First impressions on driving the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric in Ottawa
Given the mileage on its odometer (444km) and the fact that I nabbed the first open date in the test schedule, it seems like I'm the first reviewer to drive this 2017 Hyundai Ionic Electric in Ottawa.
I picked it up at Myers Hyundai in Bells Corners (a dealership soon to be moving to Farhaven, sorry, Barhaven -- I kid because I almost moved there, it's a lovely community, just not within easy walking/biking distance of downtown) and I drove it in a roundabout way home because I had to show it to some friends who were adamant about seeing it as soon as I got it.
I'll be honest, so far, I love this car.
When faced with what is, essentially, a paradigm-shift in technologies, manufacturers have to skirt the fine line between showcasing the future and remaining familiar and recognizable. Go too far down the future path and you might end up alienating the masses who aren't ready for Minority Report-level design; stuff a new technology in an already-existing package and customers might not notice or care, and early adopters won't have anything to perk their ears up and brag about.
So when I walked into the dark parking lot at Myers, clutching the charging cable kit and keys, I could not discern which of the parked cars was the Ioniq. Given that it was most likely the only one there, that places the design of the car firmly in the "keep it normal" camp. Larry David would drive one, but he wouldn't feature it on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" because it's neither dorky nor ridiculously super-modern enough. The shiny black plastic shroud that covers where the new Hyundai grill design would ordinarily be distinguishes the front of the electric model slightly from its sisters in a way that's actually reminding me of the front end of certain KIA models (a Hyundai-owned company, if you weren't aware).
I'll do a full post design critique later on, but for now, it's slightly different than the non-electric Hyundais but not something that will drop jaws in a "it's the FUTURE!" kind of way.
So, back to first impressions: it's quiet. Not deathly quiet mind you, but quiet enough to be a relief when you're used to constant engine noises. When the defroster/AC is activated, the car (both inside as well as out) almost sounds as if it's idling, but otherwise, pressing "Power" induces no additional background noise or hum. I startled a couple of pedestrians who did a double-take when it accelerated away from them at the intersection. Due to the Ioniq's extremely low center of gravity and the instant torque delivered by its electric motors, the car handles extremely well and squirts nicely off the line in a manner that feels more like it's being pulled, than the "push" you typically feel in a normal car. It's a trait most electric cars share and it takes a little getting used to (some would call it a "slightly floaty" feel) but that's just an impression, nothing really you'd pay much attention to.
The interior is quite decent. A little sparse, but the seats are very comfortable and the design, materials, and fit and finish are pleasant to touch, see, and use. I felt almost instantly comfortable with the controls.
Suspension and ride is excellent, with wonderful (if a little loud on drops at times) dampening. Control in wet turns over bumpy surfaces were well handled, and the body communicates very well at these times. For what is, essentially a sub-compact family car, it delivers much more than you'd expect.
There's a lot more to discuss, including the paddle shifters, and I'll be writing daily updates to cover all of the various factors that make this car what it is.
So far, however, I'm very impressed with the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.
I picked it up at Myers Hyundai in Bells Corners (a dealership soon to be moving to Farhaven, sorry, Barhaven -- I kid because I almost moved there, it's a lovely community, just not within easy walking/biking distance of downtown) and I drove it in a roundabout way home because I had to show it to some friends who were adamant about seeing it as soon as I got it.
I'll be honest, so far, I love this car.
When faced with what is, essentially, a paradigm-shift in technologies, manufacturers have to skirt the fine line between showcasing the future and remaining familiar and recognizable. Go too far down the future path and you might end up alienating the masses who aren't ready for Minority Report-level design; stuff a new technology in an already-existing package and customers might not notice or care, and early adopters won't have anything to perk their ears up and brag about.
I'll do a full post design critique later on, but for now, it's slightly different than the non-electric Hyundais but not something that will drop jaws in a "it's the FUTURE!" kind of way.
So, back to first impressions: it's quiet. Not deathly quiet mind you, but quiet enough to be a relief when you're used to constant engine noises. When the defroster/AC is activated, the car (both inside as well as out) almost sounds as if it's idling, but otherwise, pressing "Power" induces no additional background noise or hum. I startled a couple of pedestrians who did a double-take when it accelerated away from them at the intersection. Due to the Ioniq's extremely low center of gravity and the instant torque delivered by its electric motors, the car handles extremely well and squirts nicely off the line in a manner that feels more like it's being pulled, than the "push" you typically feel in a normal car. It's a trait most electric cars share and it takes a little getting used to (some would call it a "slightly floaty" feel) but that's just an impression, nothing really you'd pay much attention to.
The interior is quite decent. A little sparse, but the seats are very comfortable and the design, materials, and fit and finish are pleasant to touch, see, and use. I felt almost instantly comfortable with the controls.
Suspension and ride is excellent, with wonderful (if a little loud on drops at times) dampening. Control in wet turns over bumpy surfaces were well handled, and the body communicates very well at these times. For what is, essentially a sub-compact family car, it delivers much more than you'd expect.
There's a lot more to discuss, including the paddle shifters, and I'll be writing daily updates to cover all of the various factors that make this car what it is.
So far, however, I'm very impressed with the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.
How long did you have the car? Are there cars for sale or just a test drive? Was there there a charging station on site at the dealership (and if yes, which one)?
ReplyDeleteThey have press cars that media people and reviewers can book for testing. I did not see a charge station at the dealer (Myers Hyundai at Bells Corners) and the car only had about 150km charge on it when I received it.
DeleteFrom the brief discussion I had with the Sales Manager, it seems that he was as curious about the car as I was. Let's be frank about this: Hyundai is being cautious as it doesn't want a glut of inventory on hand if Canadians don't bite. They also are being a little coy on the marketing, too, if you want my opinion. This could easily be seen as a Tesla 3-lite if they position themselves properly... the fact that they ship each trim with the "cold climate" equipment standard is kind of a testament to both how seriously they take our market (Canada is a big fan of Hyundai). We'll see how it goes, I suspect that the push to sell this car will begin momentarily.
Looking forward to your full review. Please indicate with trim level this is. Not sure if I see a sunroof so it's probably the SE model with Cold Package
ReplyDeleteYep, I'd concur, although the car does have an Infinity stereo, lane collision avoidance and cross-traffic crash warning, etc. so if it is baseline, it's really, really well-optioned.
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