Hyundai aims for Range Rover with 385-mile Ioniq 9 luxury SUV

Loasby even went so far as to suggest there is potential for the Ioniq 9 to make a dent in the full-bore luxury segment. When asked if he expects even Range Rover owners to be tempted into making the switch, he said: “Absolutely. I could see a big band of people being tempted, and I can see a band of people saying absolutely not, as well. That’s okay.”

Full UK specifications remain to be disclosed, but the entry-level car is tipped to start in the low-£60,000s with the top-spec Performance model nudging £75,000 - comfortably outpricing the Santa Fe to make it the most expensive Hyundai yet.

Hyundai Ioniq 9 powertrains

The Ioniq 9 will be available from launch with three choices of powertrain. The 215bhp, rear-driven Long-Range car is the most efficient and claims the headline 385-mile projected maximum range figure, while the 308bhp dual-motor car returns 320 miles per charge and the top-rung AWD Performance model, with 429bhp, manages 311 miles. They get from 0-62mph in 9.4, 6.7 and 5.2sec respectively, and top out at 124mph.

As with Ioniqs 5 and 6, the large new SUV is in line for a hot N variant.

Each variant is equipped with an 800V, 110.3kWh (usable capacity) battery, which is the largest fitted to any EV on sale in the UK, edging those of even the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Rolls-Royce Spectre. It’s rated to charge at speeds of up to 350kW, though as with other E-GMP-based EVs currently on sale, Hyundai suggests the real-world maximum will be closer to 220-230kW.

The battery can also be used to charge external devices with the 230V vehicle-to-load function, and Hyundai has made some subtle improvements to “address common EV customer concerns”, such as improving the consistency of the battery’s performance, providing more detailed energy usage information and enhancing the inbuilt EV route planner.

Other important upgrades for the Ioniq 9 are the introduction of a higher gear ratio at the rear for increased torque at lower speeds, and a two-stage power inverter that is said to improve efficiency.

Hyundai Ioniq 9 design

Hyundai refers to the Ioniq 9 as an ‘aerosthetic lounge’, coining a phrase that reflects the design team’s simultaneous focus on desirability, aerodynamic efficiency and interior refinement.

In keeping with Hyundai’s ‘chess piece’ approach to differentiating each of its models, it is only subtly visually related to its electric range-mates - chiefly through the liberal use of ‘parametric’ pixel lighting designs, which frame the tailgate and wrap around the front end - though as full-width headlights are banned in the UK, cars in this country will have two separate headlight clusters.

Loasby says its “Teutonic” silhouette (influenced, as it was, by aircraft fuselages) is “not typical for an SUV”, acknowledging the similarities with traditional estate car designs - chiefly in the bluff rear end and relatively flat roof and window line.

Impressively for a car of this size and shape, the Ioniq 9 touts a drag coefficient of as little as 0.259 - far more slippery than its Kia and Volvo rivals and on a par with even some low-slung saloons. The rounded front end, minimalist surfacing and various air-channelling design elements are key contributors, but Hyundai highlights the Ioniq 9’s unusual tapered ‘boat-tail’ rear end as a defining design characteristic.

The Ioniq 9 also has a dual-motion active air flap in its undertray to manage air passing underneath – a first for Hyundai – along with new wind-cheating wheel designs and ‘hidden’ antennae to minimise obstructions.

The overhangs are minimised and the A-pillars are placed as far forward as possible for maximum cabin space in all dimensions, resulting in a 3130mm wheelbase that outstrips the Land Rover Defender 110.

Hyundai Ioniq 9 interior

Available either with seven seats or a pair of swivelling middle-row armchairs in the VIP-focused six-seater, the Ioniq 9’s cabin aims to serve as what Loasby calls a “natural lounge” - “a furnished, relaxed, caring space”, majoring on airiness and functionality.

It has the longest wheelbase of any Hyundai yet, at 3130mm, allowing it to offer highly competitive levels of leg room in all three rows – Hyundai quotes up to 2050mm for the second and third rows combined – and for the optional middle-row armchairs to fully recline.

The cockpit is familiar from the other Ioniq models, with a one-piece panoramic curved panel mounted atop the dashboard for the driver display and infotainment screens, but a healthy smattering of physical buttons and switches left in place for key controls.

The Ioniq 9’s centre console – dubbed ‘Universal Island 2.0’ – has a ‘hidden’ 12.6-litre storage cubby underneath the 5.6-litre top tray, and the whole unit slides back and forth to free up space in the front of the cabin and give rear passengers easier access.

Out back, the Ioniq 9 touts up to 1323 litres of boot space with the third row folded flat – 200 litres more than a Land Rover Discovery – and 620 litres with seats up. In addition, it has one of the largest ‘frunks’ of any EV in the UK, with up to 88 litres of space beneath the bonnet (52 in the AWD car).

Hyundai Ioniq 9 chassis

The Ioniq 9 has been tuned for an optimum blend of long-distance refinement and smooth, predictable handling, claims Hyundai, emphasising the lengths to which its engineers have gone to minimise weight, and touting the dynamic benefits of full torque vectoring and a new suspension system that has been “designed specifically for EVs and SUVs”.

The Ioniq 9 has multi-link suspension at each end, self-levelling twin-valve dampers to keep the body flat in corners and hydro-bushing components to reduce vibration on the move. It does not have rear steering like some other cars of this size but is expected to match the EV9’s 12.4-metre turning circle, which is only slightly wider than that of the much smaller Hyundai Tucson.

With sound-absorbing foam in the tyres, acoustic glass, reinforcement of key structures and an active sound control system that can “isolate noise at the source”, Hyundai says the Ioniq 9 has NVH levels in keeping with its premium billing - and in line with some bona fide luxury cars.

Q&A: Simon Loasby, head of Hyundai Design Centre

Is it fair to interpret some estate influence in the Ioniq 9’s design?

“I don’t mind if people say that, because the bandwidth for what is an SUV is so wide - from big and boxy to almost a sporty coupé. So for us, there’s amazing scope for not putting people off in terms of scale, and to be attractive and approachable, and not disturb people with something that’s too big, too bold and too in your face.”

What’s changed in the three years since you revealed the Seven concept?

“What concerns me is that your choice – whether you choose an EV, a hybrid or an ICE car – seems to have become so politicised, which disturbs me because there will be a time when there’s no more oil, and getting into the mindset of an alternative possibility is important. It’s just right or wrong for some people - it’s not something to be aggressive about.”

Your ‘chess piece’ approach to design ensures all models look different, but is there a risk people won’t associate the Ioniq 9 with the 5 and 6?

“There is an obvious risk, but it’s a risk we’re prepared to take because we feel customer mindsets are so different in different segments that we can be celebrated for being Hyundai for different people and their needs.”