Hyundai Ioniq PHEV: the green car for everyone

Frédéric Mercier

Wednesday, march 21, 2018 15:39

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Wednesday, march 21, 2018 15:39

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Imagine. A car that lets you go and return from work without burning a drop of gasoline, but which can also work with a traditional engine when the time comes to travel long distances.

These cars, they exist. They are much more common, even. Less expensive, also. The Hyundai Ioniq PHEV is an excellent example.

Read also: what is a hybrid car rechargeable?

Read also: All the cars éledctriques for sale in Quebec

PHEV, this is for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. A hybrid car that offers a few tens of kilometres of electrical autonomy, while retaining a gasoline engine ready to take over if you don’t have the time to recharge the battery.

The concept is not new. The Chevrolet Volt has popularized the idea and it remains the highest selling of the lot. Except that it has a new rival that could warm the behind.

Hyundai Ioniq PHEV 2018

Frédéric Mercier

A trio electric

With the Ioniq, Hyundai has decided to pull it in all directions. All directions electric, in any case. It offers an alternative hybrid, electric and plug-in hybrid.

The rechargeable, with a battery range of 47 kilometres and a starting price of 31 998$ (in addition to a discount to government of$ 4000), is, in my opinion, the most interesting of the lot.

47 kilometers, it is not huge, I grant you. But for many motorists, it’s enough to browse back and forth between the house and the job. Only connect the vehicle during the night, or while you work if your employer has charging stations available. Of course, the autonomy can vary depending on the outside temperature and how you drive.

In the competition, the Chevrolet Volt and the Honda Clarity are better, with autonomies electrical respective valued at 85 and 76 kilometres.

The greater capacity of the batteries of these two models allows for their buyers to be entitled to a grant of$ 8,000 from the government of quebec. This is double what receive those of the Ioniq.

By contrast, when it is known that the Volt and the Clarity are both sold for more than$ 40,000, the final bill is easier to digest with the Ioniq PHEV.

Hyundai Ioniq PHEV 2018

Frédéric Mercier

Practical, but rather boring

As Chevrolet did with the Volt, Hyundai has opted for a configuration to tailgate for the Ioniq. The trunk opening is large and it is in no way diminished by the battery, rather, it was placed under the floor.

It has a loading capacity of 650 liters in the trunk.

Hyundai Ioniq PHEV 2018

Frédéric Mercier

Not bad, when we know that the safety of the Volt is limited to 300 litres. The Toyota Prius Premium and the Honda Clarity are a little better with 560 and 439 litres, but the Ioniq is still the big winner.

In short, in its category, the Ioniq PHEV is a model rather practice. And it continues in the cockpit, where the controls are simple and well presented. It is not in the lap of luxury, on the contrary. But everything is in its place, including a touch screen display of 8 inches displaying the infotainment system is surprisingly user-friendly.

Hyundai Ioniq PHEV 2018

Frédéric Mercier

On the road, however, my excellent first impression of the Ioniq PHEV has been undermined by a direction excessively soft, and a power fail in the situation of times of acceleration. We do not expect the performance of a sports car, but in terms of driving pleasure, the Chevrolet Volt wins hands down.

Without the pleasure, the Ioniq PHEV is a great vehicle for those who simply want to get from point A to point B by limiting, or even eliminating their consumption of fuel.

A button “EV” allows you to switch from electric mode to hybrid mode instantly. If you have a little bit of reserve power, you can as well decide to keep it for your urban travel and use your essence on the highway, where the consumption is lower.

Hyundai Ioniq PHEV 2018

Frédéric Mercier

In the meantime the electric cars affordable

Many are the motorists who expect that electric vehicles have more autonomy and become less expensive before they send their gasoline car obsolete.

In the meantime, templates, plug-in hybrids represent a transitional option that offers the best of both worlds. Impossible to ignore. Even the SUVS are starting to move in the dance, with the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Volvo XC60 in head of file.

At Hyundai, the Ioniq PHEV remains the most affordable on the market in this category is full of excitement. The Chevrolet Volt is still a superior vehicle to the chapters of the self and of the behaviour on the road.

The Ioniq is not in the lace, but it does its job honestly. Without drum or trumpet, it will take you to your destination without hassle.

Even without essence, if you don’t go too far.

Technical data sheet
Name: Hyundai Ioniq PHEV 2018
Base price: 31 998$
Configuration: the Vehicle front-wheel drive with engine at the front
Motor: electric Motor of 45 kW is assisted by a gasoline engine of 1.6 liter
Power/torque: 164 hp/264 lb-ft
Transmission: dual-clutch Automatic 6-speed
Electrical autonomy: 47 km
Fuel consumption announced (combined): 4.1 L/100 km
Fuel consumption, observed: 3.7 L/100 km
Warranty basic: 5 years / 100 000 km
Competition: Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius Premium, Honda Clarity