1.6 GDI Hybrid Premium SE DCT 5dr

Very economical and good cruiser

I've only had the Ioniq a few months, but it has impressed me with its economy, and is generally painless to drive and own.

Things I like so far:

1. Fuel efficiency (averaging just under 64 mpg), love the way the engine cuts off in traffic.
2. Auto gear box is smooth and trouble free, in either petrol or EV mode.
3. A very good car to drive round town, quite easy to park (split rear screen aside)
4. Good infotainment (if tricky to update) and clear rear view camera
5. Good over long distance - a few 200+ mile plus runs result in ever increasing efficiency (high: 74mpg)
6. Good comfort for four, providing rear occupants aren't too tall (sloping roof line)
7. Very refined when it cuts into EV mode
8. Fixed price maintenance from Hyundai is reasonable.

Things I don't like so far:

1. The hybrid drivetrain is a bit Jekyll and Hyde. When the EV kicks in it's beautifully quiet and refined, but on start up and at low revs, the Atkinson cycle petrol engine is noisy, and holds low gear for too long. Also the petrol engine will fire up at start up, even in reverse.
2. There is only ECO or SPORT mode, no 'normal' mode, and acceleration is sluggish in the former. However, Sport mode acts like another gear or a turbo, and really gives the car some shove.
3. You have to be very light-footed to force the car into EV mode, even on the flat, and you cannot mandate EV mode as you can in a Toyota hybrid.
4. The car is low-slung, so getting older friends and relatives into the Ioniq has resulted in some bashed heads. My previous Honda Jazz was taller and very easy to get in and out of.
5. The 440 litre boot (the main reason I bought the car) is not as big as the measurements suggest, due to the coupe shape.
6. Manoeuvring in reverse with the rear-view camera is good, but rear visibility is not great due to the split rear windscreen
7. That split rear windscreen also does not have a wash / wipe, and can be a bind on rainy days.

None of the gripes above have put me off the car at all, and I always enjoy driving it. It also looks a fair bit smarter than a comparable generation Prius, which looks like metal origami to my eye. It also seems that it will be reliable, although I haven't owned it for long enough to know yet.

Report as offensive