Review: Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid - Electrifying First Drive

Amirul

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Jun 7, 2016
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www.zerotohundred.com


The market for B-segment hybrid sedans have long been dominated by Toyota's Prius, a well established car of this segment for more than a decade now. It's likely first to come to mind when you think of a hybrid car.



There's there Hyundai, with its ever growing market share in the US for passenger vehicles, closely following the Far-East brand leader – Toyota. Now they've even introduced their own hybrid sedan, the Ioniq. One would easily suspect it's something different by just listening to the name, something like... electric. Read our report on the car’s launch here.

The Hot:



1. Super-efficient hybrid powertrain
2. Unique aerodynamic exterior design features
3. 6-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT)

The Not:



1. ‘Too familiar’ silhouette
2. Rear headroom is pretty tight for a 6-footer
3. DCT is not the spirited kind

Hyundai Ioniq



Engine:
1.6-litre Kappa GDI 4-cylinder, direct injected
Power: 139hp (104hp + 45hp from electric motor)
Torque: 265Nm (147Nm + 170Nm from electric motor)
Zerotohundred: n/a
Transmission: Six-speed dual clutch automatic
Dimensions: 4,470mm (L), 1,820mm (W), 1,450mm (H)
Price (OTR w/o insurance): HEV: RM100,328; HEV Plus: RM110,828

The Hyundai Ioniq boasts a familiar design silhouette, a two-box sedan with a Kammback body style which simply means a body like the Ioniq, with smooth contour that continues to tail and is abruptly cut off, resulting in a tall boot. Similar to the Prius, the shape is said to reduce drag coefficient, thus contributing to lower energy consumption.



instead of an actual
3-dimensional emblem that one can touch and feel, the (rather comical) front Hyundai logo that is actually a picture or a graphic printed on a flat glossy surface. Apart from just making the owner of the Ioniq feel special and all, behind the flat surface of the logo actually lies a camera and radar for Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Smart Cruise Control (SCC)

Driving it

Knowing the fact that the Ioniq is a hybrid car (with a battery fitted somewhere under the rear seats) and has dry-type Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), it’s hard to avoid the perception that the car would drive numbly or emit the occasional jerk upon rolling from standstill.



But how wrong I was. At low speeds and on uneven roads, the Ioniq feels light and firm. It might be heavier than conventional sedans, but the tuning of MacPherson up front and multi-link at the rear helps give the car a solid ride.

I’m not sure about other drivers, but now, I kind of like the idea of a hybrid sedan.



When pushed to the limit, as the car starts to build momentum and show its character, manoeuvring the car at speed through the slalom course showed noticeable body roll, a healthy dose, to remind you of your speed and steering input. We also did heavy acceleration and subsequently applying hard brake before making a tight U-turn. The brake feel is not something you would say progressive, yeah I am aware that the Ioniq is not designed to be a weekend driver’s car, but braking force is sufficient and predictable even after multiple runs through the course.



On the twisties, I’m sure most of you would expect the car to be understeery,
the Ioniq showed that I was wrong, again. During high speed cornering with constant throttle input, I can almost feel traction at the rear starting to break, instead of usual front washing out even with the two other passengers with me. I bet if driven alone, then inducing mid-corner lift-off would leave insensitive drivers a hairy moment before Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) intervene.



Hyundai managed to give the Ioniq a smooth DCT, diminishing all other stories you have heard about DCT before, especially with a dry-type as the one on the Ioniq. The car rolls forward in traffic fluidly and the DCT upshifts seamlessly. However, the gearbox is nowhere as engaging as, let’s say, VW’s DSG. Even in Sport mode, the gearshift does feel sportier, but not that aggressive. But mind you, I’m not saying that I don’t like the gearbox. It’s just, there's nothing spectacular about it. I do like the sporty sound of the car in Sport mode, though. The DCT while in Sport mode with its instant throttle response makes the Kappa 1.6-litre Atkinson GDI engine feel more alive.

