HYUNDAI IONIQ, KEEPING UP WITH THE LEADERS IN HYBRID

Hyundai is challenging for leadership among alternative fuel vehicles .

Bumper2Bumpertv reports that their lead offering in the segment is the Ioniq which comes with three different drive train options

LIKE OTHER CAR MAKERS HYUNDAI EASED INTO THE HYBRID VEHICLE SEGMENT WITH PROVEN MID SIZE SEDANS AT FIRST.

BUT A FEW YEARS AGO, THE BRAND WENT ALL IN WITH THE IONIQ, A PURPOSELY DESIGNED AND CREATED HYBRID.

(NAT SOT) THE 2020 MODEL TAKES WHAT HAS BEEN PROVEN TO WORK AND ADDS SOME EXTRAS AS WE LEARNED IN A WEEK OF SEAT TIME.

THE TEST VEHICLE WAS THE TOP TRIM LEVEL LIMITED AND WE WERE IMPRESSED WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE DASHBOARD.

THE FIXED DISPLAY SCREEN ALLOWS A DRIVER TO GLANCE AT IT WITHOUT HAVING TO DIVERT TOO MUCH ATTENTION FROM THE ROAD.

THAT SCREEN IS BIG ENOUGH TO DISPLAY INFOTAINMENT DATA AS WELL AS THE MULTIPLE APPS WHICH ARE BUILT IN AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT.

SINCE THIS IS THE TOP OF THE LINE MODEL, WE WERE NOT SURPRISED TO FIND IT COMES WITH QI WIRELESS CHARGING.WE ALSO NOTED THAT INTERIOR FIT AND FINISH IS AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT IN THIS SEDAN WHICH IS CLASSIFIED AS A LARGE CAR DUE TO A SPACIOUS INTERIOR, AT LEAST IN THE FRONT SEAT.

BUT THE REAR SEAT IS SOMEWHAT OF A DISSAPPOINTMENT.

While riding in this care in the front seat is wonderful.

It is A great experience!

Getting in the back can be somewhat of a challenge.

As for the middle seat I don’t recommend putting anybody back here.THE TRADE OFF IN TERMS OF PASSENGER SPACE IS A DECENT SIZED CARGO HOLD WITH 26.5 CUBIC FEET OF SPACE.IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY THE IONIQ COMES WITH A FULL SUITE OF DRIVER ASSIST SYSTEMS INLCUDING SMART STOP AND GO THAT IS PART OF THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM.

IT FIGURES OUT WHEN TO SLOW AND RESUME SPEED DEPENDING ON CONDITIONS.

OTHER FEATURES WE LIKE INCLUDE A SYSTEM TO KEEP THE 12 VOLT BATTERY FULLY CHARGED WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON.

THAT COMES IN HANDY TO TURN OVER THE 1.6 LITER GAS DIRECT INJECTION FOUR CYLINDER ENGINE.

ALONG WITH A 32 KILLOWAT ELECTRIC MOTOR IT DELIVERS A COMBINED OUTPUT OF 139 HORSEPOWER.WITH A FULL TANK OF FUEL, WE FOUND THAT A TRIP OF MORE THAN 450 MILES IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.HYUNDAI ALSO SEPARATES ITSELF FROM OTHER HYBRIDS WITH A SIX SPEED DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION IN THE IONIQ INSTEAD OF A CVT.

THE LIMITED WE DROVE CAME WITH 17 INCH WHEELS AND ALL-SEASON TIRES.HYUNDAI IS COMMITTING TO A NUMBER OF ECO FRIENDLY VEHICLES IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND THE IONIQ MAY BE THE TEMPLATE FOR WHAT IS COMING.I’M GREG MORRISON.