2020 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid review: Practical efficiency

The Hyundai Ioniq is special in that it’s one particular of the couple of autos accessible as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or thoroughly electric powered product. Originally introduced in 2016, this year’s Ioniq has current styling and technological innovation, and starts off at $24,195 like vacation spot. It is really lots frugal, but really don’t anticipate much too numerous thrills. This is one particular hybrid that surely prioritizes financial state and comfort over any kind of fun.

For this evaluation, I have the typical Ioniq Hybrid in its selection-topping Constrained trim, which has an impressive EPA gas financial state score of 55 miles for each gallon merged. SE, SEL and a bigger-performance Blue product are also made available, the final of which ups the gas financial state score to fifty eight mpg.

The Ioniq’s styling tweaks do the job effectively, with a new mesh grille, smooth headlamps and current LED rear lights — tweaks that arrived for the 2020 product 12 months. It does not scream, “Hey, I’m a hybrid!” like a Toyota Prius, and I like that. But it even now has a little bit of design that sets it aside from a Honda Perception or Toyota Corolla Hybrid.

The Ioniq Hybrid is run by a 1.six-liter 4-cylinder motor and a 32-kilowatt electric powered motor, with a 1.six-kWh lithium-ion battery positioned less than the rear seats. Full procedure output is 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed twin-clutch automated transmission.

The superior information is that the DCT would make for a a great deal much more pleasurable driving working experience than the constantly variable transmissions uncovered in most other compact hybrids. The bad information, if you actually like driving, is that it’s also tuned for gas financial state higher than all, meaning it tends to upshift just before actually obtaining into the coronary heart of the energy band. Activity method can help items a tiny, but for individuals new to hybrids, the Ioniq’s lackluster acceleration could possibly be a offer-breaker.

On the numerous hills where by I stay in the Bay Location, the Ioniq tends to struggle in its Eco driving method. It is really usually uncertain regardless of whether to shift and help you save on gas or to keep the revs high and make it up a steep hill at a reasonable speed. In Eco method, the steering wheel-mounted paddles let me alter the regenerative braking, so at minimum I’m equipped to recuperate a large amount of strength on downhill slopes. When it’s time to dig into the mechanical brakes, on the other hand, they’re jerky and tough.

As for managing, effectively, of course, it handles. The Ioniq feels floaty over tough pavement, but if you happen to be seriously considering a compact hybrid I question its lackluster street manners will seriously be a major priority. As a substitute, you most likely treatment much more about driving aids, and to that end, ahead-collision warning, a driver notice watch, lane-holding help and high-beam help are typical, but you have to leap to the SE to get blind-location checking and to the SEL to insert adaptive cruise control. The great Freeway Drive Support, that can help drivers by combining the lane-holding tech and adaptive cruise control, is only accessible on the major Constrained trim.

A typical 8-inch touchscreen runs Hyundai’s BlueLink infotainment procedure as effectively as Apple CarPlay and Android Automobile, but my tester rocks the larger ten.two-inch screen. With this selection I can connect two phones by way of Bluetooth simultaneously, which is great if you want to have one particular man or woman connected for telephone calls and a further to participate in DJ on street visits.

General, Hyundai’s infotainment procedure is effortless to use, even though I really don’t like that I normally have to go again to the dwelling site to toggle between the indigenous procedure and Apple CarPlay. The voice control seems to be a tiny iffy, much too, never comprehension my dwelling address in Oakland, California. It attempts to send out me to Texas at one particular position, Nevada the upcoming. Wi-fi charging is accessible on upper trim amounts, as are two 12-volt stores, a USB-A port up entrance and a further one particular in the middle console.

Black is the only inside color accessible on the Hybrid Constrained, and when it’s much too dim for me, other individuals could possibly not brain so a great deal. You will find a flat-bottomed steering wheel, much too, which I guess is good? But anyway, the cabin resources are all of superior top quality considering the Ioniq’s value, and I never listen to any squeaks or rattles. Heated entrance seats are accessible starting off at the SE trim, but ventilated seats are not on the menu.

The Ioniq Hybrid has 26.five cubic feet of room in its rear hatch, handily beating out the competition’s sedan entire body styles. The Toyota Corolla’s trunk can only manage 13.1 cubes, when the Honda Perception does a little far better with 15.1. On the other hand, you may come across a little bit much more place in the Toyota Prius’ hatch: 27.4. That is for the Prius L Eco, at minimum observe that other Prius trims have a little bit fewer place (24.six cubic feet), so the Ioniq bests ’em.

Individually, I would recommend likely for the SEL trim, which comes in at $29,395 like $995 for vacation spot. There are no solutions to insert but the SEL comes with heated seats, wireless charging, adaptive cruise control and much more. It does not come with entrance and rear parking sensors, but considering my Constrained tester’s sensors are tremendous sensitive and the Ioniq is a compact motor vehicle with superior outward visibility, I really don’t think you’d seriously have to have them.

Clearly the Ioniq’s biggest competitor is the Toyota Prius, and it has one particular big edge: accessible all-wheel push. No, the AWD Prius is not rather as economical, coming in at forty nine mpg merged, but it’s a little more cost-effective than the aforementioned Ioniq SEL and really should manage a great deal far better in snowy climate. If value is your most important thought, look at the Honda Perception, which starts off at $23,925 like vacation spot, beating out the Ioniq and Toyota Corolla Hybrid by a couple of hundred bucks.

The 2020 Hyundai Ioniq hybrid is a superior alternative for people who want fantastic gas financial state at an economical value. The driving working experience may perhaps not be the most engaging, but what it lacks in involvement it much more than would make up for in performance.