SPEAKER 1: Two things that EVs and SUVs have in common-- both so hot right now. But that means that, for those who want to go electric but stay out of the utility game, have really been starved of options. The Tesla Model 3 has ruled the electric sedan market since its debut in 2017, and deservingly so. But dare we say that the Model 3 has gotten a bit stale? It's probably time for a new challenger to arrive, something with a completely different approach. Something that will challenge the Tesla and force it to finally innovate. Something like this. This is the Hyundai Ioniq 6, and it's the Korean automaker's first crack at an electric sedan, and the first real challenger to the Tesla Model 3. Now, some might point to the Polestar 2, but that hasn't really sold in enough numbers to give the Tesla any trouble. But this Hyundai, we think it might have a shot. There is a precedent for Hyundai making viable Tesla challengers. The Model Y enjoyed a similarly dynastic reign over its segment, until the Ioniq 5 came around and took the top spot in our SUV EV rankings-- rankings that you can see by clicking on the link, somewhere over here. The Ioniq 6's range, performance, and features, all at a similar price point to the Model 3, make this a meaty comparison. So can the upstart Hyundai pull another upset? Let's find out. Like most of Hyundai and Kia other electric vehicles, the Ioniq 6 also rides on the same E-GMP platform, and it shares this with the Ioniq 5 SUV that we've liked so much. That means that these two vehicles share a lot of the same components. They have roughly the same powertrain, battery, and general layout. But the Ioniq 6 does a few things differently with its interior that make it look and feel different, and we'll get more into those changes later. But it also drives very differently, thanks to this change in form factor from an SUV to a sedan. We're right now in the most powerful Ioniq 6 model. It's a limited, dual-motor, all-wheel drive. And its dual electric motors pump out 320 horsepower and 446 pounds feet of torque. Sitting underneath me, a 77.4 kilowatt hour battery pack that powers the whole thing. Out here on the streets, this setup gives you plenty of power for day-to-day driving and it's enough to even let you have some fun in the process. The interesting thing about the Ioniq 6 is that, even though it's a sedan versus an SUV, it only actually sits about half an inch lower than the Ioniq 5. So you might think that the two don't really drive all that differently. But in practice, this feels like a completely different vehicle. Somehow, it has both better ride quality and more sharpness to it than the Ioniq 5, a vehicle that is more fun around our test track and on a windy road than you might think. This thing just feels super planted, all the time. Hyundai did something really well with the spring raise and the suspension that makes this vehicle feel lively underneath you, without ever feeling like if you drive over a pothole or a broken road like it's going to shake any of your teeth out. More on that later, as well. The steering feel does trend a little bit towards numb, but the wheel does have nice weight to it and it feels precise. This big battery that I'm sitting on top of, again, drops the center of gravity of this vehicle so low, so that it has really good handling chops. On windy roads that I've tested it on, really enjoyable vehicle to drive. Almost kind of like a sports car feel to it. If it had a little bit more steering feel, this thing would really be a superstar on the streets. Hyundai allows you to choose between a few different drive modes. You can switch between using this little toggle here on the steering wheel. And these paddle shifters, instead of changing gears, allow you to change the region. In its most aggressive region setting, you do get one-pedal driving. But there's also this Auto Region Mode that allows you to do a little bit more coasting at highway speeds, and that actually ends up being the most efficient. The brake blend on this vehicle is pretty good. The transitions between regenerative and physical brakes is pretty seamless. And under hard braking, the nose stays pretty composed and it goes in a straight line, giving you confidence. To make things easier on the driver, adaptive cruise control with Lane Keep comes standard on all models. And on the top two trim levels, you actually get what's called Highway Drive Assist, too. And that system does a better job of centering the vehicle in the lane, and even does automatic lane changes, when conditions allow. It's a system that's really easy to use, and most of it goes on in the background, so when you're using it, it actually does help reduce driver fatigue, because you don't feel like you're babysitting it all the time. All in all, we've come away impressed with the Ioniq 6's driving experience and how easy it is to use it, safety aids. Now we're in the Model 