Our opinion on the Hyundai Ioniq 9
The Ioniq 9 gets most of the premium electric SUV character traits right, with a long list of kit, plush seats and plenty of passenger space. Top-spec Calligraphy trim doesn’t quite hit the mark, courtesy of an overly firm ride that takes the edge off a package that should be all about comfort, but there’s no issue with the quality inside, which arguably matches premium brand Genesis in places. The tech is user-friendly, albeit with a few irritations, and there are plenty of practical touches, too. However, there are less expensive electric SUVs on the market that deliver even higher quality at a more competitive price.
About the Hyundai Ioniq 9
The pursuit of premium is something that even the most mainstream manufacturers are engaged in these days, and the Hyundai Ioniq 9 aims to deliver the ultimate in luxury as the company’s new flagship electric SUV. It’s a seven-seater as standard, or a spacious six-seater as an option, with a big battery for a long driving range. Hyundai has piled on the standard kit to make occupants feel pampered and relaxed on every journey.
If the concept of a large Korean electric luxury SUV sounds familiar, it’s a template that has already been followed by the Kia EV9. The Ioniq 9 uses the same E-GMP platform as that car, as well as Hyundai’s other electric Ioniq models. But while the EV9 has a hard-edged element to its design, the Ioniq 9 is more sculpted, courtesy of Hyundai’s ‘Aerosthetic’ design concept.
At five metres long it’s still a vast SUV, but the rounded nose, tapering window line and narrow glass area over blistered wheelarches mean that the Ioniq 9 carries a distinctive look when compared with Kia’s biggest model. These features are combined with aerodynamic tweaks that help the Ioniq 9 return a drag coefficient of 0.259Cd when digital door mirrors are fitted (it’s 0.269Cd with standard glass mirrors). As with Hyundai’s other Ioniq models, the 9 doesn’t follow a set template, so it looks unique when compared with the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, although the pixel-style lighting front and rear does offer a connection between all three models.
There are Premium, Ultimate and Calligraphy trim levels to choose from in the Ioniq 9 line-up, while all cars bar the Premium version feature four-wheel drive from a twin-motor set-up. Seven seats is the standard configuration, but the top-spec Calligraphy can be upgraded to six premium captain’s chairs with a sliding and rotating second row for £1,000 extra.
We’ve tried the Ioniq 9 in both its rear- and four-wheel drive versions, including our long-range EV towing test to find out how much towing a large caravan impacted overall range. We’ve also twin-tested the Ioniq 9 against the Peugeot E-5008 since both are premium electric seven-seaters. The large battery capacity and generous levels of space were all praised, but the superior value of the E-5008 won out in the end.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 prices and latest deals
Since it’s the flagship of the Hyundai range, the Ioniq 9 comes with a flagship price tag. The Premium model starts around £65,000, with the rest of the range priced from £73,000 to nearly £80,000. That’s a lot of cash, although through the Auto Express Buy A Car service, you can get behind the wheel for less than £600
