Hyundai lit a fire under the performance EV world when it dropped the Ioniq 5 N a couple of years back. Not only was it the South Korean brand’s first crack at a high-performance electric car, it was arguably the first EV built with the driver, not the spec sheet, at the forefront.
Now comes the follow-up. The Korean brand has launched its second high-performance EV, the Ioniq 6 N. Created around the same philosophy as the Ioniq 5 N, and sharing many of its parts, the 6 N promises even greater performance with far more adjustability, a slightly higher price tag, and quicker lap times, aided in no small part by the lower center of gravity.
Review: The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Is A Ballistic Missile That Redefines EVs
The question is, can Hyundai have possibly made the already great Ioniq 5 N even better? We headed to Sydney Motorsport Park to find out, putting the Ioniq 6 N through its paces. It revealed itself to be a car so enjoyable to drive that it’s hardly even recognizable as an EV.
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What Makes It Special?
Significant improvements have been made to the Ioniq 6 to ensure it’s fitting of the N badge. It uses an 84 kWh battery pack and a pair of electric motors delivering 448 kW (601 hp) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque as standard, and 478 kW (650 hp) with the N Grin Boost function enabled and launch control engaged. The battery packs support charging from 350-kW DC fast chargers, with peak charging rates of around 250 kW, enough to charge the pack from 10-80 percent in 18 minutes.
Photos Hyundai Australia
Like any N product, this one is about much more than improved power. Hyundai has tweaked the suspension geometry, lowering the roll center and installing new dual-layer bushings. It also uses an advanced, new stroke-sensing electronically controlled suspension system that adjusts damping based on driving conditions and travel stroke. There’s also an electronically limited-slip differential at the rear, a steering mounting void bushing to improve response, and Hyundai’s Integrated Drive Axle.
Hyundai has also added 44 additional weld points and an extra 340 mm (13.4 inches) of structural adhesive to the body-in-white, and installed new brakes with 400 mm (15.7-inch) discs with four-piston calipers up front. There are also two brake-feel modes, a slew of regenerative-braking settings, and several aerodynamic improvements, including a rear wing that delivers 100 kg (220 lbs) of downforce.
Like the Ioniq 5 N, the number of functions to enhance the driving experience is dizzying. There’s the N Drift Optimizer, N Launch Control, and an N Torque Distribution that allows for 11 different adjustments to how power is sent to the wheels, ranging from 95:5 front-to-rear to 5:95 front-to-rear. Hyundai has also included its N Pedal system to boost regenerative braking on the track and improve tuck-in response, N Grin Boost to increase power in 10-second bursts, and N Battery to optimize battery temperatures for drag, sprint, and endurance settings.
In Australia, prices start at AU$115,000 (US$82,800). In the US, it’s expected to start at around US$70,000. The matte grey model you’ll see in some photos includes several carbon fiber accessories, including a towering AU$7,289 (US$5,245) rear wing, a AU$2,484 (US$1,787) carbon splitter, AU$4,810 (US$3,461) side skirts, and a AU$4,090 (US$2,943) rear diffuser.
Sporty Cabin Tweaks
Photos Hyundai Australia
The interior has also been tweaked, although it’s not dramatically removed from the regular Ioniq 6. Key touches include a new N steering wheel, new head-up display graphics, bucket seats, and new leather and Alcantara surfaces.
As the N is based on the facelifted Ioniq 6, it has all of the same features. These include a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment display, and, importantly, loads of tactile, physical buttons throughout, an increasing rarity in the EV space. It’s a lovely space to spend time, and the upgrades made to the N ensure it feels special.
Just like the Ioniq 5 N, the Ioniq 6 N is very much a niche product. This is not the type of vehicle that Hyundai expects to sell in high numbers. In Australia, roughly 500 expressions of interest have been received, although order books have yet to open, so it’s unclear how many of those will actually translate into buyers.
Driving
Photos Hyundai Australia
All it takes is a quick look at the Ioniq 6 N’s specs to understand that this is a car that means serious business. However, unlike some of the straight-line heroes that dominate the so-called ‘performance’ class of EVs, Hyundai’s latest creation is about much more than simply pulling away from an intersection quickly.
Of course, that’s not to say that this thing isn’t ferocious off the line. It is. According to Hyundai, the Ioniq 6 N can sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds with the N Grin Boost function enabled, which bumps up peak power to 478 kW (650 hp) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque for 10-second bursts. In our testing, we recorded repeated runs to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, while running from 60-120 km/h takes as little as 2.45 seconds.
Photos Hyundai Australia
While it’d be easy to shrug off these figures given how many quick EVs are on the market right now, it’s worth remembering that numbers like these were once the exclusive territory of high-end supercars costing half a million dollars, not a practical four-door sedan that stickers for a fraction of that and costs about a third of what a Porsche Taycan Turbo does.
Fitted as standard with Pirelli P Zero Elect tires, but equipped with P Zero Corsa rubber for our track sessions, the car simply bites into the pavement, delivering unrelenting, unforgiving acceleration.