3, and the first thing that you notice about this vehicle is that it is quick, quick. And we're not even in the performance version. I'm in a dual-motor, long range right now, because that's the most analogous vehicle to the Hyundai that we're testing on both price and power. But we should note that this Model 3 does have about 40 more horsepower than the Ioniq does. Like the other Tesla vehicles, this Model 3 loves to send you all of its power, all at once. It really has that head-snapping acceleration from a stop that I personally don't really find all that useful or enjoy, but it does make for a great party trick if you have a friend in the car. Just make sure that you warn them to put their head back first, so that they don't snap it back when you hit the go pedal. The steering feel is adjustable in this car. There's three different settings, actually. And Sport is kind of the best one for driving the road, but it doesn't actually bring down that weight, so then at low speeds, it becomes really cumbersome. The best one is probably the Standard mode to set and forget. But this is not a great handling vehicle. If you turn it in sharply, there's a bit too much body roll, and the suspension doesn't seem to control the vehicle's weight all that well, so you end up really pushing all of that weight on the outside tire, and then you get a lot of tire noise. It's just really not an enjoyable vehicle to drive quickly, unless you're doing it in a straight line and trying to go real fast, all at once-- very good at that. Fun fact, we used to have a Model 3 in the Edmunds long-term test fleet, and it was a 2017 model from when this vehicle actually debuted. And our biggest complaint about it then was the ride quality. Fast forward to the present day, and that complaint still exists. Especially driving this back-to-back with the Ioniq 6, you notice that it's just a lot busier on the road. You really feel all the different sort of seams and bumps. And the car never really seems to settle down, even on very smooth highways that have been recently paved. It's kind of like a kid that had a little bit too much candy and it just can't sit still at any point. I should mention that this Model 3 comes on the smaller wheels and has the larger tires. So this is actually the best riding Model 3 that I've ever tested. Every other one that I've driven has the bigger performance wheels. But even though it's better here, it's still nowhere near good. The Model 3 does also come with adaptive cruise control standard, which works pretty seamlessly, as it does in the Hyundai. But if you want the more advanced safety features, it's going to cost you. You're going to have to either upgrade to the Enhanced Autopilot package or the Full Self Driving package. And that's an options box that we really don't think you should check. More on that later. Driving these two back-to-back, the Ioniq 6 definitely wins, when it comes to comfort and tranquility in the cabin. The difference between these two is pretty much night and day. Speaking of night and day, the exterior styling philosophies for these two cars could not be any more different. For the Tesla, it has these smooth kind of curves and body lines that let your eye flow from front to back without stopping. And its shape has become so ubiquitous around Southern California that driving one renders you practically anonymous. The Model 3 would be a great car to rob a bank with because you could get away quickly and then blend in with a silently roaming herd. But in the Ioniq 6, you'll enjoy no such invisibility. This design is a true head turner, with details up and down the vehicle that cause you to stop and look at it. I would say that I got just as many stares driving this thing around as I have any kind of exotic supercar. Now the Ioniq 6 continues the retrofuturistic theme started in the Ioniq 5, but with a much crazier shape. As we go from the front to the back of the Ioniq 6, you can see that the roofline really tapers off sharply. And this isn't just for looks. It also gives the Ioniq 6 a very low coefficient of drag of just 0.22, and that edges out the Model 3. These pixel details in the back really stand out, especially at night. Hyundai says that there are actually over 700 pixel details on this vehicle, inside and out, though I haven't counted myself because nobody's asked me to yet. Whether or not you like this eye-catching styling is a matter of personal taste. But what can't be argued is that the Ioniq 6's shape does come at a cost, and that cost is cargo room. The Ioniq 6 only has 11.2 cubic feet of cargo space in its trunk. And for some perspective, your run-of-the-mill Honda Civic has up to 14.8 cubic feet. So very down on cargo room by the numbers, especially when we compare it to the Model 3. The Model 3 has 19.8 cubic feet of cargo room on the spec sheet. Though when I look at it, it doesn't really seem 80% larger than the Hyundai. That's