Hyundai Ioniq 9 - long-term review

Recently I've been mostly… playing a supporting role in the Hyundai Ioniq 9. A crew car for the 355 by Evoluto drive in Wales, a camera rig for a clash of the lightweights shoot at Dunsfold (Ariel Atom 4RR vs Nichols N1A – the Hyundai weighs significantly more than both cars combined), and a spot in the catherine wheel of cool cars on display at TG’s most recent Bicester Motion Sunday Scramble appearance, where it played second fiddle to the Singers, Ferraris, Morgans and Porsches it was parked next to.

In other words, it’s been hanging out with some stupendously handsome and striking looking cars, which got me thinking about the 9’s design. It’s definitely not an instant jaw-dropper like the Ioniq 5, nor is it awkward and melty like the Ioniq 6, it’s sits somewhere in the middle – commendably brave and unmistakeable, a conversation starter in the pub for sure, but not something you’ll give the side eye to as you walk away.

I think part of the problem is its sheer size. Truly beautiful cars tend to have a delicacy about them, an elegance to the lines that only comes with a relatively compact form. The 9 is as delicate as using a chainsaw to cut a birthday cake – the curved front end is pretty unique, the pixelated light signature Hyundai’s favourite retro-futuristic move, but there’s just so much of it that the front becomes a bluff waterfall of green metal and black plastic.

The rear end, draped in brake lights on three sides isn’t bad and the profile with the car sitting back on its haunches, is interesting, but overall it’s not a slam dunk. Unfortunately for the 9, it’s sister car – the Kia EV9 – handles its bulk better, opting for square edges and slab sides that better suit the dimensions. And that’s a problem, because when it comes to EVs the EV9 and Ioniq 9’s price, practicality, efficiency, performance etc are all broadly similar, so customers are going to pick one (or the new kid on the block EV seven-seater, the Skoda Peaq) based on the way it looks.

As I said last time, the 9 is relentless in its pursuit of making your life easier – it swallows huge volumes of humans and things, is startlingly fast in 421bhp/4WD trim and is a supremely comfortable way of crushing distance – now a real-world 300-miles with the warm weather. But I worry its styling falls too close to divisive, so fewer customers will take the plunge and discover what a brilliant car it really is.