Hyundai IONIQ EV Series II 2020 Car Review

The IONIQ EV Series II has now arrived with some improvements on both styling and performance.

The IONIQ EV Series II models available in New Zealand are the entry level IONIQ Electric Entry and the IONIQ Electric Elite. We were invited by Hyundai to review their IONIQ Electric Entry model.

Familiar Exterior

The exterior is still like the model before it and shares some styling similarities with the Toyota Prius. It looks very sleek indeed.

The IONIQ Electric Entry model features a metallic silver-grey grille insert, which is etched with diamond-shaped motifs.  To the side of the grill badge there are now two motorised air vents that have been introduced to the otherwise closed satin grey grille for added cooling to the motor when it’s required. The EV exterior styling also flows down to the new turbine-inspired 16-inch alloy wheel design.

There are some snappy colours available across the IONIQ EV Series II range – Polar White, Intense Blue, Typhoon Silver, Iron Grey, Fiery Red and Phantom Black (if you want to go super stealth in this quiet EV).

Comfort and Convenience

The interior is a comfortable place to be and the seats are finished in a durable-feeling cloth material that feels very modern, much like the outside. Dotted around the cabin are small futuristic touches, such as ambient lighting that gives a soft glow beneath the air conditioning unit and above the glovebox.

There’s also a new set of controls for the climate control which utilises capacitive touch buttons in place of physical buttons. When you combine this with the button controlled transmission, it gives a clean appearance and makes the car feel nice and simple to use.

The IONIQ Electric Entry model is fitted with an updated tablet mounted 8” touchscreen audio system which also features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus a six speaker system. If you want something fancier then you’d need to opt for the Elite model, which comes with an all-new 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system with Sat Nav.

The IONIQ Elite model continues to offer an Infinity eight-speaker premium audio system as standard, but it’s sad to see the omission of an AUX input.

More Power to the people

The Hyundai IONIQ EV Series II Electric Entry model utilises an upsized 38.3kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion polymer battery, which replaces the 28kWh air-cooled battery of the earlier model. The new high-energy density battery delivers improved performance.

The introduction of the water cooling system allows for better temperature control and improved long-term durability. The battery is also backed by a generous warranty too - Hyundai NZ offers a 10-year/160,000km cover for the high-voltage battery.

With this increased battery capacity, the new IONIQ Electric Entry model has been able to achieve a real-world, all-electric range of up to 311km (up from 204km) when tested to WLTP standards, which is fantastic to see.

With a peak torque of 295Nm being available at nearly all engine speeds, it gives the Hyundai IONIQ EV Series II Electric models a nimble feeling. Unsurprisingly, it’s by no means a performance car, but will keep most daily commuters happy with its brisk acceleration.

The new IONIQ EV benefits from an Australian-specific chassis tune, developed over thousands of kilometres of driving on a variety of Australian road surfaces. Obviously there are differences between New Zealand roads and those across the ditch, but there are some similarities, especially on chip course roads, on which the IONIQ EV felt at home.

Taking Charge

With a bigger battery capacity, naturally, charge times have increased. At a commercial 100kW DC fast charging station, the IONIQ EV can be charged from empty to 80 percent in as little as 54 minutes, or 57 minutes when connected to a 50kW fast charging station. With only three minutes difference, most commercial charging stations will have you on your way within an hour.

The capacity of the on-board AC charger has been bumped up to 7.2kW, which allows a recharge in just 6 hours 5 minutes when connected to a charging station of equal or higher capacity. With the installation of a personal charging station you’ll be able to achieve a full overnight charge at home.

If you’re really stuck, the standard In-Cable Control Box (ICCB) in the boot of every IONIQ Electric model allows the battery to be charged via any household 240V AC outlet. However, it will take 17 hours 30 minutes to reach full charge when plugged in.

Verdict

If you are looking for a new, comfortable, practical and reliable EV for commuting, then this should be on your list (although there aren’t a vast array of competitors).

Although in the last couple of years the IONIQ has fallen behind its larger sibling – the Hyundai Kona - in terms of range, the updated IONIQ EV Series II is certainly far more attractive (both inside and out) than it was before.

The IONIQ Electric Entry model starts at $65,990 (+ORC), which is much more affordable than most other EVs. Any potential buyers will need to balance cost, range and reliability when deciding whether to buy or not.

Safety systems

• ABS braking with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)
• Brake Assist System (BAS)
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA)
• Smart Cruise Control (SCC)
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
• Front/rear parking sensors
• LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs)
• Driver Attention Warning (DAW)

Find out more on how the AA can help you when buying a new car:

• AA Money - aa.co.nz/money
• AA Insurance - aa.co.nz/insurance
• AA Car Reviews - aa.co.nz/car-reviews
• AA Running Cost Reports - aa.co.nz/runningcosts

AA Advice - We've got this!