The new Ioniq 6 N has 601 horsepower.Emily Atkins/The Globe and Mail
In a market crowded with electric SUVs, many of which look and drive the same, Hyundai has created something certainly stands out.
Although it builds on the performance technology introduced in its stablemate Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai has infused the new Ioniq 6 N with a little extra that it says will attract a new group of buyers.
Hyundai engineers have mapped the sounds and shifting experience from the Elantra N – a gas-powered sports car – into the Ioniq 6 N, which is specifically designed for track driving. With the push of a button, the car’s e-shift and active sound programs together mimic the experience of driving a car with a transmission and an engine.
When driving an EV, performance is typically a linear pedal-to-the-metal experience of raw power and acceleration. In the 6 N, the driver chooses when to ‘shift’, hearing and feeling the result. If you downshift when the ‘revs’ are too high, it will hesitate, just as a DSG transmission would. Hit the redline and you’ll hear the ‘engine’ scream as it bounces off the rev limiter. Shift too soon and you’ll feel the power lugging as though you pulled too high a gear.
Trying this out on the Korea International Circuit F1 track in Yeongnam, South Korea, was a thrilling revelation. Never much a fan of EVs because of their clinical, cool demeanor, this one made me fall in love. It’s feisty, capable and loud, just as a proper, old-school track car should be.
The effect is astonishing and Hyundai executives are calling it a “benchmark” in the development of electric performance cars. Joon Park, vice-president of the N management group at Hyundai Motor Company and a prime mover behind the N badge, said the Ioniq 6 N is the halo car for the brand and is intended for driving fanatics.
“This is every car enthusiast’s dream,” he said. “If we can provide the dream to them, then my dream has come true.”
Hyundai’s N brand shows some serious track chops as it celebrates 10 years
The massive spoiler isn't just decorative, it's a crucial component to create downforce and improve performance.Emily Atkins/The Globe and Mail
As the company celebrates the 10th year of N performance vehicles, they plan to have seven N models on sale by 2030. This comes after the Veloster N and Kona N were discontinued, as Park explained, to free up resources to develop products they feel would sell better, such as the Elantra N and Ioniq 5 N and 6 N.
Park said there really is no direct competitor to the Ioniq N as a track-oriented compact mass-market EV. The Porsche Taycan EV has similar driving characteristics but fits squarely into the luxury category. It’s hard to picture a Porsche buyer cross-shopping a Hyundai.
Hyundai said its black surfaces were deliberately designed to reduce distractions.Courtesy of manufacturer
Although Canadian pricing has not yet been determined, Park said the strategy is to keep it as close to the Ioniq 6 as possible, which sells for about $58,000.
“I don’t want to be in a horsepower war,” he said, noting that he had the choice of a more powerful rear motor that would have bumped up the price. “Instead of increasing our price, we want to be humble, we want to be affordable, we want to be reachable. Within the power range there’s not much competition.”
How the Ioniq 6 N will sell in Canada is difficult to predict, but it will not be a volume seller. Joon said they expect it will appeal to an older and more affluent buyer similar to those who have bought the Ioniq 5 N. If that’s the case, given past sales data, it will almost certainly be a model sought after by a handful of afficionados who like the idea of an electric track car that pretends to be gas powered.
Last year Hyundai Canada sold 2,671 Ioniq 6s, 221 Ioniq 5 Ns and 629 Elantra Ns. By contrast, the company moved 19,798 regular Elantras.
In the 6 N, the driver chooses when to ‘shift’, hearing and feeling the result.Emily Atkins/The Globe and Mail
Looks
Sleek and sculpted, the Ioniq 6 N looks like the Ioniq 6 if it went to the gym. It is longer, wider, lower and more defined. It sports a big spoiler that is more than decorative; it is a critical part of the car’s aerodynamics, creating downforce that improves performance. There is no mistaking the EV’s intended role as a sport sedan.
Interior
The bucket seats and well-bolstered and keep the driver secure during spirited driving.Courtesy of manufacturer
The car’s interior is one of the most sedate and visually quiet seen in the past year. Hyundai said its black surfaces were deliberately designed to reduce distractions, allowing the driver to focus on the road or track. But, in a not-so-subtle nod to the car’s racy intentions, there is a checkered flag motif on the door sills and pedals.
It comes with firmly supportive and well-bolstered bucket seats that keep the driver secure during spirited driving.
Performance
The Ioniq 6 N stands out on the road and track. Its impressive electric power and torque combined with its specially designed suspension, chassis and aerodynamics make it incredibly quick and nimble. Hyundai engineers developed a system that keeps the battery cool during performance driving, and the car fast-charges from 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes, which means more time on track.
But what makes it truly special is the overlaid sound and shifting dynamics from the Elantra N. On the outside, the car remains a nearly silent EV. While inside, these enhancements make you forget you are driving one, evoking the feel and noise of a gas-powered track car. It’s exhilarating and at the same time liberating because you can rip up the track until the battery runs down without the nagging voice in your head reminding you how much expensive fuel you are burning with every lap.
Technology
While most of the technology development in this car is aimed at driving performance, the interface provides a great deal of information through the digital instrument cluster and touchscreen. Drivers can activate drift mode or a track manager function that overlays key performance driving data such as speed, acceleration, G-forces and lap times onto a camera recording of the drive.
Extra safety features include an automated accelerator pedal deactivation if the car’s computer detects quick acceleration when near an obstacle. The Ioniq 6 N also has Hyundai Smart Sense driver assistance tools.
Cargo
The Ioniq 6 N has a trunk and rear seats that fold down, making it at least a little bit practical. There’s plenty of room for suitcases or shopping bags for a couple.
The rear strut brace reinforces the chassis for increased performance.Courtesy of manufacturer
Tech Specs
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
- Price: To be announced
- Motor / battery: 166 kilowatt (front) plus 282 kilowatt (rear) / 84 kilowatt-hour
- Horsepower / torque (lb-ft): 601 (223 front + 378 rear) / 516
- Drive: All-wheel drive
- Power consumption / charging capacity: 18.7 kWh/100 km / 350 kilowatts
- Range: 487 kilometres (estimated WLTP)
- Curb weight: 2,180 kilograms (global spec)
- Alternatives: Porsche Taycan
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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