probably because it has this extra underfloor storage compartment the Hyundai doesn't have. But I have the sneaking suspicion that these two might actually be able to fit roughly the same amount of stuff behind the rear seats. So we have a little test here. I have a duffel bag, and a couple of checked bags as well. This is how they fit in the Model 3, rather easily. And we're going to see how they fit in the Hyundai. So as you can see, these three objects fit kind of just as easily in the Hyundai-- in some ways easier, because you don't even need to stand this one up-- than they do in the Model 3. One area of the Model 3 does still hold an advantage, though, is with the seats down. So drop the seats down in the Hyundai-- the pass through is kind of small. It pinches in a little bit at the trunk. But the back of the Tesla is pretty wide open with those seats down, so if you want to fit a really large object, easier to do that in the Model 3. One annoyance about the Ioniq 6 is that these little levers here that you can use to drop the seats-- even after you pull them, you're going to have to go into the interior to actually fold the seats down. Now, is that better than the Model 3 which doesn't have those? Maybe. It's just kind of annoying to think that it's going to do one thing and you still have more work left to do. And while both of these vehicles have trunks, only one of them is really usable. The Ioniq 6's sharply sloping roofline doesn't have quite as much of an impact on back seat room as you might expect. You do have to bend down a little bit to get in. But once you're back here, plenty of legroom. There's so much actual legroom. I'm about 6 feet tall. I could be I 6' 6", I could be 6' 7", and probably still be OK from a legroom perspective. Headroom, though, does start to run out a little bit. There's a cutout here, helpfully, that sort of gives me room vertically. But the side of this roof here is actually very close. So if the driver makes a sudden turn to the right, I'm going to bump into it with my head a little bit. These seats don't recline, but they sit you in a pretty good natural position, though I do wish you had more thigh support from these cushions. The floor is a little bit high, so as you can see, there's space between the bottom of my legs and the seat. So not really comfortable to sit back here for a really long time. A few more things we do like-- visible air vents for the rear seat passengers and easily accessible USB-C charge ports. And one more feature that we really like in the Ioniq 6-- there is a household plug here, so you can charge items like a laptop. Here in the back of the Model 3, its shape does allow you to get in a little bit easier, but there are some things about the Ioniq's backseat that I prefer, especially from a roominess perspective, surprisingly. There's less leg room, for sure, but you do get more headroom, thanks to this large glass roof that goes over the top of the whole vehicle. It makes the cabin feel very roomy and airy, but on a sunny day like today, it does mean that it can get quite hot here in the back seat. Just like in the Ioniq, seat cushion on the bottom here doesn't quite go high enough to support your legs. So in the same way, not really a great place to be for more than a couple of hours. And this seat doesn't recline, and sits a little bit too vertical for my taste, as well. But one thing I do like back here-- traditional air vents in a Tesla and two USB charging ports, though you don't get the same household outlet you get in the Hyundai. Just like these two vehicles have such different philosophies when it comes to their exterior styling, inside things couldn't be further apart, as well. More traditional here in the Ioniq 6, with this dual-screen setup that we're seeing pretty much in every other vehicle that's not a Tesla these days. This one to show things like your speed, safety features, and this one for the traditional multimedia uses. Inside, the pixel theme does continue. You do have to get to that 700 number somehow. So you have these pixel details here on the seats, on different parts of the dashboard, and even here on the steering wheel. These four dots actually spell out H in Morse code, in case you're wondering. They're not just random dots on the wheel. The difference between this the Ioniq 5-- you don't get a movable center console. But you still have this very nice kind of large open storage space under the tunnel here, big enough to fit like a small bag. And in here, cupholders, enough little cubbies to fit things, and of course a wireless charging pad up front. Now, you will probably need to carry a USB cable, because like every other Hyundai and Kia, no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Don't ask me why. [JAZZ MUSIC] Another thing that you're going to have to note-- you're going to have to carry a USB-A cable because the only data port is this one. There are