Hyundai Ioniq goes for Toyota Prius jugular
Korean giant to significantly undercut Prius hybrid and LEAF EV with three-model Ioniq rangeHyundai is set to shake up the green car establishment in Australia with the price, safety and packaging of its upcoming Ioniq range.
A product information pamphlet distributed to Australian fleet buyers and obtained by motoring.com.au reveals Hyundai’s upscale safety and equipment strategy for the Ioniq.
It also confirms Hyundai will sell all three Ioniq variants in Australia: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric.
Select versions of the Ioniq will go on sale to fleet buyers before year’s end, before the entire range reaches public showrooms in the second quarter of 2018.
The Ioniq will be available in two trim levels - Elite and Premium - and in a boon for the car’s fleet potential, entry level variants will include automated emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind spot detection and radar cruise control as standard.
motoring.com.au has learned Ioniq will be priced from $31,000 plus on-road costs in hybrid (HEV) form, wedging it neatly between the slightly smaller Toyota Corolla Hybrid (from $27,530) and Toyota Prius ($35,690) on price. It will feature a claimed fuel rating of 3.9L/100km, using a 1.6-litre petrol engine and 27kW electric motor.
Further up the food chain, the pure electric or EV Ioniq, boasting 280km of range from an 88kW/295Nm electric motor, will be priced from about $43,000 plus on-road costs.
That will make it the cheapest electric vehicle on sale in Australia, where Nissan's LEAF last sold at $39,990 and will be replaced by an all-new model by the end of next year.
The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Ioniq will likely sit somewhere between the HEV and EV on price, offering a 63km electric range.
A Hyundai Australia spokesman said the finer details of Ioniq were yet to be worked out and declined to comment.
According to the brochure, Elite Ioniq variants will feature as standard: the aforementioned ‘SmartSense’ safety suite, seven airbags, automatic headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED tail lights, rear park assist, reversing camera, 15-inch alloys with full size spare, cloth seats, keyless entry and start, eight-inch touchscreen with sat-nav and eight-speaker audio, 4.2-inch driver instrument display and dual-zone climate control.
Ioniq Premium will feature 17-inch alloy wheels, HID headlights, electric mirrors with puddle lights, sunroof, leather upholstery, electric driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, auto-dimming rear view mirror, front parking sensors and automatic wipers.
Hyundai is intent on making a big statement with the Ioniq, irrespective of whether the Australian Government decides to promote the technology through incentives.
The Korean maker would no doubt take encouragement from the direction of state governments on a policy front, particularly Queensland and South Australia, which are leading the way with incentivising electric cars.
Where Hyundai stands to benefit most with the Ioniq is government fleets, which are no longer mandated on buying Australian made cars. Internally, it is hoped the government strategy will swing towards green cars instead.
It is understood the Ioniq will be paired to Hyundai’s successful five-year warranty in Australia, with electric components to be backed under a separate 10 year scheme.
The Ioniq is only the beginning of Hyundai’s electric plans. It will pave the way for more variants, headed by an electric version of the Kona small SUV, along with an all-new hydrogen fuel-cell SUV.
Ioniq hybrid: from $31,000
Ioniq plug-in hybrid: TBC
Ioniq electric: $43,000
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