When I drove the Hyundai Ioniq 6 for a week (and a half, more on that later), I loved it. I said it was my favorite EV and, if not for my frequent off-pavement camping trips, I would probably have gotten one over my Chevy Blazer EV. I still have a truck for camping, so I may just buy one after my lease is up. Thanks to the Ioniq Guy, I now have a better idea of what that experience will be like.
In his latest video, he goes over his one year of ownership. During that time, he covered just 3,500 miles in his Ioniq 6 SE rear-wheel-drive model. I consider that by far the best spec, as its small wheels, aerodynamic shape and efficient rear-wheel-drive powertrain give it an EPA-rated 360 miles of range. Combined with the ability to charge from 10% to 80% in under 20 minutes, the Ioniq 6 is one of the best road-trip EVs that regular people can actually afford. Corbin (The Ioniq Guy) got a great deal on his, paying just over $300 a month to lease it.
While he hasn't covered too many miles, he still has plenty of good news to report. The Ioniq 6 has averaged 3.9 miles per kWh, stunning efficiency. For reference, he says a Tesla Model 3 he drove got just 3.2 miles per kWh. My Blazer EV rarely cracks 3.0.
It's also comfortable and quiet, with great seats, he says. I'll add that the RWD Ioniq 6 is far more fun to drive than all-wheel-drive Hyundai/Kia EVs. It's better than the AWD Ioniq 6, which I drove after a driver on the highway rear-ended my RWD tester in traffic. Speaking of which, I can also confirm the Ioniq 6 is safe in a rear-end impact—I emerged without injury from a roughly 20-30 mph rear-end impact from a Honda Fit. How's that for real-world testing?
He also notes that battery degradation is pretty much nonexistent at this point, with the Ioniq 6 losing just 0.7% of its battery capacity over 3,560 miles. That's not really enough mileage to get a good idea of degradation, but it's worth noting that degradation is steepest in the first 20,000 miles or one year.
But the car hasn't been perfect. He noted that the power charge door failed to open on one cold morning. He also noticed that the 12-volt charging indicator light is often on when he leaves the car sitting, making him worry that his car could have one of the Hyundai/Kia EV platform's infamous ICCU issues. Also, he's not a fan of the cheap plastic in the doors, nor the bright plastic that can wash out the screens in direct light.
Still, it's broadly a good report card, though we knew The Ioniq Guy was a big fan of Hyundai's EVs. The video shows why. Though he's remarkably direct about some of the vehicle's shortcomings, including just-ok software, he's happy with the experience. That's enough to promote the Ioniq 6 RWD from being on my short list to being near the top of it.
Contact the author: Mack.Hogan@insideevs.com.
