The question is, can Hyundai<\/a> have possibly made the already great Ioniq 5 N even better? We headed to Sydney Motorsport Park to find out, putting the Ioniq 6 N through its paces. It revealed itself to be a car so enjoyable to drive that it\u2019s hardly even recognizable as an EV.<\/p>\n QUICK FACTS<\/p>\n What Makes It Special?<\/p>\n Significant improvements have been made to the Ioniq 6 to ensure it\u2019s fitting of the N badge. It uses an 84 kWh battery pack and a pair of electric motors delivering 448 kW (601 hp) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque as standard, and 478 kW (650 hp) with the N Grin Boost function enabled and launch control engaged. The battery packs support charging from 350-kW DC fast chargers, with peak charging rates of around 250 kW, enough to charge the pack from 10-80 percent in 18 minutes.<\/p>\n Photos Hyundai Australia<\/p>\n Like any N product, this one is about much more than improved power. Hyundai has tweaked the suspension geometry, lowering the roll center and installing new dual-layer bushings. It also uses an advanced, new stroke-sensing electronically controlled suspension system that adjusts damping based on driving conditions and travel stroke. There\u2019s also an electronically limited-slip differential at the rear, a steering mounting void bushing to improve response, and Hyundai\u2019s Integrated Drive Axle.<\/p>\n Hyundai has also added 44 additional weld points and an extra 340 mm (13.4 inches) of structural adhesive to the body-in-white, and installed new brakes with 400 mm (15.7-inch) discs with four-piston calipers up front. There are also two brake-feel modes, a slew of regenerative-braking settings, and several aerodynamic improvements, including a rear wing that delivers 100 kg (220 lbs) of downforce.<\/p>\n
Like the Ioniq 5 N, the number of functions to enhance the driving experience is dizzying. There\u2019s the N Drift Optimizer, N Launch Control, and an N Torque Distribution that allows for 11 different adjustments to how power is sent to the wheels, ranging from 95:5 front-to-rear to 5:95 front-to-rear. Hyundai has also included its N Pedal system to boost regenerative braking on the track and improve tuck-in response, N Grin Boost to increase power in 10-second bursts, and N Battery to optimize battery temperatures for drag, sprint, and endurance settings.<\/p>\n In Australia<\/a>, prices start at AU$115,000 (US$82,800). In the US, it\u2019s expected to start at around US$70,000. The matte grey model you\u2019ll see in some photos includes several carbon fiber accessories, including a towering AU$7,289 (US$5,245) rear wing, a AU$2,484 (US$1,787) carbon splitter, AU$4,810 (US$3,461) side skirts, and a AU$4,090 (US$2,943) rear diffuser.<\/p>\n Sporty Cabin Tweaks<\/p>\n Photos Hyundai Australia<\/p>\n The interior has also been tweaked, although it\u2019s not dramatically removed from the regular Ioniq 6. Key touches include a new N steering wheel, new head-up display graphics, bucket seats, and new leather and Alcantara surfaces.<\/p>\n As the N is based on the facelifted Ioniq 6, it has all of the same features. These include a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment display, and, importantly, loads of tactile, physical buttons throughout, an increasing rarity in the EV space. It\u2019s a lovely space to spend time, and the upgrades made to the N ensure it feels special.<\/p>\n Just like the Ioniq 5 N, the Ioniq 6<\/a> N is very much a niche product. This is not the type of vehicle that Hyundai expects to sell in high numbers. In Australia, roughly 500 expressions of interest have been received, although order books have yet to open, so it\u2019s unclear how many of those will actually translate into buyers.<\/p>\n Driving<\/p>\n Photos Hyundai Australia<\/p>\n All it takes is a quick look at the Ioniq 6 N\u2019s specs to understand that this is a car that means serious business. However, unlike some of the straight-line heroes that dominate the so-called \u2018performance\u2019 class of EVs, Hyundai\u2019s latest creation is about much more than simply pulling away from an intersection quickly.<\/p>\n Of course, that\u2019s not to say that this thing isn\u2019t ferocious off the line. It is. According to Hyundai, the Ioniq 6 N can sprint to 100 km\/h (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds with the N Grin Boost function enabled, which bumps up peak power to 478 kW (650 hp) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque for 10-second bursts. In our testing, we recorded repeated runs to 100 km\/h in 3.2 seconds, while running from 60-120 km\/h takes as little as 2.45 seconds.<\/p>\n Photos Hyundai Australia<\/p>\n While it\u2019d be easy to shrug off these figures given how many quick EVs are on the market right now, it\u2019s worth remembering that numbers like these were once the exclusive territory of high-end supercars costing half a million dollars, not a practical four-door sedan that stickers for a fraction of that and costs about a third of what a Porsche Taycan Turbo<\/a> does.<\/p>\n Fitted as standard with Pirelli P Zero Elect tires, but equipped with P Zero Corsa rubber for our track sessions, the car simply bites into the pavement, delivering unrelenting, unforgiving acceleration.<\/p>\n No Electric Sedan Should Drive Like This<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s the handling and overall driving dynamics of the Ioniq 6 N that stand out more than the acceleration.<\/p>\n Like the Ioniq 5 N, the 6 N<\/a> uses a pair of powerful electric motors at the front and rear axles. It includes the N Torque Distribution function, allowing drivers to move from as much as 95 percent front-power bias to 95 percent rear-power bias. However, to extract peak power from the two motors, it\u2019s best to keep the power split in its 50-50 mode.<\/p>\n
Even in this mode, with a 60-40 front-to-rear power split, the Ioniq 6 N feels inherently rear-biased and is even more playful than its SUV sibling. For several laps, I had the car\u2019s power split in 50-50 mode with the ESC in Sport mode, and was left giddy by how the rear end gracefully starts to kick under power. When it does step out, the stability control system allows for a surprising amount of slide angle before reining things in, making the EV exceptionally easy to control at and beyond the limit.<\/p>\n Read: New Elantra N TCR Undercuts The Civic Type R By $7,000 With A Bigger Wing<\/a><\/p>\n Outright grip is exceptional and has been perfectly coupled with superb steering feel, despite it being an electrically assisted system. What\u2019s particularly impressive is that the steering provides just as much feedback as Hyundai\u2019s combustion-powered N models. There are no dramas in determining where the extremities of the grip are, either through the front or the rear axle.<\/p>\n Admittedly, the overall size of the Ioniq 6 N and its weight mean that both the road-focused P Zero Elect and P Zero Corsa tires start to overheat after three or four flying laps. This wasn\u2019t helped by the fact that the tires of the cars we tested were dated back to 2023, so they were a little old.<\/p>\n Photos Brad Anderson\/Carscoops<\/p>\n Improvements have been made to the car\u2019s N e-Shift function. This is the system that aims to replicate the feel of Hyundai N\u2019s eight-speed dual-clutch, providing a satisfying thump in the back and a change in torque just like an ICE car. Whereas the Ioniq 5 N had seven of these fake gears, the Ioniq 6 N has eight. With shorter ratios, even though they\u2019re not real, it\u2019s possible to enjoy even more shifts.<\/p>\n Those who haven\u2019t experienced this system may be quick to dismiss it. After all, how can an EV\u2019s<\/a> software possibly mimic actually shifting gears? However, the team of Hyundai engineers who developed the N\u2019s eight-speed dual-clutch also developed this system, and it\u2019s almost indistinguishable from a normal transmission. It\u2019s bewildering at first, but quickly becomes second nature.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/arrow.png\"){kind=icon}
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