Hyundai Ioniq 6 N spied – hot electric saloon targets Tesla Model 3
The hot Ioniq 6 N saloon will soon join the excellent Ioniq 5 N in Hyundai’s all electric performance car rebirth, and we’ve spotted it testing
The hot Ioniq 6 N saloon will soon join the excellent Ioniq 5 N in Hyundai’s all electric performance car rebirth, and we’ve already spotted it testing at the Nürburgring.
Hard facts about what we can expect from the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 6 N are few and far between, but given the standard car rides on the same E-GMP 800-volt architecture as the Ioniq 5, a bet on the Ioniq 6 N getting the same components as the 5 N would be a safe one.
That will mean all-wheel drive courtesy of two electric motors and well over 600bhp. In the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the front produces 223bhp, while the rear contributes 379bhp, contributing to a massive system output of 641bhp and 567lb ft. That informs a 0-62mph time of 3.4sec on the way to a top speed of 162mph.
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It wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect the Ioniq 6 N, which will be positioned higher and be more expensive than the 5 N, to be faster and more powerful. Raw power is far from what defines the Ioniq 5 N, however, so it’s sure to not define the Ioniq 6 N either.
Expect the Ioniq 6 N to get the 5 N’s ‘e-Shift’ simulated gears and a version of the synthesised sounds. The former allows you to control a fake gearbox that’s produced through mapping of the electric motors and controlled via the paddles through software. That works in tandem with a synthesised ‘engine’ sound to sort of replicate the sensations of driving an internal combustion car.
A gimmick? In ways. But in practice, you remember just how useful as references for gears and sounds were in petrol cars, allowing you to feel more natural in stroking the Ioniq 5 N up the road. This would be far from an unwelcome addition to the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N.
Nor would the Ioniq 5 N’s superb chassis tuning, adaptive dampers and limited-slip rear differential, though some would welcome a more cosseting ride in the most slackened modes for the Ioniq 6 N.
Visually, the Ioniq 6 N will be more aggressive than the standard car with skirts, a splitter and a diffuser in tune with the Ioniq 5 N. It’ll also have slimmer headlights than the standard car – expected to debut on a facelift of the standard car too – and a prominent rear spoiler.
Hyundai has set a precedent in the burgeoning electric car market, with cars that are not just good but often, quite interesting. The Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 especially, are a pushback against the notion that these things should be reduced to a white good. With the excellent Ioniq 5 N setting the precedent, hopes are high for the incoming Ioniq 6 N.
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 N is expected to make its debut in 2025 before first cars hit the road. Like the Ioniq 5 N, it will also be relatively pricey, with an on-the-road price in the region of £72,000 expected.
