Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in review

The Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid is a cheap-to-run small family car that comes with a good amount of equipment as standard yet costs less to buy than the likes of the Kia Niro Plug-in and Toyota Prius Plug-in.

Like the Toyota Prius, the Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in comes with a rounded front end and a sloping roofline which makes it look much more futuristic than most small family hatchbacks. You also get some large fan-like alloy wheels and a smattering of bright blue trims on the bumpers.

You’ll find plenty more blue highlights in the Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in’s cabin, too – most obviously on the steering wheel, around the start button and circling the air vents. You’ll also notice the Hyundai’s slick digital driver’s display which is much more befitting of its high-tech underpinnings than a conventional analogue speedometer.

There’s also an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard which, unlike the standard Hyundai Ioniq, comes with built-in satellite navigation and smartphone mirroring across the range.

The Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in doesn’t just come with lots of equipment, it’s reasonably roomy, too. There isn’t quite as much space in its boot as in the standard Ioniq – after all, it’s bigger batteries had to go somewhere – but there’s ample space for tall adults in the front and you get plenty of seat-adjustment to help you get comfy. Tall passengers will be more comfortable in the back of a Kia Niro, but there’s plenty of space for three kids in the Hyundai.

The Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in takes the standard Ioniq and makes it even more at home in the city by adding bigger batteries and the ability to travel around 30 miles in electric-only mode.

Hyundai claims The Ioniq Plug-in is slightly more economical than the Kia Niro but you’ll struggle to get anywhere near its claimed 257mpg figure. With its batteries fully charged
(which takes just over two hours from a dedicated wall-mounted charger) you’ll be able to drive in electric-only mode for around 30 miles, after which the Ioniq Plug-in’s 1.6-litre petrol takes over and returns around 70mpg in normal driving conditions.

The Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in doesn’t feel particularly nippy, however, and its engine can drone noisily when you accelerate hard to join a motorway or overtake slow-moving traffic. It’s still quieter than a Toyota Prius, though and its suspension does a pretty good job ironing out bumps and potholes around town.

You also get a range of driver assistance systems including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and, in Premium SE cars, blind-spot detection to help make the Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in stress-free to drive for long periods.

Having said that, a conventional diesel-powered car will be cheaper to buy and almost as economical on long motorway journeys. If, however, you spend most of your time driving in town, the Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in is well worth a look.