NVH-wise, the Ioniq is quieter and feels more refined than the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> generation Prius. The Prius is a tiny bit noisier in the cabin partly because Toyota has removed some padding and insulation for weight-saving measures.



With 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and leather-wrapped D-cut steering wheel, you can easily get to your optimum and comfortable driving posture. I happily sat low driving the car while still having reasonable outward visibility. However, the rear view from the cabin is blocked by a rather high horizontal spoiler element on the boot, naturally similar to the Prius.



As expected, the Ioniq is flooded with an array of safety features such as Braking Assist System (BAS), Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), Lane keeping Assist System (LKAS), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and the aforementioned ESC and VSM. During the drive, we got to test AEB in a course designed by Hyundai.



The course works the Ioniq up to 50km/h, the system uses the car’s front radar and camera to detect the rate of approach towards the front object, in this case, a mannequin. Up to a certain distance and a certain rate of approach, the car will automatically apply the brake if it senses no brake input by the driver. It’s a bit of a workout actually as you are constantly battling with yourself to resist from applying the brake before the car applies the brake at the very last minute.

Despite working up to 50km/h which is the speed of everyday stop-and-go traffic, the effectiveness of the system is still factored by elements like tyre condition and road condition. Common sense, I guess? But of course it’s not unnecessary to remind to always focus on your driving and maintain your vehicle accordingly.

Notable features



1. Active airflap – The Hyundai Ioniq’s grille is equipped with Active Airflap, flanking the flat glossy surface with Hyundai logo graphic. The Active Airflap is basically the blades in the grille that automatically opens and closes whenever the car need more cooling or need to reduce drag.



2. Predictive energy management – This function analyses travel routes such as low speed, uphill, high steady speed, deceleration or downhill and standstill, and adjusts its powertrain to either use electric motor only (EV mode), a combination of electric motor and combustion engine or to recharge the battery.



3. Wireless charger – The Ioniq gets Wireless Charging System in a compartment on the centre console. Not necessary, but pretty cool to have.

Verdict



The Ioniq just proves that a carmaker that has been seen to only produce everyday commuters like Hyundai can sometimes surprise you, both by producing a hybrid sedan and the way they executed it. From its pleasant handling to distinctive DCT gearbox, the Ioniq shows that a hybrid car does not always have to be that way, you get what I mean? A hybrid car can be sporty and alive while delivering tree-hugging fuel economy numbers.



Maybe in the next generation Ioniq, Hyundai can implement different, cooler exterior design as the Ioniq matures as a hybrid car. Nonetheless, I would say that it is a job well done for Hyundai.





























 

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ixeo

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I'll admit. I like this car. If I was in the market of a passenger vehicle, taking into mind fuel consumption, safety, comfort and things that matter to an average joe who wants to go from point A to point B, this is the quintessential car, sub RM200k in Malaysia. Who else offers AEB, adaptive cruise, BSM in Malaysia at that price point? Nobody. (Please correct me if I am wrong, Honda & Toyota offers it overseas, just not in Malaysia's [strike]full[/strike] poverty specs).

But I'm not in the market for a passenger vehicle. I am an enthusiast. So the fact that its a slow hybrid, and butt ugly. Meh.

That being said I like what Hyundai Malaysia has done with this. All they need to do now is throw in a 10 year warranty for people to actually part ways with their money, because this is a great car in terms of the overall package. What's not great is people's perception/mind set towards Korean cars. If this is as good as it looks, then back it up with the warranty, and get people buying it.
 

6UE5t

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I'll admit. I like this car. If I was in the market of a passenger vehicle, taking into mind fuel consumption, safety, comfort and things that matter to an average joe who wants to go from point A to point B, this is the quintessential car, sub RM200k in Malaysia. Who else offers AEB, adaptive cruise, BSM in Malaysia at that price point? Nobody. (Please correct me if I am wrong, Honda & Toyota offers it overseas, just not in Malaysia's [strike]full[/strike] poverty specs).

