When we last saw the Hyundai Prophecy concept it served as a preview of what customers could expect from the second member of the Ioniq brand. Unlike the smaller 5, the 6 would be a large four-door sedan that had the Tesla Model S and others firmly in its sights. The Nostradamus-inspired moniker was supposed to make its debut Wednesday, but an ill-timed leak disrupted the timeline and forced Hyundai to unveil the sleek four-door earlier than planned. That said, the 2023 Ioniq 6 still brings a number of cool things to the table that should please consumers.
Purposeful Styling Takes Ioniq 6 To Next Level
Rounded lines and curves defined the original Prophecy concept and it’s pleasing to see that this Ioniq 6 concept continues to maintain that visual identity. The limits of production feasibility forced the car to be taller and less elegant looking than what we saw last time, but the funky cubic accents are still present as well as the nifty little spoiler that’s mounted at the rear. This concept even comes with camera side mirrors but look for the trick mirrors to only be available in certain markets with the bulk of Ioniq 6 models (especially U.S. ones) pitching them for traditional mirror assemblies.
Hyundai claims that despite the increases in width and height, the Ioniq 6 still manages to have a drag coefficient of 0.21 which was achieved with the help of not only the spoiler and other body pieces, but also the camera mirrors which further enhance the car’s already slick profile. The end result is a look that might seem awkward from some angles but is actually highly functional and this functionality will pay off in spades when the Ioniq 6 is allowed to experience real-world driving situations.
Ioniq 5 Influence Shines In Cabin
Slip inside the Ioniq 6 concept and you will be forgiven if you thought you ended up in the smaller 5 by mistake. The steering wheel and even the design for the dual front-mounted screens are shared with the Ioniq 5, however, the bigger 6 stands out thanks to higher amounts of ambient lighting as well as a fancy-looking floating center console. The four pixels on the steering wheel have lighted elements and Hyundai claims that they play a role in communicating information to the driver but for now, it’s left to our imagination what exactly the lights are trying to tell occupants and we get to wait until later to get a more concrete answer.
The rest of the interior is typical of what you expect from a four-door sedan but the way the batteries are mounted in the E-GMP platform in other Hyundai/Kia EV offerings could indicate that the flat floor will greatly enhance the amount of room that will be available to occupants. Look for the Ioniq 6 to also share other features with the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 but Hyundai’s reluctance to reveal performance, technology, and other hardware-related information muddies the performance picture a bit. That said, look for the base model to have a single motor layout with higher trim versions getting a dual-motor arrangement.
Hyundai will be revealing the final pieces of the puzzle in July when the Ioniq 6 will be making its global debut. We hope to learn more about it when that time comes especially the kind of pricing ladder that Hyundai will have for the Ioniq 6. as well as some of the optional extras and hardware that will be coming along for the ride.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.