mmarshall

A Review of the all-new 2017 Hyundai Ioniq

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/ioniq-hybrid/index.aspx


https://www.hyundaiusa.com/ioniq-electric/index.aspx


(Full-electric version only available in California)

IN A NUTSHELL: Ala Kia Niro, a Toyota Prius that doesn't look or feel like one.

CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Kia Niro, Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet Bolt, Ford C-Max, Ford Focus Electric, Honda Fit EV, Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen E-Golf

















OVERVIEW:

Ever since the success of the original Hybrid gas / electric 2000 Toyota Prius in the American market (the smaller 2-seat Honda Insight Hybrid actually preceded it by several months, but was not successful), the pressure to convert the auto industry to alternative-fuel sources has been relentless...but not always constant. The Prius, over the years, has been an enormous hit with the Hollywood/celebrity-set, college professors, schoolteachers, environmentalists, and (let's face it)......with a lot of people who simply don't like cars, period, but sometimes have to drive further than is practical to wear out their legs and feet on bicycle, or put up with the noise of motorbikes. Though its sales have lessened somewhat lately, due to cheaper gas and the ever-increasing strength of SUVs (and Hybrid SUVs), the Prius has remained extremely popular....this, despite often-controversial body / styling, quirky interiors / controls, and unconventional driving characteristics / road manners. Styling, of course, is subjective, so I won't get into it to deeply here, excerpt to say that I'm not a fan of it, especially on the last two generations of the Prius.

Any car as successful as the Prius, of course, is bound to spawn some competitors. And, sure to form, as the number of Prius models themselves have multiplied into several different versions of both regular and long-range (Plug-in) models, so have the competitors from other companies also done so, both hybrid and full-electric, though, to date, an all-electric Prius still has not been introduced into the American market. And, with the introduction of the Kia Niro less than a year ago, the Koreans are now getting into the act with this type of vehicle. I did a review on the Niro some time ago, so I won't re-hash it much here. But now, Hyundai's version (done on the same platform) is also being introduced in the U.S....the Ioniq. Like the Niro, the Ioniq is styled far more conventionally than the Prius, inside and out....so, also like the Niro, previous owners of popular compacts like the Toyota Corolla and Chevy Cruze will feel more at home.

The Hybrid Ioniq, for the American market, comes in three basic versions......Blue ($22,200), SEL ($23,950), and Limited ($27,500). Full-Electric versions ($29,500 for the Base, and $32,500 for the Limited) are currently offered only in California, and, of course, I could not check them out or test-drive them here in the D.C. area. Legislation in California, of course, has long-favored electric and other alternate-fuel vehicles, and the state, unlike most others, has a well-developed grid/infrastructure for them. All Hybrid versions of the Ioniq are FWD, and use a 1.6L in-line gas-engine four of 104 HP / 109 ft-lbs. of torque, a permanent-magnet electric-drive motor of 43 HP / 25 ft-lbs. of torque (total system 139 HP), a 6-speed dual-clutch Shiftronic automatic transmission, and a Lithium-Ion polymer battery-pack. Full-Electric versions, likewise with FWD, use a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor of 118 HP / 218 ft-lbs. of torque and the Lithium-Ion battery-pack.

For the static-review, as usual, I checked out several versions of the Ioniq's interior and trim. For the test-drive, since the full-electric version is only available in California, it was obviously, here in the D.C. area, a choice of one of the gas/electric hybrid versions. I chose an 2017 SEL version with minimal options that listed for almost exactly $25,000....the 2018 models had not arrived at the dealership yet, but no major changes are planned for them.


MODEL REVIEWED: 2017 Hyundai Ioniq SEL

BASE PRICE: $23,950


OPTIONS: None

ACCESSORIES:

Bumper Applique: $70

Wheel Locks: $55

Cargo Net $50

DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $885 (not bad, but a little high for this size vehicle)

LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $25,010


DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted 1.6L in-line gasoline 4, 104 HP @ 5700 RPM, Torque 109 Ft-lbs. @ 4000 RPM, 43 HP Permanent-Magnet electric -drive motor, Torque 125 ft-lbs., Total System 139 HP, 6-speed Shiftronic dual-clutch automatic transmission.

EPA MILEAGE RATINGS:

Blue: 57 City, 59 Highway, 58 Combined

SEL / Limited: 55 City, 54 Highway, 55 Combined

EXTERIOR COLOR: Black Noir Pearl

INTERIOR: Black Cloth



PLUSSES:


Phenominal (by American standards) EPA gas mileage ratings.

