2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid Review

If your priority is maximum mpg, the Ioniq Blue is the clear choice. At 58 mpg combined, it beats the other Ioniq Hybrid versions by 3 mpg. But there are no options for the Blue: no heated seats, no navigation system and no advanced driver safety aids such as blind-spot monitoring. If you're willing...

The transmission and engine work harmoniously, with quick, smooth shifts and good gas pedal response. The electric motor also helps circumvent the initial vibrations some dual-clutch transmissions exhibit at low speeds. It makes good use of the power it has, even if it isn't quite enough.

The Ioniq feels good right off the line but doesn't have much roll-on punch. Highway merging requires full throttle application, which strangely feels a little slower than the Kia Niro with which it shares a powertrain. Future instrumented testing will tell.

Braking is nice and easy to modulate and seamlessly transitions from regenerative braking to hydraulic assist. We didn't have an opportunity to perform emergency stops, but stability felt good under semi-hard braking.

The Ioniq's steering is light, easy and relatively precise. Steering effort increases a marginal amount when switching to Sport mode, but not to an obvious degree.

Overall grip is modest, as expected, but Ioniq Hybrid is steady and composed around turns.

The transmission and engine work harmoniously, with quick, smooth shifts and good gas pedal response. The electric motor also helps circumvent the initial vibrations some dual-clutch transmissions exhibit at low speeds. It makes good use of the power it has, even if it isn't quite enough.

The Ioniq offers a nice level of comfort suitable for daily driving. The seats have sufficient support and padding, with powerful seat heaters that Hyundai vehicles often come with. The ride comfort is well balanced, but the amount of cabin road noise could get tiresome on a road trip.

The seats have adequate padding and are wrapped in pleasant materials, particularly the soy-based upholstery. The padding is perfectly adequate, and there's good lateral support and seat adjustment. The rear seatbacks are also comfortable, as are all armrests.

Driving over big bumps causes the Ioniq to wallow around a bit, but the ride is comfortable for most road surfaces. Small bumps are dispatched without issue, and overall there's a pretty good balance of control and compliance.

There's a moderate amount of road noise that enters the cabin from underneath the rear-passenger foot area, and it can wear you down on long drives. Otherwise, wind noise is well isolated.

Controls are straightforward and even the base model offers dual-zone automatic temp control. Heated seats come on the midtrim SEL version.

The Ioniq Hybrid's controls are easy to figure out without the owner's manual. It's also easy for drivers of all sizes to get in and out. But the Ioniq does fall behind a bit in rear-seat legroom, and its rear visibility quirks could be a problem for those who are particular to such things.

All controls are straightforward; the touchscreen menus are easy to navigate. Physical buttons for driver aids provide nice redundancy for scrolling through the settings menu. Switching on the wipers or headlights pulls up a prompt in the gauge cluster that helps find your desired settings quicker.

The doors open wide, and the Ioniq's step-in height is nice and low, especially for the front seats. The rear opening is a little smaller, but it's not that much more difficult to climb in or out of. Even less flexible drivers and passengers shouldn't have much issue climbing into the front or back.

The tilt-and-telescoping steering column offers a lot of adjustment as does the optional power driver seat. It's pretty easy to find a comfortable driving position with copious amounts of head- and legroom to suit a wide range of drivers.

There's ample space up front. We also like the abundance of rear headroom available despite the sloping rear roofline. Three adults in the back would probably be a squeeze widthwise, but two would be comfortable. Rear kneeroom is adequate but not excessive. Underseat foot space is a bit tight.

Although rear visibility isn't really hindered by the split rear window, it is a bit of an annoyance to have the view bisected, and the roof drops down just enough that you want to duck your head to get a further view of the road in back. The chunky rear roof pillars only compound this issue.

Hyundai has strategically placed the Ioniq's premium soft-touch material, which makes this hybrid feel a little more upscale than rivals. The soft leather and nice shape of the steering wheel and adequate armrest padding really elevate the rest of the cabin.

Hatchbacks are great for easy loading of luggage, and the Ioniq is a prime example. There's a lot of space in back, and the 60/40-split rear seats can be lowered to further enhance utility.

The tablet storage slot is unique, though not that useful, and it eats into the armrest storage space. The bin in front of the shifter is convenient for cellphone storage, and the door pockets will hold a 16-ounce water bottle and a few smaller items. The front cupholders have an anti-tip design.

With 26.5 cubic feet of cargo storage with all seats in place, the Ioniq Hybrid bests most of the competition in class. You can fold the 60/40-split rear seats to create a flat load floor. Additional storage is underneath the cargo area floor.

The LATCH anchors are tucked between cushions where the rear seatbacks fold down, and access is a bit difficult because of it. There's a pair of anchors per outboard rear seat and an easy access top tether on the back of each seat.

Hyundai packs a lot of tech into the Ioniq. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, a slew of advanced driver aids are available, and Blue Link is one of the more comprehensive telematics systems next to those by General Motors.

Hyundai's infotainment system is easy to use, but the graphics are beginning to look dated compared to other modern systems. The optional Infinity audio system delivers clear, crisp sound likely to please discerning audio fans.

With Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard in all trims, you likely won't need to spring for the optional navigation system. There is a wireless smartphone charging option, and Hyundai's Blue Link telematics allows you access to car functions through a mobile app.

There are a good number of optional driver aids available for the SEL and Limited trims, including adaptive cruise, blind-spot monitoring with lane change assist, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning and a rearview camera with rear cross-traffic alert.

The Ioniq's built-in voice control system isn't the quickest to respond, but screen prompts are clear and the system operates well. It's easy to find and load an address, and there are commands for phone and audio functions. You can access Siri through Apple CarPlay and Google through Android Auto.