Hyundai is going all in with its pixel theme and for its first electric three-row SUV, expectedly there are a tonne of pixels for the all-new Hyundai Ioniq 9. That aside, the large SUV carries all the signature aspects we’ve come to bank on with the brand, such as futuristic styling, affordability and generous standard kit.
The Parametric Pixel theme, as Hyundai labels it, is deployed to distinguish its EVs from the internal combustion stable mates, and the Ioniq 9 certainly gets the full treatment. Taking centre stage with the front fascia is a full light bar stretching from fender to fender while a pair of vertical LEDs are pressed into the lower bumper with a gloss black lower grille encompassing them.
At the rear, you’ll find retro hints of station wagons with vertical pixelated brake lights. Much of the concept is carried over with the side silhouette that includes a long, flowing roofline.
You can have the Ioniq 9 in either six- or seven-seater configurations. Hyundai goes on to add that the second-row captain chairs can swivel, although that’s only reserved for certain markets. There will also be optional ‘Relaxation Seats’ for the first two rows that are able to fully recline for a quick nap, presumably best for when charging.
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The cabin itself appears to be an extremely pleasant place to be in, with Hyundai calling it ‘lounge-like.’ Being fully electric, the floor is completely flat while the wheelbase is 23-cm longer than the Hyundai Palisade.
Second-row occupants will have access to the centre console as it can be opened from both ends and will slide fore and aft for easier access.
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A pair of 12-inch screens housed behind a single curved display take up much of the driver’s side of the dashboard. Pleasantly, the infotainment screen sits above actual, physical dials for the air-conditioning and infotainment volume. There will be USB-C ports for all three rows and they will be connected to the high-voltage battery.
Riding on the same E-GMP platform, much of the powertrain is shared with its Kia EV9 sibling. The launch will see a three-motor configuration before it’s joined by a Long Range RWD trim with a single 218 hp/350 Nm motor at the rear. Following that will be the Long Range AWD model that sees a 94 hp motor added to the front. Lastly, the Performance AWD variant will carry a pair of the more powerful motor, one on each end, enabling a century sprint time of 4.9 seconds.
The battery pack is larger than the EV9 at 110.3 kWh. Hyundai is hoping that will get every variant of the Ioniq 9 over 480 km of range under the EPA ratings. Even with the larger battery pack, the Ioniq 9 will be able to charge from 10 to 80 % on a 350 kW DC fast charger in 24 minutes courtesy of 800-volt architecture.
For convenience, the Ioniq 9 will have V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) functionality to power external electrical appliances. Additionally, the Ioniq 9 will support North American Charging Standard (NACS) ports in the United States, giving it access to Tesla Superchargers.