Butter-smooth, seamless drive train.

Relatively simple-layout interior controls.

Superb interior and exterior hardware.

A solid, quality feel to most of the structure.

Solid materials inside and out.

Excellent-quality paint jobs.

Excellent Hyundai/Kia 10/100 Drivetrain and 5/60 Bumper-to-Bumper warranties.

Lifetime warranties (from the factory) on Hybrid and Electric-drive batteries.



MINUSES:


Road noise on coarse surfaces.

Somewhat unresponsive handling by today's standards.

Sardine-can underhood layout.

Overly-firm seat padding typical of smaller Hyundai/Kia products. .

Rather dull-looking interior trim.

Manual hood prop-rod (though there isn't much you can actually DO under the hood).

Fix-a-Flat tire-inflator.

Cargo cover not available on most versions.

Only five available exterior paint colors.



EXTERIOR:

Although the Ioniq and its Kia Niro stablemate are done on the same platform (see my earlier review of the Niro), and are roughly the same size, sharing a 5-door hatchback design, the Ioniq is substantially different from the Niro both in general looks and overall styling theme. Where the Niro is more aggressive and sport-oriented in its styling, sporting a classic Kia Tiger-grille, the Ioniq is more laid-back and conventional, with an Audi-type grille and less-aggressive body lines overall. Both the Niro and Ioniq, of course, are substantially different in styling (in two different ways) from the market-leader Toyota Prius, whose styling, IMO, can best be compared to a Halloween mask. Like I said above, though, styling is subjective, and those are simply my impressions.....yours, of course, will be up to you.

As with most modern Hyundai/Kia products, very solid-feeling sheet metal and hardware is used (these vehicles really give you good value for your money in that department). In general, most new Kias, especially the smaller ones, feel even more solid than their Hyundai stablemates, but the Ioniq seems to be an exception. Almost everything on the outside of the Ioniq feels vault-solid, as does the loud but precise thunk you get when closing the doors and rear hatch. It does inside, too...but we'll get to that in a couple of minutes. Although the paint job is very well-done in its overall quality, a weak point is having only five colors to choose from....Black, white, gray, silver, and bright blue. At least all of the five colors are available in all three trim lines....some vehicles restrict lower-trim paint colors. The only thing on the exterior that I thought looked cheap (though it doesn't feel cheap) is the imitation brushed-metal look to the outside door handles that is used instead of the more-common black, body-color, or polished-chrome. But, overall, the exterior feels (almost) like it is carved out of granite.


UNDERHOOD:

Open the solid-feeling hood, and a nice but rather small underhood insulation-pad lies underneath. You must fumble with a manual prop-rod to hold it up, instead of nicer struts or springs. As with most smaller vehicles, it is fairly easy to reach and check fluids/dipsticks.reservoirs, but will be quite difficult, if not impossible, for most Do-it-Yourselfers to get much, if anything else, accomplished under the hood. The sideways (transversely)-mounted gas-engine four and the Hybrid electric-drive motor are both crammed in in quite tightly, the large black plastic engine cover covers most of the top-engine components, and there is little if any room to reach components down the sides. What little room the two engines, underhood, don't take up is pretty much taken up by other components. So, needless to say, almost everything under the hood will probably be best left to a Hybrid-qualified Hyundai or ASE-rated Technician.


INTERIOR:

Although the Ioniq and Niro look quite different on the outside in spite of sharing a common platform, inside, things are a little more in harmony between the two of them. The Niro has a distinct Audi-influence to the dash (perhaps not surprising since Kia's Lead Designer, Peter Schreyer, originally came from Audi), while the Ioniq is a little more traditional Korean in its look....both, of course, are far more conventional inside than the Prius. The Ioniq's interior, even in top-line Limited trim, is also a little less-ornate inside than the Niro's generally busier look. As with the exterior, both use excellent hardware and switches inside, and the Ioniq's control-layout is generally simple and easy to use. The interior comes in a choice of Black or Black/Beige two-tone. I'd pick the two-tone, hands down, as, IMO, it makes the interior much less boring to look at than the standard black....again, as with the exterior, both interior choices seem to come with all three of the trim levels. Lower-line Blue and SEL trim levels come with cloth seats; Limiteds come with leather....yes, true leather, not imitation leatherette. Both the cloth and leather felt of high quality and well-constructed. As with many lower-line Kia and Hyundai products, I found the front seats a little too firmly-padded for my tastes, but the general shape and outline of the seats fit my large frame and torso quite comfortably. Overhead, the sun visors were large, thick, and solid, but made out of hard plastic. I also didn't care for the subdued, semi-gloss brushed-metal look of the interior door handles.....the same finish as that used on the exterior handles. Hyundai puts that semi-gloss door-handle look on a number of its products, not just the Ioniq. Headroom, up front, was OK for tall people my size (6' 2"), helped somewhat by a scallopped-out ceiling, but just barely adequate in back, with the somewhat sloping rear roofline. Legroom in back is about what is expected from a sedan/hatchback this size....for tall people, it's best to have the front seats moved up a little, especially when getting in and out. The droop-rear roofline does impact entry/exit a little for tall people, but not as bad as on some other smaller vehicles I've seen....and even on some not-so-small ones. The instrument display, in front of the steering wheel, is your typical Hybrid electronic analog/digital back-lit cluster in several different colors, with a circular speedometer and bar-graph hybrid-gauges for the different drive-modes and battery charge-levels. The stereo sound quality, overall, was not one of the better ones I've tried, but not bad for the price or this vehicle class.



CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:

Open the rear hatch-lid (like the doors and hood, it has an extremely solid feel) and considering the slanted roofline and the space that the under-floor hybrid batteries take up, the cargo area is reasonably roomy, but not particularly well-finished. The 60/40 rear seats, of course, fold down to expand cargo space. A cargo net, cargo cover, and all-weather cargo tray are available as stand-alone accessories...my test-car lacked the cover. There is a thin fabric/carpeting on the center of the floor, and a non-carpeted surface on the walls and side of the floor. Under the trunk floor lies a tire-inflation kit (Fix-a-Flat)...there is no spare tire at all, although the car itself, unlike the Hankook or Kumho tires found on most smaller Korean-badged vehicles, comes with Michelin Energy Eco low-rolling resistance tires that are designed more for fuel-economy than for comfort or handling (more on that below).


ON THE ROAD:

Turn the ignition on with a push-button, and the hybrid drivetrain comes to life, lighting up the colorful analog/digital/electronic display in the gauge-panel. Unlike the quirky E-shifter in the Toyota Prius, the Ioniq uses a more traditional console-mounted lever with a conventional feel...fore and aft for the general gears, and back and to the left for automatic Sport (S) mode, and bump-up/down (+/-) for manual shifts. There is an Economy (Eco) drive-mode, which lights up with green lights, for even better gas economy, if one is willing to give up some acceleration. The drivetrain, of course, as with most hybrids, runs on either full-electric, full-gasoline, or a combination of the two as the computer determines from driving conditions, engine-load, coolant temperature, and battery-charge level. At low speeds in the Electric mode, it is, of course, almost dead quiet....you can faintly hear the gas engine engage when needed, but it is virtually seamless, and there are no noticeable bumps or surges. This is, of course, not a car for power-freaks, and the acceleration, even in the Sport drive mode, won't push you back in your seat, but there is adequate power for most normal driving situations unless the car is heavily loaded.

The Michelin Energy tires certainly do their share in the fuel-saving department (as noted by the EPA ratings for this car)..but, otherwise, lack a little in road manners. The rather hard rubber compound needed for low rolling-resistance and good gas mileage, along with less-than-ideal sound insulation from the open back end of the car, transmits road noise, especially on coarsely-paved surfaces. Some of that noise could probably be muted by the $150 cargo-cover option, which helps seal off the open cargo area (I'd say buy it...not only for noise-suppression, but for cargo security as well). Smooth, non-porous pavement also lowers the noise level some, but this is clearly not a luxury car on the road. In addition, the 36 PSI recommendation in the tires produces a rather firm (but not harsh) ride over most surfaces. It was a cold, blustery, windy day on the morning of the test-drive, with temperatures around freezing (not very comfortable outside), but the cabin-heating system worked well, and the crosswinds were not too intrusive in pushing the car off its tracking. Steering response is a little on the slow side compared to most sedans of this size, but still reasonably responsive. Body roll on cornering is low, as the suspension, along with the tires, is reasonably firm. Wind noise, unlike road noise, is quite well-muted....probably a result of the excellent materials and quality-control used in the vehicle's assembly. The regenerative brakes are quite unlike the touchy, overly-sensitive pedal found in many hybrid regenerative systems...in the Ioniq, the pedal actually has just a touch of softness/sponginess in the initial feel, then responding more or less normally. I didn't have any noticeable problems with my big size-15 clown-shoe in going from the gas to brake, or the shoe catching on the rim of the brake pedal.


