Hyundai designers have found their groove in electric vehicles (EVs), consistently turning out compelling, intriguing designs that stand out the way most cars blend in. They’re about to release the third vehicle in the Ioniq series of EVs, and early signs suggest the groove will play on.
Hyundai released teaser sketches this week of its upcoming Ioniq 9 SUV. They show a highly stylized 3-row model with a low beltline and a tall greenhouse. It could easily have come out of the design studio of luxury cousin Genesis.
Contrast of Curves and Squares
Hyundai says the design “draws inspiration from the sleek exteriors and spacious, cozy interiors of boats,” suggesting that no one at Hyundai has ever been inside a boat. The look is all sleek arcs and long lines, the curves underscored by boxy, pixelated lights.
Until now, the most exciting thing about the Ioniq line has been that the cars don’t look alike. Many automakers strive to have a unified design language across all their cars. At its best, that idea helps them carve out identities in the American imagination. At its worst, it creates look-alike cars, as if they made small models by pointing a shrinking ray at large ones.
Hyundai avoided that by giving the Ioniq 5 SUV a fun, squat, chunky look and the Ioniq 6 sedan sinuous curves. The Ioniq 9 somehow manages to unite the two and bring harmonious design to the lineup.
Likely Shares Much With Kia’s EV9
Hyundai gives no clue as to what’s inside or what to expect when you press the accelerator. The Ioniq 9 takes after a 2021 concept car called the Hyundai Seven (the company once planned to name it the Ioniq 7). That car had a wild interior with rotating lounge chairs and a curved seating booth in the back. We expect something much more conventional, designed to pass a crash test.
We can probably predict what powers it, too. Hyundai shares part ownership and many vehicle parts with Kia. Kia’s 3-row electric SUV, the EV9, has been the toast of the automotive world in 2024, winning World Car of the Year.
The EV9 and the Ioniq 9 ride on the same E-Global Modular Vehicle platform and likely share most of the parts that make them go. That probably means power ratings are similar to those of the Kia. The EV9 comes in rear- and all-wheel drive (RWD and AWD) with 201, 215, and 379 horsepower ratings. Depending on the trim level, it offers ranges between 230 miles and 304 miles.
Hyundai engineers and Kia engineers use the same parts but try to differentiate their performance. Amusingly, the companies tell us they do their best to keep the groups from socializing and discussing their work. So, doubtless, Hyundai will massage slightly different figures from the same gear. The EV9’s performance is probably a reasonable proxy for the Ioniq 9’s, and that’s good news for shoppers.
We expect to learn more soon. Hyundai says, “Starting from October 30, Hyundai Motor will be releasing teaser content through its social channels, leading up to Ioniq 9’s world premiere in November.”
