Hyundai’s new IONIQ has gone on sale in the UK, with prices starting at £19,995 OTR.
The world’s first car to offer three electrified powertrains on one platform, the £19,995 is for the SE 1.6 GDi Hybrid model. This comes with standard features such as 15” alloys, DAB with Bluetooth, Cruise Control and Rear Parking Sensors with Rear View Camera. Safety features include Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS) and individual Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
The IONIQ Hybrid Premium 1.6 GDi, from £21,795, provides additional equipment over the SE, including keyless entry with push button start, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, Bi-Xenon headlamps with LED rear combination lamps and a driver’s supervision instrument cluster with 7” LCD display. Integrated satellite navigation with TomTom Live services, an Infinity audio system with Android Auto / Apple CarPlay and Wireless Phone Charging (where supported) also feature as standard.
From £23,595, IONIQ Hybrid Premium SE 1.6 GDi models benefit from enhanced comfort equipment such as leather seats with heated/ventilated front seats and heated outer rear seats, heated leather steering wheel and a driver power seat with Integrated Memory System. Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Front Parking Assist and optional 17” alloy wheels round off this range topping trim.
The new car features a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.24, while, thanks to an aluminium bonnet and tailgate, the IONIQ Hybrid is 60kg lighter than the similarly sized i30 hatchback. Compactly packaging the car’s batteries under the rear seats means the IONIQ has a 443-litre boot, which Hyundai is keen to point out is 100 litres bigger than Toyota Prius.
The Hybrid has an official combined fuel consumption of 83.1mpg, which gives a range of 846 miles: enough to drive from Land’s End to John O’Groats without needing to fill up. It’s also tax free thanks to CO2 emissions of 79g/km. The Hybrid is available in 7 different exterior colours; Phantom Black, Polar White, Platinum Silver, Iron Grey, Demitasse Brown, Marina Blue and Phoenix Orange.
The IONIQ Electric, which has a 174-mile range, starts from £24,495 (inclusive of the Government Plug-In grant of £4,500) for the Premium specification - mirroring Hybrid Premium with specific equipment including Automatic Windscreen Wipers with Rain Sensor, 16” alloy wheels, LED headlamps and rear combination lamps and Advanced Smart Cruise Control. Integrated satellite navigation is standard across the IONIQ Electric range.
The Electric Premium SE starts at £26,295 (also including the Plug-In grant), and features standard spec such as leather seats with heated/ventilated front and heated rear seats, heated leather steering wheel and a driver power seat with Integrated Memory System, Blind Spot Detection, front Parking Sensors and EV-specific 16” alloy wheels.
All models come with rapid charge compatibility, ensuring an 80 percent charge capability in 33 minutes from a 50kW CCS Combo Rapid public charger, whilst a standard ICCB Charging Cable will allow charging from a domestic three-pin supply. The car also has adjustable regenerative braking, via steering column-mounted paddles, 'maximising driver engagement and enhancing efficiency'.
The IONIQ Electric is available in 6 different exterior colours from Polar White, Phantom Black, Platinum Silver, Marina Blue, to Phoenix Orange while an exclusive Electric-model only colour of Blazing Yellow can be specified. The lava stone interior trim features copper accents throughout the cabin and control surfaces.
Prices and specifications for the Plug-In Hybrid 1.6 GDi model – set to go on sale in 2017 – have yet to be announced.