2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric review: A little EV that offers a lot for your money

In a earth where by EVs are in a position to hit 300 miles for every cost, and where by sub-5-2nd -to-60-mph instances are ordinary, Hyundai’s Ioniq Electric could look like a bit of an also-ran. But even with its modest effectiveness and general lack of flash, it truly is a motor vehicle which is really worth taking into consideration — especially as a first EV.

With the Ioniq Electric, what you see is what you get: An unassuming battery-electric powered hatchback from a effectively-regarded and respected company. It features minor in the way of advantage signaling for those people who want the earth to know they acquired an EV, but with a hundred and seventy miles of range and a sub-$35,000 cost tag (which include location), it presents a quite painless and accessible route to EV possession for those people who care much more about performing very good than looking very good.

The minor electric powered Hyundai is run by a single permanent-magnet electric powered motor that features up 134 horsepower and 218 pound-feet of torque. Not earth-shaking by any signifies, but totally enough for daily use. That motor drives the entrance wheels through a single-speed reduction gear — pretty typical fare for most EVs.

The motor vehicle retailers its juice in a 38.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, which is very good for a claimed range of a hundred and seventy miles. That puts the Hyundai guiding likewise sized rivals like the Chevrolet Bolt (259 miles) and Nissan Leaf Furthermore (226 miles), but a hundred and seventy miles is much more than more than enough range for most people today in most EV use instances. Thankfully, the Ioniq Electric accepts DC speedy-charging and will go from % to an 80% condition of cost in close to 45 minutes.

The Ioniq is a properly wonderful driver, but dynamically talking, it truly is practically nothing to create home about. The experience isn’t really punishing or even unpleasant until eventually you get to definitely awful pavement. But apart from this suspension that feels like it could do with a bit much more sophistication, the Ioniq is all totally wonderful.

The Ioniq features a few concentrations of adjustable regenerative braking, which is great. I am firmly in the “all the regen, all the time” school of considered, and the Hyundai allows for 1-pedal driving close to town, even though it truly is not so solid that it’ll provide the Ioniq to a prevent. What I never appreciate is that I have to reset the regen level each and every time I get in the motor vehicle, which I can see getting to be definitely bothersome if I owned 1 of these.

Hyundai’s typical driver-aid techniques are numerous and properly executed. Characteristics these types of as adaptive cruise command with prevent-and-go features, lane-retaining help and ahead-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection are typical tools throughout the board. If you choose to move up to the much more costly Restricted trim viewed below, you also get capabilities like blind-spot warning and Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assistant, which pairs adaptive cruise command and lane-retaining help to keep your auto in the centre of a lane and at a secure length from other vehicles.

Relocating within, Apple CarPlay and Android Vehicle are typical, and if you never want to use those people, Hyundai’s proprietary BlueLink technique is snappy, legible and frequently enjoyable to use. I am a enthusiast. The foundation Ioniq Electric SE will come with a 8-inch touchscreen multimedia technique, but stepping up to the Restricted will get you a more substantial, 10.2-inch screen, and features navigation.

The Ioniq’s inside could look a minor cheap with its sea of light-grey plastic, but it all feels improved than it appears. A whole lot of the surfaces are topped with soft-touch materials, and there is not a single squeak or rattle to communicate of — a little something which is especially critical in a motor vehicle where by there is no powertrain sound to go over up more compact imperfections. Hyundai lets you flip off the passenger-side air vents to cut down your weather command drain, which is a in close proximity to element to have when the climate is moderate.

Remaining a hatchback, the Ioniq Electric features loads of room for cargo: 23 cubic-feet with the rear seats up. Because all of the powertrain mechanicals are packaged under the hood, there is no frunk below like on a Model 3, but the Ioniq won’t definitely require it. The hatchback is loads spacious, itself supplying much more room than what you get in the Bolt or even a Tesla Model 3.

Over-all, the Ioniq is a properly knowledgeable minor EV, and affordably priced, also — $34,020, which include $975 for location. Even in its most costly variety, the 2020 Ioniq Electric Restricted retails for $39,590 which include location, and which is right before you issue in any govt or local incentives.

That puts the Ioniq appropriate along with rivals like the Bolt and Leaf. Chevy’s EV starts off at $37,495 which include $875 for location, even though the cost increases alternatively swiftly the moment you start incorporating choices. Of system, that even larger financial investment will get you a whole lot much more electric powered range. As for the Leaf, it starts off at $32,525 which include $925 for location, but which is for the foundation S design with the forty-kWh battery pack, which is rated at 149 miles of range, but won’t arrive typical with speedy-charging capacity. Stepping up to the Leaf Furthermore charges $39,one hundred twenty five, which will get you the 226-mile range and typical 100kW speedy-charging, but Nissan’s ProPilot Help — which is related to Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assistant — is however optional.

Then, of system, there is the Tesla Model 3, which starts off at $37,990 in its most inexpensive Conventional Vary Furthermore configuration. You are having significantly improved range with this Tesla — 250 miles, to be exact — but the moment you select a coloration other than white, various wheels or any choices, you happen to be effectively into the mid-to-high-$forty,000 region.

Individually, I would adhere with the more cost-effective Ioniq Electric SE, which will get you the similar range and charging capacity, but takes absent the more substantial infotainment screen, not-super-magnificent leather seating and the Highway Driving Assistant — factors I could totally live without. Variable in the readily available incentives, and you could get an Ioniq Electric SE into the mid/high-$20,000s. The only EV that undercuts that is the new Mini Cooper SE, but it only features one hundred ten miles of range.

All factors viewed as, the 2020 Ioniq Electric features a whole lot of motor vehicle for the revenue, not to point out Hyundai’s superb 10-yr/100,000-mile powertrain guarantee. It can be a definitely desirable alternative for first-time EV consumers.