Electric cars are often accused of lacking emotion. But Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 N proves otherwise — delivering noise, grip and genuine driving fun.
Electric cars are quiet. That’s usually a good thing, especially for long-distance driving or when cruising through residential streets. But when it comes to excitement, silence can be a letdown. Noise is a core part of motorsport, after all. It’s no surprise that Formula E’s high-pitched whirring fails to inspire in the way that a V10 screaming through a street circuit does. Without sound, speed becomes abstract — and many electric performance cars fall short on drama.
That’s where the Hyundai Ioniq 6N steps in. With a top speed of 257 km/h, it’s already quick by EV standards. It sprints from 0–100 km/h in 3.2 seconds thanks to 448 kW (609 PS) of all-wheel-drive muscle — or up to 650 PS briefly in Boost mode. At around €77,000, it’s not cheap, but given the performance and standard equipment, it looks like a bargain. The similarly quick Porsche Taycan GTS starts at €148,800 before options. With Hyundai, only a handful of extras cost extra.
Both are four-door saloons. The Taycan is larger, but the Ioniq 6N still measures just under five metres and has a wheelbase of almost three metres, so cabin space is generous. The exterior, though, is more divisive than you’d expect from Hyundai. Its flowing, aerodynamic form is deliberately different — and in N trim it gets a black rear panel (regardless of body colour) and a dramatic swan-neck spoiler. Compared to those, the muscular wheel arches look subtle.
But this is no styling exercise. “We built it for real track driving,” says Manfred Harrer, head of Hyundai N’s performance division. That means proper cooling for battery and drivetrain, tested on the Nürburgring. Harrer makes the point clearly: “Power is easy these days. What matters is endurance, braking and cornering.”
So the Ioniq 6N gets large brake discs, variable pedal response depending on drive mode, and strong, confidence-inspiring deceleration. In the most aggressive setting, regenerative braking can reach 0.6 g — enough to feel the seatbelt tug when lifting off the throttle.
Underneath, it’s almost an entirely different car to the standard Ioniq 6. Suspension mountings have been reengineered and adaptive dampers added. The result is a lower centre of gravity — even lower than the Ioniq 5 N — and outstanding dynamics. On bumpy B-roads it’s compliant, while on circuit it stays flat and composed. It even absorbs kerbs with remarkable poise. Torque is split across all four wheels with a rear bias, and 770 Nm in total. A sophisticated torque vectoring system sharpens corner entry and exit, giving the driver real confidence.
Until now, the Ioniq 6N is simply a fast car. But Hyundai wanted it to be fun too — and in that regard, it pulls off something the Taycan doesn’t. The secret is in its electronics, which transform it into a kind of rolling games console. Central to that is the sound module. It doesn’t make the car faster, but it makes it feel faster. The artificial engine note — raspy and raw — is more for the driver than pedestrians, but it adds character. Fortunately, it can be turned off if it becomes tiring.
Then there’s N e-Shift, a virtual paddle-shift gearbox. It’s not technically necessary, but it mimics gear changes and adds interactivity — like a well-designed arcade game. The N Track Manager in the infotainment system adds even more depth. You get a ghost car on-screen to chase your previous lap, and drift parameters that help even novices slide with confidence. It’s nerdy, yes — but that’s the point.
At €77,000, it’s not a toy. But for under-30s who grew up racing virtual cars, the Ioniq 6N brings that digital world vividly into the real one. Think of it as a Taycan for the PlayStation generation — and in the best possible way.
By Wolfgang Hörner
