2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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While Hyundai has had the Sonata Hybrid for several years, it has otherwise stayed away from the world of battery-electric vehicles. That changes with the all-new compact Ioniq hatchback. It’s available in three versions and each features a different type of powertrain. One is a fully-electric vehicle called Ioniq Electric.
As far as its exterior, the Ioniq Electric’s adopts the same basic shape as energy-efficient stars with a wedge-like profile and a split-pane rear windscreen. But, that’s where the similarities end. Although the Ioniq resembles a basic eco-cruiser, it’s designed to look as much like a conventional car as possible. Much of that is by way of the front fascia. Though it doesn’t need an upper grille like a gasoline-powered car, it simulates one by way of a wide shape of gloss-black plastic across the front bumper. Otherwise, the Ioniq Electric has none of the often-polarizing design elements of other EVs. It is, however, full of aerodynamic tricks like the crisp edges of the front and rear bumpers, the blade-shaped wheels, and the sharply-defined rear lip spoiler.
Inside, styling and layout are just as straightforward. The Ioniq Electric’s interior doesn’t stand out as unique to the lineup. It could just as easily work in the Elantra, Tucson, or Sonata, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t handsome. The driver is presented with a deep-cut steering wheel and controls that are elegant and easy-to-use. Many of the car’s interior surfaces supplement plastic for renewable and lightweight resources like powdered wood, cane sugar, and volcanic stone. And, there are still smatterings of technology throughout, including a 7.0-inch full-LCD instrument cluster and an ergonomic push-button gear selector. There’s room for five people and 23 cubic feet of storage in the back, expandable by folding down the 60/40 split seats.
Every Ioniq Electric houses an electric motor that makes 118 horsepower and 218 pound-feet of torque that sends its power straight to the front wheels, thanks to a 28 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says this package is good for 150 MPGe city, 122 highway, and 129 combined. The range, 118 miles, is on the short side for a full EV, but Hyundai is targeting a particular kind of commuter with the Ioniq Electric. Besides, the car can recharge fully in 4.5 hours with a household 240-volt charger or around 30 minutes with a public DC 100-kW fast-charger. Drivers can extend the range even further by using the steering wheel paddles to dial-up the four-stage regenerative braking system.
The Ioniq Electric comes in two trims. Base carries an MSRP of $29,500 and comes standard with 16-inch wheels, cloth seating surfaces, keyless access and start, heated side mirrors, a 7.0-inch color touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, automatic climate control, a 6-way manual driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Limited retails for $33,385 and adds leather upholstery, a power driver’s seat with lumbar support and memory, LED headlights, power-folding side mirrors with puddle lights and turn indicators, chrome accents for the door handles and window surrounds, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and rear vents. The only available upgrade is $3,500 Ultimate Package that adds a power sunroof, HID/LED adaptive headlights, an uprated 8.0-inch infotainment system with navigation, wireless phone charging, an Infinity premium audio system with eight speakers, and LED interior lighting.
Safety-wise, the Ioniq Electric comes bundled with a reversing camera and driver-side blind-spot monitoring. Limited adds blind-spot monitoring on both sides and rear cross-traffic detection, and the Ultimate Package throws on automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control with auto start/stop. The Ioniq Electric has not been crash-tested by any major agency; however, the Ioniq Hybrid was tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) where it scored excellent ratings in every category and earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation for 2017.
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric is a no-nonsense value proposition. The straightforward styling and ergonomic interior will relieve those turned off by the designs of some EVs and hybrids, and the price—especially after a full $7,500 credit—is affordable for many people. While the range is short, it could work for plenty of drivers whose daily needs aren’t heavy on mileage or who can recharge while out and about. It deserves consideration from anyone seeking a seriously-low operating cost and plenty of features for a reasonable sum of money.
