We can't be familiar with having never tried the Hyundai Ioniq! That's why we rented a copy through GoMore. The goal for this week's Sunday trip was idyllic Drøbak.
The Hyundai Ioniq was first introduced as a hybrid car. But it wasn't the Norwegians regrouped. It was the electric car. Thousands have had to wait for almost a year. Now the car is "all over the place". After just over two years, the Ioniq is in 9th place on the sales lists. I keep hearing: "Best car I've had!". "You have to try it!"
Battery capacity of 28 kWh
When the car was introduced with a 28 kWh battery pack, it could take you round trip Oslo - Gardermoen by a good margin - even in the middle of winter! Competitors of the time could not. But development is fast. Now everyone has received new battery packs. E-Golf: 35,8 kWh, Leaf: 40 kWh and i3: 42,2 kWh, while the Ioniq still has its battery pack of 28 kWh – actually the smallest in the class. But it still hangs on. People like it because it uses little power, provides an acceptable range and fast charging. It also looks very good.
Successful design
The smooth front is reminiscent of something Tesla could have invented. The outline follows the familiar one The Kamm profile which provides low air resistance. CW value of just 0,24 is the same as the Toyota Prius, although the Ioniq looks more ordinary than the Prius - in a positive sense. I like the finish behind the side windows with the chrome strip that curves around. It gives the car a compact feel. But don't be fooled. It's bigger than you think.
Comfort and space
Leather seats, technology package and decorative elements in bronze. Inside, everything is where you'd expect to find it. Except gear selection. It happens "by wire" via push buttons marked "P", "R", "N" and "D". The seats look great, but feel cheap when you sit in them. At least with my 1,88 I missed both side support and thigh support. The sloping roof profile is beautiful from the outside, but steals height in the back seat and gives poor visibility to the rear through the two-part rear window. In my eyes, this is still only a small sacrifice in relation to "good look" and low air resistance. Speaking of space, the boot holds 350 litres. That's 9 liters more than the e-Golf, although the space feels larger.
Paddles for eco-nerds
We drove south past Vollen, Slemmestad, Nærsnes and Sætre. There was a glimpse of the sea on the Oslofjord in the bright sunlight. I chose the speed-regulated small roads to test range - given that you drive as economically as practically possible. The Ioniq gives eco-nerds, like me, good opportunities to save electricity while driving. The paddles on the steering wheel do not control gear changes, but step-by-step dosing of the artificial engine brake. The location made it both easy and fun to drive actively - or perhaps you could say "eco-active".
Economical driving - range
There are three driving modes: Eco – Normal and Sport. Eco worked fine all the way for us. On some cars I feel that Eco kills all the joy of driving. The Ioniq does not. After swiping through "Normal" and "Sport" a few times, I felt confident that "Eco" was correct. In Normal and Sport mode, it feels like you're driving a much fitter car than the numbers suggest. To test the range when driving economically, I reduced the interior temperature to 17,5 degrees. It was strictly speaking not necessary, as the car was equipped with an energy-saving heat pump. The outside temperature was around five plus degrees and the sun warmed well. We started the trip from the heated garage. Only one factor contributed negatively to range, namely that "our" car was on studded tyres. Anyone who rides a bike in winter knows how studded tires absorb energy.
After driving 51,3 economical kilometers down the west side of the Oslo Fjord and crossing over to Drøbak through the Oslo Fjord Tunnel, the range in the instrument panel was only reduced by 35 km. It is good. If you have the opportunity to drive on quiet roads, and recover electricity where appropriate, under the same conditions you can drive 220 km with studded tires before the consumption indicator shows red. Then you would still have 40 km left until a complete stop. Theoretically, that is.
Sun in Drøbak
Drøbak is a pleasant place where people keep their doors open for each other. When we parked at Sjøtorget, the boat that transports people across the fjord was just about to set off. "Are you going to join us over?" it shouted pleasantly from the boat as my wife got out of the car. Last time I was here, we docked in the new guest harbor with our own boat. In few places are people as positive about boating as here. You are welcome to get a helping hand when you add.
There was an Easter atmosphere at Skipperstuen in Drøbak. Outdoor dining for the bravest. We sat indoors. I ordered mussels, like last time. Wife ordered Angus burger. The Kiel ferry passed right outside on its way south. Mussels in crême sauce, with frites, bread and mayonnaise make me endure the winter for a few more weeks.
