Introduction
You know the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N? Yes? It’s one of our favourite performance EVs. Well, now Hyundai has released another electric ‘N’; meet the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N.
Yup, it’s a savagely fast version of the sleek, executive electric Ioniq 6, complete with all-wheel-drive, 641bhp and 553lb ft, for a 0-62mph of 3.2 seconds if you put it in Launch Mode, this new electric sports car treads on the toes of the entry-level Porsche Taycan models for price, and will count the Tesla Model 3 Performance as one of its chief rivals.
It’s not just the speed and handling that have been transformed for the 6 N, either – it’s actually been restyled with slimmer headlights and a lower nose for even more streamlined aerodynamics. What d’you think? I think this more squinty face is quite a bit better than the Ioniq 6’s previous styling.
Range, battery and charging
The Ioniq 6 N gets an 84kWh lithium-ion NMC battery, complete with ultra-rapid charging of up to 350kW. That’s good enough for a 10- to 80% charge in around 18 minutes, or a 100 mile top-up in some 10 minutes, provided you’re charging at a powerful enough rapid charging station.
As for range? Well, the WLTP range is 291 miles, but who on earth is going to drive this sedately enough to get close to that? I reckon you’ll see 200- to 240 miles in the real world, but obviously that’ll depend on conditions and, er, how you’re driving.
Performance specs
Right, this is the important stuff for this car! As we’ve mentioned, the 6 N has a whopping 641bhp, as well as trick all-wheel drive system that uses torque vectoring to send power to the front, back and even from side-to-side.
It’s also got wider tracks than the standard Ioniq 6, and fully redesigned suspension with strut braces for improved rigidity. The electronically-controlled adjustable dampers also have integrated sensors so that they adjusted automatically to suit the road. Clever, eh?!
That’s not all, either. There’s also the ‘N e-Shift’, which is Hyundai’s patented tech that mimics gear shifts in its performance EVs. It’s really brilliant, too. I know it sounds a bit odd, but it works so well on the 5 N to give you more control over the powertrain and how it’s delivering the abundance of power that it’s got, and just generally to make you feel more involved. It’s a bit of analogue feel, delivered by the techiest of features. For the Ioniq 6 N it’s been updated again, so now it’s even quicker to respond and (we’re told) further heightens the sense of connection with the car. Even the amient interior lighting will gradually turn red to warn you when to shift up… Cool.
Of course, the gear shifts wouldn’t be complete without a rebellious, naughty soundtrack, and that’s what the ‘N Active Sound +’ is. Powered by a stereo, it’ll be piped into the cabin as well as outside the car, and you’ll be able to choose from a motorsport combustion-engine soundtrack, an EV-like spaceship thrum and sci-fi sounds of ‘Lightspeed’.
Other notable performance features in the Ioniq 6 N include a track mode that records your lap times, and the ‘N Drift Optimizer’, which lets you set the car up to make you look like a drifting god. Just get ready for those tyre bills.
Interior, design/styling and practicality
Of course, the 6 N has the same basic interior as the standard Hyundai Ioniq 6, but it’s dominated by the part-alcantara bucket seats that are properly comfortable and keep you nicely in place even when you’re making full use of the N Grin Mode or N Drift mode.
Of course, the big touchscreen also has all of the dedicated N adaptive features, including G-force readout and – naturally – your track telemetry.
On a more sensible note, there’s a separate screen for your climate control, a big glovebox, cupholders, and you can turn all of the N stuff off and drive this like a normal Hyundai.
The boot is the same 401-litres, but the strut braces do make it a tad less practical than the standard 6 N – or, indeed, the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model 3.
Of course you’ll get a couple of adults in those back seats no problem, but the bucket seats do eat into legroom a little, and the Ioniq 6 never had the best headroom. If you really want space and versatility in your raging lunatic of a performance EV, might we suggest you look to the Ioniq 5 N, instead.
Pricing and on sale date
The Ioniq 6 N will go on sale next year, and no – Hyundai hasn’t confirmed pricing. But we know that it’ll be up there with the 5 N, which costs £65,000, and the 6 will likely cost around £70,000. Not cheap, then, but there’s always that five-year warranty to sweeten the deal.
Verdict
We haven’t driven it yet, but the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N looks like an absolute beast, and we can’t wait to drive it. It’s going to have to really deliver something astonishing to be better than the Ioniq 5 N, and to potentially tempt people out of a lower-end Porsche Taycan, but on early evidence it does look like the 6 N could be very special, indeed.
