A year after the company launched the first Ioniq EV in Malaysia, Hyundai Sime Darby Motor (HSDM) officially added a new model to its line-up with the Ioniq 6. The new model is the third fully electric offering from HSDM after the Kona Electric and Ioniq 5.
As you can tell from the images, the Ioniq 6 looked so different from the previous Hyundai EV release because it is a sedan instead of an SUV. Not only that, the new EV also comes with a sporty silhouette which is being done not just for looks but also to allow the Ioniq 6 to achieve a drag coefficient of 0.21.
Ioniq 6 Malaysia pricing, variants, warranty
HSDM has brought over two out of three main configurations for Ioniq 6 into Malaysia. One of them is the Ioniq 6 Max RWD which carries an OTR price tag of RM289,888 not inclusive of insurance.
The other option that Malaysian customers have is the Ioniq 6 Max AWD which goes for RM319,888. In terms of colourways, the EV can be obtained with either Abyss Black Pearl, Nocturne Gray Matte, and Biophillic Blue Pearl which also includes bottom cladding in Medium Silver Metallic.
There is also the Dive Blue Solid and Gravity Gold Matte that feature Black Metallic bottom cladding. In terms of interior, all Ioniq 6 for Malaysia comes in black leather.
All Ioniq 6 in Malaysia comes standard with an 8-year/160,000km warranty for the battery while the vehicle itself has a standard 2-year/50,000km warranty. For an additional RM10,000, customers can opt for the extended warranty package that increases the warranty duration to 5 years/100,000km and includes 3 years/50,000km of free service.
As part of the launch, HSDM is now offering a free 1-year subscription for Shell Recharge Gold for the first 30 owners of the Ioniq 6. This membership allows them to obtain discounts on confirmation and charging fee when they use Shell Recharge chargers throughout Malaysia which has power output as high as 180kW.
At the moment, the Ioniq 6 series is the cheapest EV that can deliver over 600km range in Malaysia. The closest you can get after the Hyundai’s offering is the Mercedes EQE350+ which has a WLTP range of up to 669km but at a much higher price of RM419,888.
Performance, range, battery, charging time
Equipped with a 77.4kWh battery pack, the Ioniq 6 Max RWD variant offers a WLTP range of 614km. The EV comes with a 168kW (228hp) electric motor with 350Nm of torque to deliver 0-100km/h sprint timing of 7.4 seconds.
On the other hand, the performance-oriented Ioniq 6 Max AWD variant features a dual-motor setup that can deliver a total output of 239kW (320hp) and 605Nm of torque. This model also has the ability to go from 0 to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds.
The Max AWD option has an identical battery capacity as per its Max RWD counterpart at 77.4kWh although its WLTP range is slightly shorter at 519km. Despite their battery capacity, power output and torque, both Ioniq 6 variants have a similar top speed of 185km/h.
Aside from the range and performance, another key highlight of the Ioniq 6 is its charging capability. With the help of its 800V architecture, the EV takes just 18 minutes to charge Ioniq 6 from 10% to 80% when using a 350kW DC fast charger.
That being said, the maximum DC power that the Ioniq 6 can actually accept is roughly about 230kW and it takes around one hour of charging time to achieve the same state of charge when using the more common 50KW DC charger. As for AC charging, the Ioniq 6 has an onboard 11kW AC charger.
The Ioniq 6 also features vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a maximum output of 3.6kW. There is even a power socket located underneath the rear passenger seat for added convenience.
Retrofuturistic design is here to stay
Hyundai called the Ioniq 6 an “Electrified Streamliner” for a good reason. As noted earlier, the sleek coupe-like design complete with flush door handles was done in the name of aerodynamics which also helps to make the EV more efficient.
As noted earlier, the Ioniq 6 has a drag coefficient of just 0.21. In fact, the Korean manufacturer claimed that the new EV is the most aerodynamic vehicle that it has ever created.
Hyundai has also implemented eye-catching retrofuturistic design elements for the Ioniq 6 in several areas of the EV. Among the most noticeable are the Parametric Pixel front and rear lights as well as the aero wheels.
The AWD advantage
Aside from having more firepower, the Ioniq 6 Max AWD has several other features that differentiate it from the RWD variant. For example, it comes with 20-inch performance alloy wheels that also have a completely different design than the 18-inch aero wheels on the RWD version.
Furthermore, the Ioniq 6 Max AWD is equipped with a sunroof. Aside from these additional features, it is actually quite hard to tell them apart.
Premium, user-centric interior
The Ioniq 6 also features two side-by-side displays that include a 12.3-inch instrument cluster alongside another 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The audio experience inside the car is delivered by an 8-speaker sound system from Bose.
As you may expect, the Ioniq 6 supports Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Unfortunately, the support is limited to just wired connection via the USB-A port that is located next to the wireless charger.
Fret not though, Ioniq 6 still has four other USB-C ports in case you need to charge your mobile device inside the EV.
Hyundai pointed out that the EV has a cocoon-shaped interior and as mentioned earlier, the interior of all Ioniq 6 in Malaysia is draped in black leather. That doesn’t mean the interior is stuck with a monotone vibe all the time since users can activate the dual-colour ambient mood lights.
Sporty and safe
Even though it may look sporty, safety is still paramount on Ioniq 6 and being a modern high-end EV, the new model certainly comes with plenty of features to protect the driver as well as passengers. For starters, there are seven airbags throughout Ioniq 6 including one in the centre to avoid the driver from having head injuries through collisions with passengers.
Hyundai SmartSense suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) provides plenty of nifty features such as the Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Forward Collision-Assist 2 (FCA 2), Blindspot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), and Rear Cross-Traffic Collission-Avoidance Assist (RCCA). In addition to that, there’s also the Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go capability alongside Surround View Monitor.
Not to forget, the SmartSense suit also comes with Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 (RSPA 2) which is designed to help owners comfortably park the Ioniq 6. By using its remote control, they can move it forward and backwards while the feature can be used in various parking setups including perpendicular, parallel, and diagonal.
It is also worth noting that all Ioniq 6 variants in Malaysia come standard with a head-up display. In addition to that, there is also the Intelligent Front-lighting System (IFS) that would adjust the car’s headlights automatically to avoid other drivers being blinded by them.
