2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6: Long range, lower price — is this a dream?

2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE Long Range RWD with 18-inch wheels: A chance for a longer test.

Price: $42,410 base price for the model tested, $3,000 less than the 2023. Floor mats were the only option.

Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver likes “long EPA range estimates, attractive inside and out, lots of features for the money,” but not “real-world range can disappoint, limited cargo capacity, RWD model isn’t very quick.”

Marketer’s pitch: “Pure energy takes its purest form.”

Reality: The longer test confirms April’s shorter test: The Ioniq 6 is a winner.

What’s new: The electric-powered sedan carries over unchanged from its introductory year in 2023.

Competition: Competition: BMW i4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mercedes EQE, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, Polestar 2, Kia EV6.

Range anxiety? Pshaw: Hyundai has the antidote for your EV jitters, in the form of 340 miles of range. (Hyundai press materials tout 361, but as you may have heard, your mileage may vary.) Either way, I could enjoy the 200-mile round-day-trip to Rehoboth with abandon, charging port or no. There would still be 100 miles on the car when I arrived home.

Up to speed: The Ioniq 6 provides the usual level of customer service one has come to expect from EVs, which means if you need some pep, you got it. Passing is a breeze, and pulling into traffic means I can jump into tighter openings I’d normally never consider.

The rear-mounted electric motor and 697-volt, 77.4 kWh battery create 225 horsepower and gets the vehicle to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.

Other versions of the Ioniq 6 range from 240 miles in the cheapest form to 316 miles for the AWD. That latter version is still a solid number, plus the AWD version cuts 2 seconds off the 0-60 time.

Shiftless: There are no gears to speak of in an EV, of course, other than Drive and Reverse. Hyundai provides a nifty twisty stalk on the right side of the steering column, and it’s logical and functional. Twist the direction the tires rotate for Reverse, and then same for Drive. Bam. Winner winner chicken dinner.

On the road: The Ioniq 6 provided nice handling through the sometimes-crazy curves of the Hudson Valley during the initial test, where those yellow speed limit signs in the curves are not simply a suggestion.

With the ability to steer through my natural habitat, I found the Ioniq 6 doesn’t provide much zig on the curves; no butterflies were created in the making of this review. But it does round the corners crisply and confidently at speeds higher than you’re used to.

One note: the vehicle did do a little bit of a slide while cornering on a damp day. Be careful with EV tires; they’re sometimes a little smoother to boost efficiency, but they require extra caution on slick surfaces.

Highway riding was smooth and comfortable.

Driver’s Seat: The Ioniq 6 seat is as comfortable and supportive as I remember. In cloth form it’s not cooled, sadly, but otherwise it’s everything a driver could want, including heat.

The gauge screen matches the infotainment screen — for those of you who appreciate symmetry as much as I do — and provides all the relevant information without searching and flipping and clicking. (I’m glaring at you, Toyota Prius Prime.) And if you need to look for more, the steering wheel controls are simple and direct.

Friends and stuff: The Ioniq 6 resembles nothing if not a four-door 911, or a cheaper Bentley, or a 1948 Plymouth. Or maybe a Citroën.

The spaciousness of the backseat is 1948 Plymouth-level as well. The floor is practically flat and the seat sits up high, plus there’s a million miles of legroom as well.

The trunk provides a mere 11.5 cubic feet while the frunk adds another half a cube.

Play some tunes: Music lovers will enjoy the ride as well. The stereo provides excellent playback, an A trending toward A+.

The stereo operates through a huge 12.3-inch touchscreen, but with a dial for volume and a toggle for up-down. The usual Hyundai buttons to get you to map and other locations also remain.

Keeping warm and cool: Despite the huge touchscreen, Hyundai provides a nice HVAC touch pad below, allowing your journey to the beach or other destinations to remain unbroken by cries of “Did I just miss my stupid turn while you were futzing with the AC?”

Oh, rats: Or should I say, oh, raccoon. Coming home from that beach trip on a country lane, I was unable to stop in time for a trash panda, so we met at about 45 mph. Rest in peace, little guy, but on I proceeded.

Sadly, upon arriving home I found a car part lying in my driveway. And I looked at the air dam, and it was cracked.

It’s a light piece of plastic riding six inches off the ground, so this is going to happen more than it should. (For comparison, our Kia Soul’s lowest front component is 10 inches up, and it’s far more substantial.) I’m sure it’s there to enhance efficiency, but this means more, “Hello, (insert insurance company name here)?”

Charging: Hyundai says all versions of the Ioniq 6 charge to 80% capacity in 17 minutes at a rapid charger. The version tested takes just under seven hours to get to 80% in a Level 2 charger.

Where it’s built: Asan, South Korea

How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Ioniq 6 reliability to be a 70 out of 100.

In the end: Personally, I’d go for the AWD version, but I might miss those 45 miles of range.