2017 Hyundai Ioniq The compact 2017 Hyundai Ioniq hatchback — offered as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid and a pure EV — serves notice to th...
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| 2017 Hyundai Ioniq |
The compact 2017 Hyundai Ioniq hatchback — offered as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid and a pure EV — serves notice to the long-dominant Toyota Prius that there's a new green contender in town. The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq is an alternative propulsion vehicle with a hatchback body style. Available in three different variants, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric, the Ioniq is aimed at the likes of the Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Bolt and Volt, and the Audi A3 e-tron.
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| 2017 Hyundai Ioniq |
Safety
A host of active safety features will be available for the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq lineup including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assist, bind spot warning, adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert. All but the bases Ioniq Hybrid Blue have blind-spot monitors, and the SEL version of the Ioniq Hybrid offers a separate Tech Package that adds three active-safety features: lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking.
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| 2017 Hyundai Ioniq |
The all-electric version's 28-kwh battery pack provides a rated range of 124 miles via an 88-kw (118-hp) electric motor that is the car’s sole source of propulsion. The electric Ioniq's onboard charger is rated at 6.6 kW, for a full Level 2 recharging time of about 4 hours, and it also comes standard with DC fast-charging capability using the Combined Charging System standard. Importantly, it can fast-charge at up to 100 kw, higher than any non-Tesla electric car, including the Bolt EV. Hyundai notes that the low-mounted battery packs give all Ioniq models a low center of gravity, and that the suspension has been specially tuned to work with low-rolling-resistance tires on 15-, 16-, or 17-inch wheels.
The Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid models use a multi-link rear suspension, which delivers road holding that seemed roughly average across the entire range of compact cars, from high-volume Toyotas to sportier Mazda’s. The regenerative braking system is Hyundai’s third-generation system, said to offer better a blending of friction and regenerative brake force as the car slows.
Highway merging requires full throttle application, which strangely feels a little slower than the Kia Niro with which it shares a Powertrain. Future instrumented testing will tell.
Braking is nice and easy to modulate and seamlessly transitions from regenerative braking to hydraulic assist. The Ioniq's steering is light, easy and relatively precise. Overall grip is modest, as expected, but Ioniq Hybrid is steady and composed around turns.
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| 2017 Hyundai Ioniq |
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| 2017 Hyundai Ioniq |
Comfort
The Ioniq offers a nice level of comfort suitable for daily driving. The seats have sufficient support and padding, with powerful seat heaters that Hyundai vehicles often come with. The ride comfort is well balanced, but the amount of cabin road noise could get tiresome on a road trip. The padding is perfectly adequate, and there's good lateral support and seat adjustment. Controls are straightforward and even the base model offers dual-zone automatic temp control. Heated seats come on the midtrim SEL version.
The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq, among other design criteria, was intended to be a no-compromises green car. That translated to a "normal" appearance, standard controls, and plenty of interior volume and cargo space. The Ioniq’s front seats are low but well-bolstered, with a seat height identical to the company's Elantra compact sedan, according to the company.
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| 2017 Hyundai Ioniq |
Interior
The all-new 2017 Hyundai Ioniq offers high-quality cabin materials and attractive trims. For the class, there is a good amount of trunk space in all Ioniq models, though the hybrid model offers a few more cubic feet than the plug-in hybrid and electric versions.
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| 2017 Hyundai Ioniq |
The Ioniq Hybrid's controls are easy to figure out without the owner's manual. All controls are straightforward; the touch screen menus are easy to navigate. Physical buttons for driver aids provide nice redundancy for scrolling through the settings menu. The doors open wide, and the Ioniq's step-in height is nice and low, especially for the front seats. The tilt-and-telescoping steering column offers a lot of adjustment as does the optional power driver seat. It's pretty easy to find a comfortable driving position with copious amounts of head- and legroom to suit a wide range of drivers.
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