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2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Pricing
Trims & specs
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Driver knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: mast · Auxiliary audio input: iPod/iPhone integration · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Total Number of Speakers: 6
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Braking assist: hill start assist · Electronic parking brake: auto off · Front brake diameter: 11.0 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 11.2 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: rear center with cupholders · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Assist handle: front · Cargo cover: retractable · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cupholders: front · Multi-function remote: keyless entry with panic alarm · One-touch windows: 1 · Power outlet(s): 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: front · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: phone · Storage: accessory hook · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: manual · Manual adjustments: 6
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 7.41
Engine
Electric Charge Cord: 240 volt · Electric Motor Battery Type: lithium polymer · Electric Motor HP: 118 · Electric Motor Power Output (Kilowatts): 88 · Electric Motor Torque: 215 · Electric motor charger: DC fast charging · Electric motor charger connector: SAE Combo CCS · Electric motor charging time: 4 hours · Electric motor miles per charge: 124
Exterior Features
Body side moldings: black · Door handle color: body-color · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: black · Mirror color: body-color · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate · Window trim: chrome
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 3
In Car Entertainment
Connected in-car apps: Google search · Infotainment: Blue Link · Infotainment screen size: 7 in.
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: MPG · Warnings and reminders: low battery
Lights
Daytime running lights: LED · Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Halogen
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: heated · Inside rearview mirror: manual day/night
Passenger Seat
Manual Adjustments: 6
Rear Seats
Type: 60-40 split bench
Safety
Camera system: rearview · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: front · Rearview monitor: in dash
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat manual adjustments: reclining · Front seat type: bucket · Passenger seat manual adjustments: reclining · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Upholstery: premium cloth
Spare Tire
Kit: inflator kit
Steering
Steering ratio: 13.9 · Turns lock-to-lock: 2.7
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: semi-independent · Rear Suspension Type: torsion bar · Stabilizer bar(s): front
Telematics
Driver assistance app: roadside assistance · Electronic messaging assistance: with read function · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth · Smart device app function: maintenance status
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Liftgate window: fixed · Power windows: with safety reverse · Solar-tinted glass: front
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Driver knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: diversity · Bluetooth auxiliary audio input · Touch screen display radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · Total Number of Speakers: 6
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Braking assist: hill start assist · Electronic parking brake: auto off · Front brake diameter: 11.0 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 11.2 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: rear center with cupholders · Door sill trim: scuff plate · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Assist handle: front · Cargo cover: retractable · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cupholders: front · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: 2 driver · Multi-function remote: trunk release · One-touch windows: 2 · Power outlet(s): 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: front · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: cruise controls · Storage: accessory hook · Universal garage door opener: Homelink · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 7.41
Engine
Electric Charge Cord: 240 volt · Electric Motor Battery Type: lithium polymer · Electric Motor HP: 118 · Electric Motor Power Output (Kilowatts): 88 · Electric Motor Torque: 215 · Electric motor charger: DC fast charging · Electric motor charger connector: SAE Combo CCS · Electric motor charging time: 4 hours · Electric motor miles per charge: 124
Exterior Features
Body side moldings: black · Door handle color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: black · Mirror color: body-color · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate · Window trim: chrome
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 3
In Car Entertainment
Connected in-car apps: Google POIs · Infotainment: Android Auto ready · Infotainment screen size: 7 in.
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: range · Warnings and reminders: low battery
Lights
Daytime running lights: LED · Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Passenger Seat
Manual Adjustments: 6
Rear Seats
Type: 60-40 split bench
Safety
Camera system: rearview · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Cross Traffic Alert: rear · Crumple zones: rear · Rearview monitor: in dash
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: bucket · Passenger seat manual adjustments: height · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Upholstery: leather
Spare Tire
Kit: inflator kit
Steering
Steering ratio: 13.9 · Turns lock-to-lock: 2.7
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: semi-independent · Rear Suspension Type: torsion bar · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Telematics
Driver assistance app: roadside assistance · Electronic messaging assistance: with voice recognition · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth · Smart device app function: vehicle location
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Liftgate window: fixed · Power windows: with safety reverse · Solar-tinted glass: front