But I'm not in the market for a passenger vehicle. I am an enthusiast. So the fact that its a slow hybrid, and butt ugly. Meh.

That being said I like what Hyundai Malaysia has done with this. All they need to do now is throw in a 10 year warranty for people to actually part ways with their money, because this is a great car in terms of the overall package. What's not great is people's perception/mind set towards Korean cars. If this is as good as it looks, then back it up with the warranty, and get people buying it.
Coz most probably all those complicated systems will not last as long as 10 years! :biggrin:
IMHO this car is just getting closer and closer to a robot car! Maybe in few decades from now, driving skill as a whole will become more of a unique rarity, just like driving manual transmission cars now. :banghead:
 

ixeo

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Coz most probably all those complicated systems will not last as long as 10 years! :biggrin:
IMHO this car is just getting closer and closer to a robot car! Maybe in few decades from now, driving skill as a whole will become more of a unique rarity, just like driving manual transmission cars now. :banghead:
Autopilot is already here. However in Malaysia, hahaha. We have poverty packs.
 

sweelt

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Parking also got auto assist....how to issue license in future? Hehehe...
If u guys watch matrix, one day we human just sit and control by robot....wahahaha
 
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vr2turbo

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It can happen. When artificial intelligence takes over, it will be scary..........:hmmmm:
 

6UE5t

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Autopilot is already here. However in Malaysia, hahaha. We have poverty packs.
Yes I know, that's why in not so distant future, proper driving skill will become more rare & less important as time goes by. Maybe in Malaysia and other 3rd world countries will take longer which I'm actually hoping it will delay as long as possible coz I just don;t have confidence yet in such hi-tech stuff.

Parking also got auto assist....how to issue license in future? Hehehe...
If u guys watch matrix, one day we human just sit and control by robot....wahahaha
That's why you see already many cannot park properly! :mad:
 

vr2turbo

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That's why you see already many cannot park properly! :mad:
Park? some drive also cannot, MT lah!....hhahahhaha
My daughter intern time, because lack of parking space they block each other so when they need to go out they will reverse to let the other out. So one day my daughter 's car block her colleague but she was busy with customer so she handed her car keys to the colleague. The colleague went to the car saw manual shift he came back ask my daughter to shift the car......hhahahhahahah :rofl:
 

Tom

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Park? some drive also cannot, MT lah!....hhahahhaha
My daughter intern time, because lack of parking space they block each other so when they need to go out they will reverse to let the other out. So one day my daughter 's car block her colleague but she was busy with customer so she handed her car keys to the colleague. The colleague went to the car saw manual shift he came back ask my daughter to shift the car......hhahahhahahah :rofl:
I think we've pretty much arrived at a time where manual transmission is no longer a needed skill. I wonder if it's a compulsory thing at driving school these days.

You have adult, and working children? Wow vr2turbo
 

vr2turbo

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yup, currently license have two option.
Auto car, or manual tans car.
If opt for Auto car, cannot drive manual car. Read few years ago. Duno is implemented or not.
Heard they implement already......:smokin:

---------- Post added at 05:54 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 05:53 PM ----------

I think we've pretty much arrived at a time where manual transmission is no longer a needed skill. I wonder if it's a compulsory thing at driving school these days.

You have adult, and working children? Wow vr2turbo
Means I am oldie......lol:biggrin:
 

ixeo

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I think we've pretty much arrived at a time where manual transmission is no longer a needed skill. I wonder if it's a compulsory thing at driving school these days.

You have adult, and working children? Wow vr2turbo
With things as amazing as the ZF 8 speed transmission in the BMW lineup, who needs manuals? For a street car, other than the feel of rowing, a manual transmission does nothing better than the 8 speed.

Even for a lowly engine like the one in 316i, you do not feel the lack of power if you're driving in a smooth fashion (imagine ferrying a boss and you don't want to floor it), but linearly apply pressure to the go-fast pedal and the car smoothly downshifts, no fuss, no drama, but the car gets moving.
 

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