THE VERDICT:

Folks, I'm not necessarily anti-Toyota (I try to be objective in my reviews)...but to he honest, I'd take this car, or its Kia Niro corporate brother (which I've also reviewed) over a Toyota Prius in a second, hands-down. It's (IMO) more sensibly-styled, built more solidly, uses better materials inside and out, drives as well or better (except for road noise), has just a seamless a hybrid power-train, has better-designed controls/switches, and seats that, though firmly-padded, are just as comfortable or better. Yes, the Prius has a solid reliability record, low depreciation, a long record of achievements in the past in the art of engineering hybrid drivetrains, and a long history of some parts of our society going Ga-Ga over it. In short, it is the cult-car of environmentalists...perhaps the ultimate anti-enthusiast vehicle. But, IMO,the Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro, today, produce what I consider to be a better, more practical, competition that has the added bonus of a solid thunk every time you shut the door and a solid, satisfying feel to its hardware and controls. And Hyundai and Kia give you a 10/100 warranty on the drivetrain (lifetime on the hybrid battery) and 5/60 on the rest of the car.....something the Prius lacks. No, the Ioniq is not a luxury vehicle (and I think its Kia Niro brother actually has a better interior)....but, if I were in the market for this class and type of vehicle, I certainly know where my money would go.

And, as always......Happy car-shopping.

MM

mmarshall

Sorry, folks.....as usual, it took a few extra minutes to get the images loaded up separately. CL's system of loading them can be quirky if you try to do it all at once.

Toys4RJill

Sounds like you are anti-Toyota. But, nonetheless a good write up. It will be interesting to see if Hyundai can get people to pay Toyota prices which I have said before usually hover $2000 to $3000 more than a comparable GM, Ford or in this case Hyundai product. Also hard to believe there really is a lifetime warranty on certain larts of the car. The idea of styling is probably not quirky enough, this needs to stand out in the crowd to gather attention.

mmarshall

Thanks. I have a lot of respect for Toyota....but I just think that, in general, right now, Hyundai and Kia are building better cars for the money. There's no denying the reliability of Toyota drivetrains (which, in some ways, are the best), but when one looks at the whole vehicle, the Koreans, IMO, seem to be using better materials inside and out. That is a firm conviction I have, based on what I have seen numerous times in the last several years....not just some fly-by-night statement I put down on paper just to start an argument or controversy. Overall, IMO, Kia is doing a better job than Hyundai in that department...but the Ioniq, one of the exceptions, seems just as solid as the Kia Niro.

And, not to get off-topic, but I took another look at the Genesis G90 while I was there (that Hyundai shop handles both the G80 and G90)...and the materials/workmanship in the G90 will blow you away. It runs 70K, though.....almost twice what I paid for my Lacrosse, and clearly more than what I felt I should spend.


Right now, they probably don't need to. They are currently producing a credible product, at a credible price, which is one of the things that makes them appealing.

Well, here it is, in black and white, from Hyundai itself, on its U.S.-market website...Lifetime Hybrid-battery warranty for the original owner. Of course, that may or may not apply in Canada, where you are, as Hyundai's warranty is not necessarily the same there as in the U.S.

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/assurance...arranty.aspx#8

That's one of the things that, IMO, makes this car appealing.....Prius gas mileage without the Prius quirkiness. Of course, the Prius has always had (and continues to have) an excellent hybrid drivetrain....Toyota is arguably the leader in that category, but the Koreans are rapidly catching up.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

nice job. nice car. great for city commuting but with room for stuff.

mmarshall

Thanks. Certainly not as plush to sit in or nice a vehicle on the road to drive as your Grand Cherokee, but well-built, and it sure will stretch those gas-dollars.

Fizzboy7

Nice review on a solid offering. This would certainly be at the top of my hybrid shopping list. All-around good marks and far better styling than the Prius. Everytime I see a new Prius, I still ask myself how the owner could get past the bonsai, cartoon styling.

mmarshall

Thanks.

I agree it's a better overall choice than the Prius. But one must not forget (as I tried to state in the review) that the Prius, despite its weaknesses in the styling/execution and interior-hardware department, still has several attractions. Its drivetrain is advanced, reliable, well-proven, and it still is the classic Poster-Child for many environmentalists, commuters, and for those who can't ride bicycles in bad weather LOL. I suspect, though, that at least some of those potential Prius customers who actually take the time to go to a Hyundai or Kia showroom and check out the competition will change their mind.

RA051724

Sorry, this post got a little long.... feel free to ignore it!