USB-C ports spread throughout the cabin, but those are charging only. So if you want to send data, you're going to have to do it through a USB-A. And your phone actually won't charge as fast on a USB-A either, so keep that in mind. Down here, more physical controls than you're going to get the Tesla, because the Tesla doesn't really have any. So buttons for things like the maps, or the parking camera, really quickly. And the climate controls are touch sensitive here, but they are still very easy to use. One thing that's weird-- Hyundai really slimmed down the doors. And in doing so, they've removed all the controls from the doors. So all your window switches actually go here in the middle, something that might take a little while to get used to. But I think that if you own this vehicle, you'll be fine with that after a few weeks. The Ioniq 6 also comes with some comfort features that the Tesla doesn't offer, including cooled seats. Ventilated seats are a feature that Tesla only offers on the Model S and X. So if you end up in a 3 or a Y, no cooled seats for you. Although we will say this-- the overall comfort of these seats, the Tesla probably beats this by a hair. Although we do like that these headrests come forward, so you can actually lean back into it without feeling like you're staring up at the ceiling when you do. Here in the Model 3, things are going to look familiar. It hasn't really changed since the car's debut, way back when. So you're going to have a single, central screen here. I will say, when I drive the Model 3, I do miss the instrument cluster. I think that it's not terribly hard to see your speed and sort of the safety features working over here, but it's just much, much easier to have them right in front of you, and it lets you keep your eyes on the road, which is what we all want when we're driving. Traditional Tesla minimalism, as always. You don't get that large sort of lower central bin here, but you do get a pretty good sized bend down here, in addition to this storage here. So plenty of space for small items. One thing we do really like, this wireless charging pad up here-- space for two phones. Seats here a bit more comfortable than the ones in the Ioniq 6, to me. Although we will say again, we prefer the Ioniq 6's headrests that reach a little bit forward. But these do feel more supportive, and I would probably rather sit in these seats for a long trip than those in the Hyundai. In the Model 3, as with all Teslas, we sort of harp on the build quality. But it has admittedly gotten better over the years. I look around this vehicle and the panel gaps are not quite perfect all around, but it does feel much better put together than the early build Model 3's. Now the centerpiece of this interior is, of course, the screen, which you use to control just about everything. No smartphone mirroring here. But thankfully what Tesla has done with this screen, we do really like. All the menus and all of the maps and everything, everything's super snappy, very quick, responsive to touch inputs pretty much immediately. It's basically a large phone, and we mean that in a good way. The one thing I don't like, though, is these climate controls, where you sort of have to change the direction of the air vents using the screen here. It's much simpler to just have an air vent. The minimalism here doesn't quite have the intended effect. One thing that the Tesla does much better than the Hyundai-- the navigation experience, especially as it relates to chargers so in the Ioniq 6, you can search for chargers, but you can't really search for them as well on the map. If you open up the list of available charging stations, it just shows you a list. And then each individual location just shows you a little map view on the right. But here on the Tesla, it's completely different. If I want to find charging stations, all I do is hit Charging, and it shows me on this map where all the Super Chargers are around me. It's impossible to talk about EVs without talking about range and charging. And that brings us to what might be the Model 3's biggest single advantage over the Ioniq 6, and that would be nothing to do with the car itself. It's access to Tesla's Super Charger network, which sets the standard for public charging. Recently, several companies, like Ford, Chevrolet, and Rivian, announced that they will be adopting the Tesla club, and that means that their vehicles will gain access to the Super Charger network. Hyundai is also rumored to be considering this switch, but for now, if you're in the Ioniq 6, you'll be stuck using other public charging networks. And while you're on the go, those experiences can be frustrating. The good news is, with both of these vehicles, once they're plugged in, they can both charge well north of 150 kilowatts, and that's the top speed anyway for most of the public fast chargers that you'll find. Let's talk range. The Tesla has a big advantage