No Electric Sedan Should Drive Like This
However, it’s the handling and overall driving dynamics of the Ioniq 6 N that stand out more than the acceleration.
Like the Ioniq 5 N, the 6 N uses a pair of powerful electric motors at the front and rear axles. It includes the N Torque Distribution function, allowing drivers to move from as much as 95 percent front-power bias to 95 percent rear-power bias. However, to extract peak power from the two motors, it’s best to keep the power split in its 50-50 mode.
Even in this mode, with a 60-40 front-to-rear power split, the Ioniq 6 N feels inherently rear-biased and is even more playful than its SUV sibling. For several laps, I had the car’s power split in 50-50 mode with the ESC in Sport mode, and was left giddy by how the rear end gracefully starts to kick under power. When it does step out, the stability control system allows for a surprising amount of slide angle before reining things in, making the EV exceptionally easy to control at and beyond the limit.
Read: New Elantra N TCR Undercuts The Civic Type R By $7,000 With A Bigger Wing
Outright grip is exceptional and has been perfectly coupled with superb steering feel, despite it being an electrically assisted system. What’s particularly impressive is that the steering provides just as much feedback as Hyundai’s combustion-powered N models. There are no dramas in determining where the extremities of the grip are, either through the front or the rear axle.
Admittedly, the overall size of the Ioniq 6 N and its weight mean that both the road-focused P Zero Elect and P Zero Corsa tires start to overheat after three or four flying laps. This wasn’t helped by the fact that the tires of the cars we tested were dated back to 2023, so they were a little old.
Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops
Improvements have been made to the car’s N e-Shift function. This is the system that aims to replicate the feel of Hyundai N’s eight-speed dual-clutch, providing a satisfying thump in the back and a change in torque just like an ICE car. Whereas the Ioniq 5 N had seven of these fake gears, the Ioniq 6 N has eight. With shorter ratios, even though they’re not real, it’s possible to enjoy even more shifts.
Those who haven’t experienced this system may be quick to dismiss it. After all, how can an EV’s software possibly mimic actually shifting gears? However, the team of Hyundai engineers who developed the N’s eight-speed dual-clutch also developed this system, and it’s almost indistinguishable from a normal transmission. It’s bewildering at first, but quickly becomes second nature.
Alterations have also been made to the car’s N Active Sound+ system. As in the Ioniq 5 N, the Ioniq 6 N’s system includes three modes, Ignition, Evolution, and Supersonic, although changes have been made to all three. Whereas the Ioniq 5 N’s system uses two channels, the Ioniq 6’s uses six, providing a richer, louder, and more authentic soundtrack, particularly in Ignition, which sounds just like the exhaust of the i30 N. However, the Active Sound+ system doesn’t faithfully recreate the sound of a turbocharged four-cylinder quite as well as the e-Shift does act like a genuine dual-clutch.
On-Road Performance
Photos Hyundai Australia
On the road, the Ioniq 6 N revealed itself to be a shockingly good cruiser, yet one that can transform into an animal at the press of the N button.
Given the performance on offer, it should come as no surprise that the Ioniq 6 N isn’t as efficient as the regular model. Sitting on the highway, it’ll average about 19 kWh/100 km, which is respectable. However, start driving it in a slightly sportier manner, and that figure will quickly rise deep into the 20s. On the track, when driven at its limits without regenerative braking, it’ll deplete the battery pack by about 8 percent over a 105-second lap. Using regen, it’s possible to lower this to around 5 percent.
A key masterstroke for the Ioniq 6 N’s on-road performance is how well it rides. The new and improved suspension works wonders, soaking up bumps beautifully in its softest setting while still delivering a sporty feel. Amp things up into one of the more aggressive modes, and it’s far less jarring than an i30 N, remaining perfectly suitable for everyday driving.
While the street tires can overheat on the track, you’d have to find a very long ribbon of tarmac to get them to do so on the road. They provide loads of grip and excellent feedback about the limits of grip. Just like we found while on the circuit, there’s no other EV that feels like this on the road. Dynamically, the car’s hard to fault, and it’s absolutely more capable than the Ioniq 5 N.
Perhaps the feel of the brakes isn’t as nice as some other performance cars out there, but that’s clutching at straws. One thing’s for sure: there’s no noticeable shift from regenerative to friction braking, a trademark of other Hyundai Group EVs.
Verdict
Photos Brad Anderson/Carscoops
Car manufacturers have struggled to develop and build EVs that tug at the heartstrings of driving enthusiasts. In general, these cars lack soul and passion, often devoid of any personality at all. That’s not the case with Hyundai, and there’s a good reason why Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and others have all benchmarked the Ioniq 5 N.
The Ioniq 6 N is the culmination of everything Hyundai’s N division has been developing since its establishment more than a decade ago. It’s expensive for a Hyundai, but it’s cheap compared to a Porsche Taycan or an Audi RS e-tron GT, and delivers thrills that neither of those two can. As we enter a world where performance-focused EVs will become increasingly common, it’s nice to know Hyundai is keeping the preferences of car enthusiasts at the top of its agenda.
