2024-25 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: HYUNDAI IONIQ 6 DYNAMIQ RWD

Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised; the Korean giant has dabbled with whimsical design before, as the three-door Veloster coupe/hatch proves. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is not an anomaly, however; it’s a modern exploration of electrically-motivated aerodynamic extremes, somewhat over-zealously applied to the venerable three-box sedan.

Automotive designers love the idiom, “form follows function”. It dictates that a car’s styling should not compromise functional goals. With the Ioniq 6, the fulcrum has moved in favour of aerodynamic form over automotive function. The result is a car that is not a pragmatic or practical choice for buyers, but a purely personal one.

The Ioniq 6 starts with the Korean giant’s impressive and advanced e-GMP electric architecture also found under the Ioniq 5, this time with a svelte streamliner silhouette on top. On paper it’s an elegant marriage of modern tech and a classical aesthetic, albeit with a modern twist; in reality it’s an uncomfortable combination that’s more compromised than convincing.

The Ioniq 6 is Hyundai’s rival for the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal, and it’s the only one of those three that feels engineered by a car company, not a tech giant, as we said when we compared the three early in 2024. This means the Ioniq 6 has the dynamic hallmarks of a capable driver’s car. The ride is plush without feeling pillowy, yet has an agility that belies its 1968kg kerb weight. This is a car that’s fun to drive in a spirited fashion, but we do wish the steering was more immersive and communicative.

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The cabin points more towards sophistication than cheap thrills. The classy sweeping digital dashboard and its well-sorted software is one highlight; materials choices on touchpoints and surfaces is another. The front row has the best seats in the house by some margin, not just because the cabin’s front-half layout and space are exceptional, but because the back is so very compromised. Headroom, footroom and storage space are three examples of where the Ioniq 6’s form has compromised its four-door functionality.

Hyundai Ioniq 6 Dynamiq RWD Specifications