on paper here, with an EPA estimated 358 miles, compared to just 270 for the Ioniq 6. But in our testing, the Hyundai outperformed its estimate handily, covering 303 miles on the patent pending Edmunds EV range test. When we put a Model 3 long range on our mileage loop a couple of years ago, it fell slightly short of that estimate at 345 miles. And when we retested this vehicle, this car did just about the same, notching 341 miles. Now, between these two, the Tesla does have a slightly smaller battery, so it also uses its energy more efficiently. But once you get above 300 or so miles in range, the gap to me isn't as important. Think about it. When's the last time you drove somewhere where 340 miles versus 300 miles of range would make a difference? It's likely not very often. While the Tesla might consider itself to be a luxury vehicle, and the Hyundai harbors no such aspirations, these two you line up fairly closely on price. However, when you consider all factors, there is a clear leader when it comes to value. And it's the one with the weird T the hood. Figuring out the exact cost of the Model 3 can be tricky, as the price on it tends to change. But if we were to use the most current pricing data for this Mode 3 Long Range, it would currently cost around $50,000. Our test vehicle did come without one box we would probably check, and that's for the Enhanced Autopilot package, which adds $6,000. We think that it adds enough safety features, like automatic lane changes and an automatic parking system, to justify its lofty price. But the opposite is true for the so-called Full Self Driving capability, a ridiculously expensive $15,000 option that doesn't operate as advertised. Remember, at this point, any system that calls itself self driving is lying. To find more information on advanced safety systems, check out the link in the description. With the enhanced autopilot package, the Model 3 would cost close to what our Ioniq 6 test vehicle did. But that's before you factor in the $7,500 federal tax credit the Model 3 qualifies for, that the Hyundai does not. Unless you plan on taking advantage of the leasing loophole, that is. And that gives the Tesla a price advantage that's hard to ignore. Our Ioniq 6 test vehicle was rather expensive. There's no avoiding it. It was a top, limited-trim level, with the most powerful motors and the largest battery, and it cost over $58,000. And while the limited is nice, it's not the one that we choose out of the bunch. That distinction goes to the mid-grade SEL, which to us offers greater value and even more range. Both of these companies do offer pretty robust warranties on these vehicles, but the Hyundai does offer two things that the Tesla does not-- 3 years or 36,000 miles of free maintenance, and two years of free, 30-minute fast charging sessions on the Electrify America network. So be sure to get those road trips in early. These two sedans take approaches as divergent as their styling would suggest. The Model 3's familiar formula of performance and utility is still appealing. And even though I might not like the single-screen interior philosophy, it is very well executed, especially when it comes to navigation and finding nearby charging stations. Tesla's Super Charger network, as well as the fact that it qualifies for a full, federal tax rebate are also marks in the favor of the Model 3. For the Hyundai, the Ioniq 6's driving experience is what really stands out. It's a lot of fun from behind the wheel, and better to drive than the Model 3 in pretty much every way. Inside, you'll also get a more traditional multimedia experience that some people would prefer, with smartphone mirroring. And of course, you get Hyundai's excellent warranty and two free years of public charging. That gives the Hyundai some value, as well. To see which of these sedans came out on top, we head to the famous Edmunds rating, where the Model 3 scored an 8.0, a lofty mark for the Ioniq 6 to try to beat. After going through our exhaustive testing process, the Ioniq 6 scores an 8.2 in the Edmunds rating, and that's just enough to squeeze it past the Model 3, and give the win to the Hyundai. At the end of the day, I'm just glad that the Model 3 no longer sits alone atop its perch. And while the Hyundai may not have done quite enough to unseat its rival, it's at the very least doubled the amount of viable electric sedans for consumers to buy. That makes it twice in two tries for a Hyundai, with first the Ioniq 5 and now the Ioniq 6 doing enough to unseat their Tesla rivals from the top of the Edmunds leaderboard. And with end versions of both vehicles seemingly on the way, we'll soon get a chance to see if they can add even more fun to the mix without compromise. Thanks for watching. SPEAKER 2: 491, 492, 493-- SPEAKER 3: Brian, [INAUDIBLE]. SPEAKER 2: No. No, not right now. SPEAKER 3: Maybe 30 minutes and we're done. SPEAKER 2 Mother [BLEEP]. [MUSIC PLAYING]
