Hyundai Ioniq to be dropped from Australian range as global production wraps up

Hyundai's Australian range of electrified vehicles is set to be reduced, with its Ioniq set to go off sale this year.

Not to be confused with the new Ioniq 5, the Ioniq was first launched locally in 2018 as Hyundai's first model to ride on a dedicated platform for electrified powertrains – available in conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully-electric variants.

Hyundai Australia told Wheels the decision to drop the Ioniq from local showrooms was based on the model going out of production globally at the end of its lifecycle, with the local arm of the Korean manufacturer putting in its final order for deliveries in the second half of the year.

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No replacement has been announced for the Ioniq, as Hyundai says it is instead putting its efforts into the Ioniq sub-brand for dedicated electric vehicles – having already spawned the Ioniq 5 and the 6 and 7 set to later join the fold.

Having sold 192 examples of all variants in 2018, the Ioniq recorded its best year of sales in 2019 with 546 units shifted, dropping in the years after to 526 and 484 in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

However, the if it were to continue, the outgoing model would still be on track for its best year yet – as Hyundai has managed to sell 333 cars to the end of April, 196 of which are its Ioniq electric variant, pinning the popularity on incentives for EVs in Australian states and territories.

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The conventional hybrid Ioniq remains as the model's cheapest variant at $41,390 before on-road costs, with buyers having to fork out an extra $6590 for the plug-in hybrid, available from $47,950.

Closing out the range, the two fully-electric variants made the Ioniq one of just a handful of EVs in Australia to come in under $60,000, currently remaining on-sale for $49,970 in Elite guise and $54,010 in its Premium grade, both of which are before on-road costs.

While the electric Kona remains as Hyundai's sole sub-$60k EV offering, the Ioniq 5 is now its only dedicated electric vehicle, starting at a considerably higher price than the outgoing Ioniq – with the single-motor rear-wheel-drive grade opening the account at $71,900, while the dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant is $75,900 before on-road costs.

Hyundai's all-electric push for the Ioniq sub-brand models is a part of the marque's drive to become carbon neutral by 2045, with battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles expected to make up 80 per cent of sales by 2040.