Hyundai Ioniq 6 Electric Prestige 53kWh Review

Yes, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 comes in several different versions to ensure every potential buyer gets exactly what they’re looking for. It’s all well-planned and well-thought-out, but it’s not without its challenges. For example, getting the top-spec dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant, which has 321bhp and 605Nm of torque, will cost you $3,200 in annual road tax.

By comparison, the one you see here will only cost you $1,500 in annual payments. Sure, this variant is less powerful, with 143 hp and 350 Nm of torque sent to the rear wheels. Less powerful, but still adequate for everyday driving.

Sure, a century sprint time of 9.4 seconds is no bragging right, and nor should it be, with all due respect, but really – who cares? This variant here is arguably the best for very good reasons.

For starters, it’s clearly the more affordable variant. At $201,150 (as of September 6, 2024), it’s more than $50,000 cheaper than the all-wheel-drive model. The latter is the lightest of them all, weighing in at just over 1.8 tonnes. That’s more than 260kg lighter than the heaviest model.

What isn’t strange, however, is the curved design, which helps with the drag coefficient and is more efficient. It looks like the silhouette of a Porsche, features fold-down door handles, and cool front lights that Hyundai calls Parametric Pixel design.

The one feature I assume won’t appeal to everyone is the twin spoilers, which to me isn’t a polarising point at all. This is one of those cars you have to see in real life. All the curves and creases are in the right places. Of course, one of those creases, like the roofline, does impede headroom a bit.

Headroom is reasonable for most adults, though it might be a concern if you’re 1.8m and above (which isn’t common among Singaporeans), but you get enough leg and shoulder room for three average-sized Asian adults in the back.

Elsewhere, you get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an adjacent 12.3-inch infotainment system that houses everything you need to know about the car. There are also physical buttons for climate and audio controls (thank goodness!), plenty of USB-C ports, plenty of storage space around the center console, and a solid fit and finish that will last you through your 10 years of ownership.

Sure, there are four different variants of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 to choose from. They all have different outputs, different driving ranges, and different prices. Do they matter? Of course they do, but what matters to me may not matter to you, and vice versa.

What I mean is… go and try the car. Every car is expensive in today’s market and context, but if what you are looking for is a decent electric sedan that won’t make you lose your kidney, lung, leg or arm, then the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is a vehicle that should be on your list to buy.

Know that the vehicle you see here is a Category A variant, in my opinion the best of the bunch.

Looking for an electric sedan? Here are some other options to consider: