Month: September 2019

What is it?

The Ioniq is key to Hyundai’s electrification offensive. It was the first car to go on sale in the UK with a choice of all-electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains in 2016 at a time when most manufacturers were still dabbling in electrified R&D.

However, with a number of rivals hitting dealer forecourts over the next 12 months, the all-electric version was due a refresh. With prices starting in the £30,000 ballpark, it will hope these enhancements and its extra practicality will make it appealing against the likes of the Honda e and Mini Electric, which have really been causing a buzz ahead of their imminent launches.

What’s new?

Perhaps the most significant improvement, given the advancement in battery technology in the past three years, is the fact Hyundai has upped the battery size to offer more range. This could be a real selling point against rivals that’ll need a trip to a charge point while the Ioniq motors on. Considering range is typically an EV buyer’s biggest concern, focusing development here should be a shrewd move.

Elsewhere, the South Korean firm is keen to push its new connectivity services, fronted by an app called Bluelink that lets you interact with the car from your phone, a suite of active safety systems and driver aids, and aesthetic upgrades inside and out.

What’s under the bonnet?

The all-electric powertrain is comprised of an electric motor making 134bhp and 295Nm of torque, and a 38.3kWh battery. The latter is the key news here, because it means the Ioniq Electric’s battery capacity is 36 per cent up on before, offering an impressive 193-mile range.

The new on-board charger runs at 7.2kW, up from the old 6.6kW unit, which means charge times are reduced. However, the battery is rated to accept up to 100kW, so if you find yourself at a fast-charging station Hyundai reckons it can be topped up to 80 per cent of charge within an hour.

What’s it like to drive?

Electric vehicles might have made headlines with the likes of Tesla because of their lightning-fast acceleration, but the Ioniq is rather more sedate. It’s been tuned to offer a decent surge without pinning you to your seat, making it ideal for relaxing inner-city commutes. That said, there’s enough poke to make you wonder why you didn’t switch from underpowered petrol cars long ago.

The wheel-mounted paddles let you choose how much regenerative braking you’d like. Go for full whack, and you rarely need to touch the brakes around town, which is easy to get used to and works with the silent progress to make everyday driving more relaxing.

Perhaps the only downside is that there is a noticeable and mildly annoying whirr from the motor, though it’s not too intrusive and easy to tune out after a while.

How does it look?

Styling-wise, the Ioniq is quite a unique prospect – it looks rather awkward from the rear yet handsome from the front, but importantly individual enough that you’ll never mistake it for anything else. And in an age of shared parts and platforms, that’s certainly welcome.

This latest model has received a number of aesthetic changes to keep it looking fresh. There’s a new design for the closed-off grille, completely new LED daytime running lights, headlights and taillights, redesigned front and rear bumpers, and redesigned 16-inch alloy wheels. There are also four new colours available across the Ioniq range.

What’s it like inside?

The cabin has been given a once over, too. The new 10.25-inch widescreen infotainment system dominates the dashboard, housed in a gloss black surround that morphs into the controls for the air conditioning system. Unfortunately, these are touch buttons that are difficult to use on the move, while the glossy surround will be a fingerprint magnet. The screen itself is clear and responsive, though Hyundai’s operating system continues to lag behind competitors in design and ease-of-use.

It’s more positive news elsewhere, though, with the Ioniq Electric doing a good job of elevating the interior to feel more upmarket than elsewhere in the range. There are premium-feeling materials used throughout, and while it can’t touch its new rivals for being truly premium inside, buyers prioritising range from their circa-£30k EV won’t feel like they’ve made a massive concession to cabin quality.

What’s the spec like?

There are two trim levels available for the Ioniq Electric, called Premium and Premium SE. The former starts the range at £29,450 after the government’s plug-in car grant (PICG) and comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights and LED daytime running lights, 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, and a leather steering wheel.

Opt for the higher specification Premium SE trim, starting from £31,450 after PICG, and you add chrome exterior door handles, privacy glass, leather seat upholstery, heated and ventilated seats and automatic windscreen wipers. Extra safety equipment includes blind spot detection, lane follow assist and rear cross traffic alert.

Verdict

On paper, the Hyundai Ioniq is a tempting option in the practical, mainstream electric vehicle market. Forthcoming and existing rivals in this price range might sport more upmarket interiors, but typically have much less space and, more importantly, lower range.

And in the real world it largely delivers – this all-electric model has a decent enough cabin and plenty of kit, is easy and relaxing to drive, and has enough range that most will rarely need to recharge. For those who simply can’t take the plunge into full EV ownership just yet, though, the Ioniq’s plug-in hybrid stablemate might prove its most compelling rival.

Nissan has revealed the all-new Juke, the second generation of the model that defined the crossover market.

With almost one million on the road in Europe, this new model is incredibly important for the Japanese manufacturer. It addresses two key criticisms faced by its predecessor – despite sales success, many bemoaned its oddball styling and cramped interior.

The Juke sports larger dimensions than before, while the top-mounted bubble daytime running lights and indicators have been replaced by slimline units, and the circular headlamps house full LED technology as standard.

Inside, there’s more space than before – Nissan reckons rear passengers have 5.8cm of extra knee room and 1.1cm more head room, while boot capacity is 20 per cent bigger than before at 422 litres.

There are also new soft-touch materials for the dashboard and door trims, a Bose sound system, and sport seats included as standard with optional Alcantara or leather upholstery. An eight-inch touchscreen display has integrated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the NissanConnect app lets drivers check the status of their car from their phone.

One petrol engine is offered across the Juke range. It’s a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged unit making 115bhp and can be paired with a six-speed manual transmission or seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

Prices start at £17,395 for the entry-level Visia model with the manual gearbox, with automatic cars starting at £20,395. The priciest entry point to the new range is the £25,395 Premiere Edition.

Basic safety equipment included on all trim levels includes cruise control and speed limiter, intelligent emergency braking, high beam assist and traffic sign recognition. ProPilot, Nissan’s advanced driver assistance technology, is standard on the automatic versions of the high-spec Tekna and Tekna+ grades, and can be optionally specified on automatic N-Connecta models.

First deliveries of the new Nissan Juke are scheduled to begin at the end of November.

One of the biggest events on the motoring calendar kicks off next week – the Frankfurt Motor Show. It’s often home to some of the biggest new car reveals and concepts, giving us a better idea of where the motoring world is going and the vehicles we can start getting excited for.

We’ve picked out some of the key releases that we know are due to take place — though there is always space for surprises when it comes to Frankfurt…

Alpina B3 Touring

Alpina knows a thing or two about making fast estate cars — and the B3 Touring has historically been one of its most popular offerings. Now, there’s a new one, based on the latest BMW 3 Series, promising more power and performance than ever before.

Also, because it’s an Alpina, expect subtle yet purposeful looks and (more likely than not) intricate alloy wheels.

Audi RS6 Avant

It’s the performance car we’ve been waiting for — the all-new RS6 Avant. The previous-generation RS6 proved to be a turning point for Audi, with brutal performance and rock-solid handling combining to create a car which was both practical and savagely quick.

This latest version ups the ante. There’s more power, more tech and a more aggressive look too. It’s definitely one to look out for.

BMW X6

BMW’s X6 has long been a chalk-and-cheese option in the firm’s line-up. It’s now been updated, and the big coupe-styled SUV gets new tech and a refreshed design. A special edition ‘Vantablack’ model has been created too, using ‘the darkest colour’ possible.

It’s still likely that the X6 will divide opinion, but BMW obviously believes it has its worth.

Cupra Tavascan Concept

The Tavascan Concept is the latest model to come from Cupra — the performance brand which is now very much its own thing, rather than a part of Seat. This latest car is all-electric, with motors at each axles, showing the electrification which Cupra is trying to integrate into its line-up.

There’s no indication that the Tavascan will enter production, but it definitely shows the direction that Cupra is trying to head in.

Honda e

Honda’s cutesy all-electric supermini is making yet another public appearance in nearly-but-not-quite production form. Will we finally get to see the final road-going car in Frankfurt? Probably not, but it’s sure to be about 95 per cent identical to what you see here.

We’ll likely be given an indication as to what technology the eventual road-going car will sport though, along with a more production-ready look.

Lamborghini supercar

There’s a lot of mystery surrounding Lamborghini’s big reveal in Frankfurt. So far, we’ve just had a teaser that shows a sinister silhouette of a supercar with a wild headlight design reminiscent of those on the otherworldly Terzo Millennio concept.

The clever money is on the Italian firm’s long-rumoured hybrid hypercar, but with the accounts flush following the huge success of the Urus SUV, whatever it is, it’s sure to have utterly mind-bending performance.

Land Rover Defender

The new Land Rover Defender project has been leakier than an old Defender after a particularly audacious river crossing. So far we know there will be three body styles – a short- and long-wheelbase, and a slightly longer-bodied version – with five- to eight-seat versions, and six engines including a plug-in hybrid.

So unless these facts and figures miss the mark there’s not much to learn about the Defender at Frankfurt, though we’ll get our first proper look at the car Jaguar Land Rover hope will appeal to well-to-do families as much as farmers in need of a new workhorse.

Mercedes-AMG GLB35 

AMG’s mission to increase the number of semi-fast performance cars Mercedes-Benz offers continues with this, the GLB 35. It’s easy to write this off as a mindless niche-filling exercise, but just look at it – it’s a genuinely good-looking thing.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine makes about 300bhp, which should make for brisk if not ballistic performance in a vehicle this size, and will likely make the kind of subtly fruity exhaust note we’ve come to expect from these AMG-lite models.

Mini Electric

The mainstream electric vehicle onslaught is getting into full swing, and the Mini Electric might be the car to watch. It’ll be going toe-to-toe with the Honda e, but while the Japanese firm will have to win over buyers not convinced by spending circa-£30k on a supermini, the German-British brand should have no trouble.

In fact, in August, Mini confirmed to the PA news agency that over 45,000 people had expressed an interest in buying one, with about half those coming from the UK.

Porsche Taycan

It seems like an age since Porsche first revealed plans for an all-electric sports car, but Frankfurt will see them deliver the production car at last.

The Taycan could be the first genuine ‘Tesla killer’ — boasting an impressive range that’s said to be upwards of 300 miles while delivering big on performance. Time will tell if it can take the new electric crown…

Vauxhall Corsa

The return of the Corsa marks a big moment for Vauxhall. It’s underpinned by the same platform that you’ll find under the latest Peugeot 208, as a result of the firm’s PSA ownership. It already looks to be one well-proportioned car.

There’s also going to be an all-electric version – though it’s unclear if we’ll see this at Frankfurt or not.

Volkswagen ID. 3

Said to be the third most important car in Volkswagen’s history, after the Beetle and Golf, the ID.3 could be a revolution for the new car market.

It’s not the firm’s first fully-electric vehicle, but its first real attempt at making the technology rival internal combustion-powered options. Expect to see it at the Frankfurt show, and then everywhere on UK roads soon after.

Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet

When Volkswagen first showed off the T-Roc crossover, it was in ‘Breeze’ concept form — a drop-top look at what would become a hard-top car.

Nobody was ever quite sure if a convertible version would happen — and yet, the T-Roc Cabriolet was born. It’ll be making its public debut at Frankfurt.