’s 28kWh air-cooled battery has been ditched in favour of a higherdensity, 38.3kWh liquid-cooled pack. Range jumps from 204km (on WLTP) to 311km. We were on track to achieve just under 300km during our drive.
The jump of 37 percent in battery capacity brings an increase to charging time, which Hyundai says runs to 54 minutes on a 100kW charger when charging from flat to 80 percent.
Those who decide they can live without the internal combustion of the two other models will also be rewarded with a car that drives appreciably better when it doesn’t have a 1.6-litre four-pot lump stuck in the nose. Our EV tester was the Elite, which benefits from chubbier 16-inch rubber instead of the 17s on the Premium, but that change can’t be solely responsible for the rise in general handling cohesion compared to the Plug-in and Hybrid.
For that, we can only assume the EV’s more favourable weight distribution marries better to the damper tune, because the Ioniq EV manages to quell a fair bit of the wallow and rebound issues of the other two. Despite the fact the EV is the only one with a torsionbeam rear suspension, it’s actually a mostly pleasant thing to drive, given the immediacy of the torque delivery, low NVH levels and improved dynamics.
Factor in the appreciable lift to cabin presentation, and upgraded multimedia now with a 10.25-inch touchscreen, and all three Ioniqs make a stronger case, despite the price rises. But for us, it’s the Elite EV, at $48,490, that’s now the most persuasive.