About 3 years ago, I had a Kia Sportage. Attractive styling, and very reasonably priced. Test drive felt great, so I took the bait....

I soon found out that it had all the gimmicks to make you feel you pulled a fast one on the Japanese lineup of cars/suvs. Gradually, I began to realize tiny little things that forced me to the conclusion that Kia was not yet a "refined" auto manufacturer.
For example.... no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get a smooth gear shift (I have driven manuals all my life) - came to realize that the clutch released too high up in the pedal range, and the engagement zone was too short - I never had a hope of getting a smooth shift!

There was nowhere to rest my right knee while operating the accelerator, so it would get fatigued quite quickly.

Can't remember how often I would hit my left knee trying to get out of the drivers seat!

Gear shifts were "liquidy", not "snick-snick" - quite often I would be "fishing" for the right position!

The cabin was eerily quiet (it felt fully insulated from the outside world) except for reverberations that came through as the tires went over each crack in the road - if you can imagine a head cold feeling? Soon, my ears began to rebel against the bass notes and the insulated feeling. There was little feedback from the outside.

Although I didn't actually measure this, but I'm convinced the right side controls on the steering column (as opposed to the left side) were further away from your hands in the driving position! Thats sorta like having uneven sizes of stairs in a staircase!

So.....its those little things that add up to defining the word "refinement" that Hyundai and Kia have not yet figured out...... perhaps they have in the last 3 years, or perhaps they will eventually.

Last but not least, they haven't yet found their "original identity" because they seem to copy from various manufacturers. I still see too much of other cars in their body styles. Like they say, copying is a good way to learn, but pretty soon you need to look like you have established an identity.

All my own opinions of course, I'm sure many will disagree. But I thought I should share why I think Hyundai and Kia have not yet "arrived" - that isn't to say they won't though!

PS: JD Powers 2017 dependability ratings do not include even one Hyundai or Kia..... that's pretty telling. Again, this isn't to say they won't get there.....I'm just trying to make a point that they haven't got there yet!

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

AWD4Mo - good feedback. do you still have the sportage and if not, what did you get instead?

mmarshall

In general, for reliability ratings, Consumer Reports is more accurate than Power. Their latest Reliability-by-Brands list has Kia at #3.....right behind Toyota and Lexus (though the Sportage is listed as the least-reliable Kia). Hyundai is a little further down the list, at #10, but still not bad.

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-...they-stack-up/

Fizzboy7

I hear what you are saying about the Toyota reliability. But as time goes on, I believe this advantage is starting to fade. Most of today's car engines are becoming more reliable, especially the hybrids. At least with Kia/Hyundai, they have a good track record of reliability in the mechanical department. Toyota will learn it can no longer rely on reliability as a selling point. People are catching on to other brand's offerings and NOT getting dinged for poor reliability. This has been the case for some time now, and will continue to expand and become more of a problem for Toyota. It will expand even quicker as Toyota releases silly bodies like the Prius, where car people (people who care about the look of what they drive) will be offended, move on elsewhere to get the same thing, but in a better-looking package.

Toys4RJill

Question for you? If people are catching on, and Toyota cannot just rely on reliability, why then is the average selling prices of Toyota (and Honda) cars and most trucks and SUVs $2000-$3000 higher on average than Hyundai and almost all American cars that are comparable? Why is Toyota and Hondas resale values considerably higher than Hyundai and almost American cars?

For the record, I don't think Hyundai sales are doing very well. Toyota also often sells their cars for more money although they often have less tech.

Fizzboy7

I don't see the trends you listed happening here in Los Angeles. Hyundais and Kias sell extremely well here, along with their Toyota and Honda counterparts. As far as transaction prices, I cannot comment on that with any certainty. I do know however, that Hyundai has always undercut prices since their beginning. Perhaps that trend never faded away. But I don't see them as the bargain they once were. Again, I speak for Los Angeles. All this could be different in other regions of the US.
Lastly, I don't think one can base a car's success simply by looking at their transaction prices. A company may have their own unique way of producing or selling a product at a lower cost, then passing those savings on to the consumer.

RA051724

Here's the thing.....Consumer Reports rely mainly on customers opinions on quality and reliability. We humans are rather unreliable.....if we like something we overpraise it; if we don't like it, we go overboard and make it a demon! Besides, it takes a big person to admit they made the wrong choice, so its easier on the ego to lie about it!!. So I'd rather go with the hard data, collected through mandatory reporting of breakdowns and such. JD Power and Associates are the standard-bearer for brand quality reporting, at least currently. Maybe consumer reports will catch them at some point.