[SEOUL] I never really considered moving to South Korea until I sat in one of the Hyundai Ioniq 9’s seats with the “dynamic body care” system. It vibrates, it kneads, it soothes and yes, I can confirm Hyundai’s claim that it gets the blood flowing (though I hesitate to say where). Sadly, the company’s new flagship electric SUV only offers this indulgence in its home market for now, so if you’re hankering for a rolling spa experience, you’ll need a plane ticket to Seoul.
Singapore should see the Ioniq 9 by the end of 2025, but it’s too early to say which versions we’ll get. There are plenty to choose from: six and seven-seater layouts, middle-row swivel seats that turn the cabin into a boardroom on wheels, plus a variety of drivetrain configurations.
Every Ioniq 9 packs a colossal 110.3 kilowatt hour (kWh) battery for proper long-haul ability, but you can have yours as a Long Range rear-wheel drive (RWD) (218 horsepower, 350 Newton-metres at the rear), Long Range all-wheel drive (AWD) (313 hp, 605 Nm sent to all four wheels from two motors) or the Performance AWD I drove (435 hp, 700 Nm). The Performance model will punch you to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, which feels like an act of mischief in something this size.
In photos, the Ioniq 9 looks about the size of a small apartment block, but it’s less intimidating in reality, and its smooth lines reduce the visual bulk. Hyundai has gone all-in on sculpting it for aerodynamics, resulting in the slipperiest SUV it’s ever made.
LED pixels decorate both ends of the car, a signature styling move by Hyundai that immediately marks it as an Ioniq. Pixel lights even outline the top of the tailgate, presumably so passing aircraft can avoid it at night. Or maybe not, because at 1.79 metres tall, the Ioniq 9 won’t even bump its head against most car park ceilings here.
In fact, despite its bulk the Ioniq 9 is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre, even in South Korea’s worst rush-hour traffic. The controls are light, and you sit high enough for a majestic view of traffic. The suspension set up is definitely on the soft side, but the handling isn’t sloppy, with little body roll through corners.
Still, it’s better enjoyed as a cruiser, especially since Hyundai has worked hard to keep it quiet. The doors have triple seals, the acoustic glass dampens sound, and it even has active noise-cancelling speakers, along with foam-filled tyres – a trick I first saw Rolls-Royce use for its Phantom.
The profound silence only enhances the lounge-on-wheels feel. The cabin is vast with a clean, Zen-like design, and major functions still get physical buttons, which is something to be thankful for in an age of touchscreen overload. Meanwhile, the Level 2 autonomy system takes over throttle and braking smoothly, needing only the lightest of touches on the wheel so you can sit back, relax and let the car do most of the heavy lifting. Mile-munching has never felt so effortless.
Hyundai has been thoughtful about packaging, too. The third row is actually usable, with enough space for two adults, though because the seats are right over the rear axle, every ridge and bump will make itself known.
Even with all seats up, the boot is a massive 620 litres, expanding to 1,323 litres when you fold the third row. Handy buttons in the boot (or even the touchscreen) make dropping them a breeze, too. Then there’s the frunk, which offers 88 litres if you have a RWD version (dropping to 52 litres if your Ioniq 9 also has a front motor).
I can see why Hyundai wanted the press to drive it from Seoul to Busan and back, given all that room, plus the deep well of juice for the open road. The Long Range RWD model manages 620 km (WLTP), while even the Performance AWD offers 600 km despite its brawnier setup. The 800-volt system means charging it from 10 to 80 per cent takes just 24 minutes if you can find a 350 kW charger.
USB-C ports are everywhere, and run off the main battery, meaning they can dish out 100 watts, enough to charge a laptop and stave off road trip boredom. The centre console (which Hyundai filled with snacks for us) is a clever touch, sliding along the flat floor so it can be accessed from both the front and middle rows. The dashboard even has a UV-C steriliser for disinfecting your phone, wallet or whatever else you fancy zapping.
In fact, it’s hard to think of what the Ioniq 9 doesn’t have. That’s just as well, because I would guesstimate the starting price at roughly S$370,000 at today’s COE premiums. And therein lies Hyundai’s biggest challenge: no Korean car at that sort of money has ever sold well in Singapore.
Yet, the Ioniq range has already broken new ground for Hyundai in the electric-vehicle world, so maybe the Ioniq 9 will bash its way into proper premium territory in a similar way. It’s as stately and comfortable as a Range Rover, after all, but far more sustainable and half as pricey. It would really sweeten things if Hyundai threw in those massage seats, though.
Electric Hyundai Ioniq 9 Performance AWD
Motor Power/Torque 436 hp/700 Nm
Battery Type/Net Capacity Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt/110.3 kWh
Charging Time/Type 11 hours (11 kW AC, estimated), 24 minutes 10 to 80 per cent (350 kW DC)
Range 600 km (WLTP)
0-100 km/h 5.2 seconds
Top Speed 200 km/h
Efficiency To be confirmed
Agent Komoco Motors
Price To be confirmed
Available End 2025
Article credit:"Source:[The Business Times] © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction”.
Photo credit for article "Hyundai Ioniq Concept Three: An electric hot hatch with ‘medicinal’ qualities" - HYUNDAI MOTOR
Read the full article here: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/hyundai-ioniq-9-review-long-range-rover
