2017 Hyundai IONIQ – official video
In the last couple of decades there have been a lot of hybrid cars released on the market but despite that, none of them really managed to pose a problem for the Toyota Prius mostly because the Prius was cheap, well received and despite the fact it was not the most fuel efficient car on the market, it was one of the best packages money could buy. The new IONIQ should make its debut in fall 2016, as a 2017 model.
Well, there are now more manufacturers that are trying to take the Prius head on and one of them is Hyundai which planned a competitor for the car ever since the late 2014.
Under the Hood – performance
From the 2017 Hyundai IONIQ’s brochure we can see what engine the plug-in hybrid will use. This will make use of a 1.6 liter naturally aspirated Atkinson-cycle inline 4 petrol engine which Hyundai noted that it offers the best thermal efficiency on the market at 40%. This will offer up to 103 horsepower and 108 lb-ft of torque. Sandwiched between it and the gearbox, the car will also feature a 43 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque electric motor, so the total output will be around 146 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque, similar to what the Prius is offering.
Battery & Mileage
However, unlike the Prius, the Ioniq will use a 6 speed dual-clutch automatic built specifically for it, so it is expected to return well over 50 MPG on average. The plug-in hybrid will likely get a 10 kWh battery-pack that will allow it up to 30 miles of all electric range.
The normal hybrid on the other hand will get a much smaller battery that will only be good enough to store the energy from the regenerative braking system while the all electric model is likely going to receive an electric motor in the neighborhood of 150 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque which will be powered by a 40 to 50 kWh battery-pack.
Unusual Design – Interior & Exterior
On the outside, the 2017 Hyundai IONIQ seems built with a purpose and it doesn’t look like a normal car. Instead, Hyundai went for the hatchback design that is very similar to the wedge-shaped Prius. The back is taller and offers a large glass to allow good visibility while in the front, the car is boasting Hyundai’s usual design scheme with the large front grille, slim and elongated headlights as well as a low bumper which should improve its drag coefficient.
A sedan is unlikely to be offered in the near future but it could be released as a model of the Elantra at some point in its life.
Inside view
The interior of the car seems to be quite impressive for its price range and from what we can tell, the car will feature a lot of equipment as well. Hyundai said that despite the fact they are using ecological materials inside the cabin, they tried to offer a warm interior with a more premium feel than its competitors. The car also gets a multifunctional steering wheel, a touch-screen on the center console, blue accents around the air-vents as well as very nice looking seats.
2017 Hyundai IONIQ Price & Release date
This new model will be the 2017 Hyundai IONIQ which has already been showcased in South Korea in a couple of brochures, so we know most of what will power the car as well as how it will look. However, there are still a few details still unknown which we hope will surface in the near future.
The car has been set to release in the late 2016 and it will go on the market shortly after that as a 2017 model. Unlike any other car before it, the Ioniq will be offered in a hybrid form, a plug-in hybrid as well as a full-electric car, thus offering a version for pretty much all current “eco” markets.
The major competitors are Honda Insight and Toyota Prius.
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