The Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid and Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid mix the space and practicality you expect of a family hatchback with great fuel efficiency and a long list of features included as standard. And you get all that for a relatively low price.
The Ioniq was first sold new in 2016 and it’s unusual because it’s one of the few cars available with full-hybrid, plug-in hybrid or pure-electric power. There are no versions without an electric motor. Here, we’re looking at the hybrid models, which have a 1.6-litre petrol engine, plus a battery-powered electric motor. You can read more about the Hyundai Ioniq Electric here.
With the Ioniq Hybrid, you have four trim levels to choose from – SE, SE Connect, Premium and Premium SE. The Premium and Premium SE give you more features for not much more money. They’re also your only options with the Plug-in Hybrid. Early Ioniq buyers could get the limited-run 1st Edition, which was only available in 2016. Hyundai stopped building the Ioniq in 2022.
Every version of the Ioniq is generously equipped with features. They all have adaptive cruise control, two-zone climate control, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, Bluetooth, DAB radio, and electrically adjustable lumbar support on the driver’s seat. SE Connect adds sat nav; Premium gains heated front seats; and Premium SE has leather upholstery plus an electrically adjustable driver’s seat with memory function.
The Ioniq hybrids are really fuel-efficient, potentially more so than an equivalent diesel car. According to official figures, the Ioniq Hybrid can give average fuel economy of 61mpg to 78mpg, depending on the model. The Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid can give you as much as 256mpg, according to official figures, but you’re unlikely to get near that unless you keep the battery fully charged. The official battery range using electric power alone is 39 miles.
Carbon dioxide (CO2 emissions are very low – 85 g/km for the Hybrid and 26 g/km for the Plug-in Hybrid. That means annual car tax charges are low. Compared with other hybrid cars of similar size, the Ioniq is a relatively low-cost option, so it’s excellent value for money.
There’s only one other mid-size hatchback that was purpose-built for hybrid power – the Toyota Prius. There are, however, plenty of more conventional mid-size hatchbacks available with full-hybrid or plug-in hybrid power including the Toyota Auris and the Toyota Corolla, the Volkswagen Golf and the Renault Megane. Compared with those cars, the value that the Ioniq offers stands out among the crowd.
Most families of four won’t have any issues with the amount of space in the Ioniq. Room in the front is pretty generous, even if you’re more than six feet tall. Average-height adults will be comfortable in the back seats, although the sloping roof does restrict headroom. If you’re much over six feet, you might feel hemmed in.
The Ioniq Hybrid has quite a large boot by hatchback standards. Its 443-litre capacity is enough to accommodate a couple of pushchairs or large amounts of shopping. The Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid’s boot is much smaller, with a capacity of 341 litres. That’s because its bigger batteries take up some of the space. In both cases, the back seats fold down if you need more room for bigger, bulkier loads.
The Ioniq stands on its own in Hyundai’s range. That’s because it’s the only model available with both hybrid and electric power. The Ioniq is about the same size as the Hyundai i30 hatchback and it’s only a couple of inches shorter than the Tucson SUV.
Safety organisation Euro NCAP tested the Ioniq in 2016 and awarded it a full five-star safety rating. It protects passengers well in the event of a crash and has lots of helpful driver-safety features. They include automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control.
The Ioniq is available with pure electric power. The Ioniq Electric is basically the same car as the hybrid versions – the only difference is that it’s powered solely by batteries and an electric motor. The most recent version, sold new from 2019, has a range of 193 miles, according to official figures, and takes about 6.5 hours to recharge at home using an electric car charger. You can easily tell it apart from the hybrids because it has a solid, silver-coloured panel in place of the front grille.
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