Base Camp: 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6

We’ve spilled a lot of digital ink writing about the Ioniq 6, the latest in an excellent line of Hyundai electric vehicles which offer useful all-electric range whilst incorporating hefty doses of interesting visual design. The new Ioniq 6 is a four-door sedan serving as counterpart to the five-door hatch (crossover?) that is the Ioniq 5. The fact that Hyundai didn’t take the easy route and simply tack a trunk onto the 5 and call it a day should be applauded.

The 6’s unique shape also pays dividends in terms of driving legs. Since it is very aero-friendly, Hyundai advertises a maximum range of up to 581 kilometres in some variants on a full charge, nearly 100 more than the 5 despite deploying similar all-electric guts. Kicking off the range is a $54,999 Preferred trim, billed as a ‘long range’ model even though all Canadian offerings have precisely the same 77.4 kWh battery pack.

This configuration grants rear-wheel drive, 225 horsepower / 258lb.-ft of torque, and acceleration to 100 km/h in about 7.5 seconds. Just an extra $3,000 gains you access to the all-wheel drive club, packing an entertaining 320hp/446tq, and a shot to 100 km/h in a hair over 5 seconds. Read: it’s properly quick. However, estimated range drops to 509 clicks (or 435km when shod with 20-inch wheels, proving that physics can be a cruel mistress.



Standard kit includes items like a heat pump, a device which warms the cabin more efficiently than a resistive heater. Some brands eliminate this feature in the lower trims of their EV, so shop carefully. Typical driving aids like lane keeping and forward collision assist is on board, plus adaptive cruise control.

Cloth seats are found inside – unless one pops for AWD and adds a pricey $6,000 Ultimate package – heated up front and power-adjustable for the driver. Gear like dual-zone climate control, leather-wrapped touchpoints like the steering wheel, and paddles for brake regen are present. Infotainment is handled by a 12.3-inch colour touchscreen, running Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are plenty of places in which to charge a device, including a wireless pad, and multiple smartphones can be paired to the system at any one time. Another 12.3-inch tablet sits ahead of the driver doing able duty as a gauge cluster. In short, Hyundai’s ability to provide deep value-for-money is carried over into its all-electric offerings.

What We'd Choose

Regular readers know our penchant for selecting trims with the most power and that trend continues here. Three stacks for an extra 95 ponies which shave about two-and-a-half seconds off the car’s acceleration time is a good deal, even if it does blunt driving range by over 10 percent. We’d stay away from the 20-inch wheels, since even our vanity isn’t worth 74 kilometres, and the expensive Ultimate package pads a monthly payment handsomely. We think most customers will be happy sticking with the Preferred Long Range AWD.

Every week, wheels.ca selects a new vehicle and takes a good look at its entry-level trim. If we find it worthy of your consideration, we'll let you know. If not, we'll recommend one - or the required options - which earns a passing grade.