Mat Watson reviews the new Hyundai Ioniq 9: five things I love about this car, plus five things I don’t…

Hyundai used to be seen as a budget-friendly alternative to Japanese and European brands. Rewind 20 years and its best-selling car in Europe was the rather dreary Getz hatchback, but since then the brand has pushed upmarket with cars like the Tucson SUV.

It’s not been afraid to make some bold design decisions either, just look at the Ioniq 5. It looks like nothing else on the road, and this theme continues with the new Ioniq 9. Unlike most flagship models, this isn’t a conventional SUV or a luxury saloon, it’s a practical family car with up to seven seats.

I’ve thoroughly reviewed the new Ioniq 9, which you can check out in the video below. I was seriously impressed by its cavernous practicality, premium-feeling interior and comfy, relaxing driving experience, and there were a few other standout features I noticed during my time with the car.

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Here are five cool things about the new Hyundai Ioniq 9.

1. It’s super-practical

This is one of the most spacious electric SUVs you can buy. You get limo levels of legroom in the middle row, and there’s even plenty of space in the rearmost seats. Fitting a child seat is a breeze as well thanks to the wide rear door openings, and there are four ISOFIX anchor points to choose from.

2. Plenty of power

And I’m not talking about the electric motors, although they are very powerful. I’m talking about the fact you can use the Ioniq 9 to power lots of different things. There’s a 240-volt socket in the boot, which I used to charge up my Citroen Ami Buggy, and the USB-C points in the front can deliver up to 100 watts. That’s enough to charge laptops on the go.

3. Time for a nap

The front seats have a special “Waiting to charge” feature. You push a button on the side and the seat slides back and reclines, the steering wheel moves up and out of the way and a little leg rest extends as well. This is ideal for kicking back and relaxing as you wait at a charging point.

4. Great visibility

Despite being a very large car, the Ioniq 9 is easy to drive around town. The windows are massive and there are plenty of cameras and sensors to help you out. Plus, if you have a car full of people blocking your view out of the rear window, there’s a camera which feeds an image to the rear-view mirror so you can see out.

5. This electric car can tow

If you’re after an EV for towing, look no further than the Ioniq 9. It can pull up to 2,500kg, which is as much as any other electric car on sale. The only other cars which can tow the same amount are the mechanically-similar Kia EV9 and the BMW iX.

Five annoying things about the Hyundai Ioniq 9

No car is perfect though, here are five things I didn’t like about the new Hyundai Ioniq 9.

1. Pedestrian warning

Being such a high-tech car, you’d think Hyundai would find a better way to warn pedestrians that you’re reversing. The Ioniq 9 has one speaker at the front which emits a soft noise as you creep forward, but instead of installing another one at the rear it just gets louder when you put the car in reverse.

2. Things are heating up

The Ioniq 9 has a handy wireless charging pad in the centre console, and it charges pretty quickly, but unlike a lot of cars there are no cooling vents built into it. This means your phone can get quite hot after a while.

3. Digital door mirrors

Replacing the traditional door mirrors with cameras is an option which will cost you £1,000, and here’s why you shouldn’t bother.

For one, you don’t get the same depth perception from a camera as you do from a mirror, making it tricky to judge how close something is. You also can’t angle them downwards when parking to see your rear wheel, and they’ll cost a fortune to replace if they get knocked off.

4. Longer isn’t always better

That’s right, I said it. Too much length can make things unwieldy, and this is the case with the Ioniq 9. It’s over five metres long, and the turning circle is 12.5 metres, over a metre wider than a Peugeot E-5008. The visibility may be great, but the actual maneuverability less so. In other markets you can get the Ioniq 9 with rear-wheel steering which would make the turning circle tighter, but you can’t get it in the UK. Thanks Hyundai.

5. No front ISOFIX

It may be handy having four ISOFIX anchors in this car, but I’d like to have one on the front seat. If you like to keep an eye on your baby in the car, it’s much easier when they’re next to you.

New Hyundai Ioniq 9: My final verdict

So then, what’s my final verdict on the Hyundai Ioniq 9? Well I reckon if you‘re after a large, family-friendly electric SUV then you should shortlist the Ioniq 9. It’s insanely spacious, packed with tech and comfy to drive.

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