The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is taking shape and spy photographers caught a prototype undergoing road testing in Europe. Although the car still wears a lot of plastic covering, we can see enough details to know that this sedan will stand out when all of the cladding comes off. Based on the stunningly gorgeous Prophecy Concept, the Ioniq 6 will be the second dedicated battery-electric vehicle in Hyundai’s lineup following the retro-futuristic Ioniq 5.
Unfortunately, it appears that the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 has been toned down on its journey from a show car to a production model. The silhouette remains the same but the rest of the sedan’s design is more conservative. Its rear deck lid, for example, is more pronounced instead of the liftback style evoking the Saab 900. Designers appear to have shortened the front end, too, making the greenhouse more expansive. Like the last prototype spied, this one also wears aero-focused alloy wheels to help cut its drag coefficient.
The only component that appears to have remained intact from the Prophecy Concept car are the headlights, which retain the same cluster shape. Hyundai appears to have shrunk the Ioniq 6, too. The Prophecy’s exterior footprint is similar to the Sonata but the production car looks like a compact sedan sized closer to the Tesla Model 3, its chief bogey.
Like the Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 features pixel-like exterior lighting. You can see them peeking through the cladding in front and the back. The taillight cluster appears to span the whole width of the car. Its lighting pattern appears to be a strip instead of the four cube shapes as seen on the Ioniq 5. Based on the cladding’s cutout in the rear, the Ioniq 6 will have a traditional trunk instead of a liftback-type hatch like the Polestar 2. Overall, the exterior was designed to maximize the Ioniq 6’s ability to slip through the air hence its wedgelike shape. This should also aid in allowing the sedan to travel farther on a single charge and should easily exceed the Ioniq 5’s EPA rating of 220 to 303 miles.
We haven’t seen much of the interior but if it’s anything like the Ioniq 5, it’ll be a fantastic place to spend time in. Two 12.3-inch displays should be on the dash along with a head-up display. However, it’s unlikely that Hyundai will carry over all the clever practical features from the Ioniq 5 like the sliding center console and the La-Z-Boy-like front seats with ottomans. Expect the flat floor and open space between the driver and front passenger to remain, though.
Underpinned by the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform shared with the Genesis GV60, Kia EV6, and Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 will be the first sedan on this platform. It will likely share the same battery options with the other E-GMP-based vehicles. That means a 58-kWh battery for the standard range models or a 77.4-kWh unit for the long-range variants. The former will likely be available only in single-motor configuration while the latter will be offered in single- or dual-motor layouts. Standard range models should have up to 168 hp. If you’re looking for more power, the long-range version will have 225 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque in the single motor guise or 320 hp and 446 lb-ft in dual-motor layout.
If you’re looking for more power and performance, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is also getting an N variant. This will borrow the components found in the Kia EV6 GT and apply it to a compact sedan that’s likely a little lighter. That means a dual-motor layout with up to 576 hp and 545 lb-ft of torque, an electronically-controlled mechanical limited-slip differential, and adaptive dampers. Unlike the hot variants of the Genesis GV60 and Kia EV6, the Ioniq 6 Ncould get performance tires instead of all-seasons. However, if you’re craving this type of potency from your electric sports sedan, you’ll need to wait longer because it’s the last one to arrive.