Real ranges
On the way home, the wife demanded that we turn up the heat in the car. The way home took 50 minutes, along the "E6 the tightest road" in normal Sunday traffic, and with plenty of warmth for the wife's feet. The range indicator then showed a consumption in km which corresponded fairly exactly to the actual km driven. It would have given a total range of about 180 km, but would have ended up in the red after 150 km. The Ioniq's range indicator seems more reliable than in the e-Golf. It understands that even if consumption increases sharply, for example due to the rise in the Oslofjord tunnel, it will not last forever. The range in the e-Golf is far more nervous, and is not suitable for people who struggle with range anxiety.
Security
The Hyundai Ioniq has automatic emergency stop for pedestrians at city speeds. It has adaptive cruise control. Furthermore, "our" Ioniq was equipped with blind spot warning, reversing camera and lane departure warning.
In NCAP's crash test, the Ioniq got 91% when it was measured in 2016. In comparison, the previous Nissan Leaf got 89% when it was measured in 2012, and the new Leaf got 93% when it was measured in 2018. In full-width collisions, damage was detected to passenger on the right side at the rear. The pelvic part had partially slipped out of the belt. Furthermore, when hit from behind, the rear seat passengers were exposed to whiplash injuries. Side impact worked without complaint. NCAP also tested the adaptive cruise control and concluded that it worked excellently. The car stopped by itself in all necessary situations.
Download the report from NCAP here
Economy
The price is one of Hyundai's most important advantages. 284 is what you have to pay for the car including technical package, metallic paint and delivery. The only extra charge is winter tires and taxes. The technical package is required. It includes, among other things, LED lights and a heat pump, something you need to get more kilometres, especially in winter. At the time of writing, there are approximately 900 Ioniqs for sale on Finn.no. Several of the cars are practically new, priced at around 470 fully equipped. Hyundai has announced that the Ioniq's successor will have twice the range. It corresponds to the battery pack in the new Hyundai Kona. You may risk a loss when trading in if upgraded models have arrived, but that risk applies to all electric car models.
Hyundai provides a 5-year general warranty with unlimited mileage and 8 years/200 km on the battery pack. "Our" Ioniq had traveled over 000 km and is perhaps the Ioniq that has reached the highest mileage in Norway. It showed no signs of abnormally high wear for its age and mileage. In my opinion, the electric drive actually worked as well as in a new car. The furniture was like new.
Conclusion
When the Hyundai Ioniq appeared in 2016, I was skeptical about the design. Was it really necessary to create such an extremely streamlined body? Later, Tesla has shown the world that it pays off. When Tesla removed the grill on its models, the range increased. Range is not only about battery packs, but also design. The Ioniq has good weight distribution and sits well on the road, provided you have good tyres. It is easy to drive and fun to drive with "eco-paddles" on the steering wheel and "knob-gear". The biggest potential for improvement is the seats. These are both uncomfortable and, as the NCAP test has shown, - they provide reduced safety in terms of both keeping passengers in their seats in the event of a collision and preventing whiplash. Despite this, the Hyundai Ioniq still seems like one of the best electric car options under 300. You can save a lot by buying used.
The Hyundai Ioniq is perhaps one of the safest used purchases you can make today.
Facts
Weights and Measures
Length, width and height in cm: 447 / 182 / 145
Wheelbase in cm: 270
Own weight: 1420 kg
Total weight: 1880 kg
Allow trailer weight: Not possible
Drivetrain
Engine power: 120 HP
Torque: 265 Nm (Eco/Normal), 295 Nm (Sport)
Battery pack: 28 kWh
Performances
Range NEDC: 280 km
Real range summer: 200-250 km
Real range winter: 150-200 km
0-100: 9,9 seconds
Top speed: 165 km/h
Cargo
Type 2 (from charging box) 3,6 KW /16A: approx. 8 h
Type 2 (from charging box) 7,2 KW /32A: 4 h 25 min
Rapid charger CCS 50 KW: 30 min
Rapid charger CCS 100 KW: 23 min
Tires:
Winter tires with studs: Continental 205/55R16
Price:
Car and delivery costs: 254
Technical package: 25 (an absolute "must")
Leather seats: 10
Sunroof: 10
Metallic paint: 4
About the car
Rented through GoMore.no
Owner: Private owner
Year Model: 2017
Mileage: 71100
Distance driven: 135 km
Source: Hyundai.no
GoMore have several Hyundai Ioniqs for rent. It is a great opportunity to get to know charging and range properly before you possibly acquire your own. GoMore was the first to offer leasing and rental through the same portal. A concept that we will come back to here at Terje's cars.
Hyundai Ioniq photos
See
