Hyundai IONIQ 6 N: the N Performance saloon goes further than IONIQ 5 N

After the IONIQ 5, Hyundai’s N Performance division has now handed its high-performance badge to the IONIQ 6 saloon - and the results are even more extreme.

There may be electric saloons out there with more power and quicker headline times, but few look as purpose-built as the Hyundai IONIQ 6 N.

It lifts the powertrain from the IONIQ 5 N - two motors, one on each axle, producing up to 650 cv (478 kW) and 770 Nm - along with the 84 kWh battery, although range is still to be confirmed. Even so, the new IONIQ 6 N is quicker to 100 km/h, dispatching it in 3,2s (-0,2s), and it tops out at 257 km/h.

However, the Hyundai IONIQ 6 N pushes the formula further. It sits with a lower centre of gravity, features revised suspension geometry, and comes with a strengthened body shell.

Braking has also been upgraded, with larger discs (400 mm front and 360 mm rear) and a greater emphasis on regeneration.

Aggression in the right dose

On the outside, the IONIQ 6 N makes its intentions clear. It is 60 mm wider, wears a much larger front grille (with active vanes), and adds a new splitter. The side sills have been reworked too, and it rides on exclusive forged 20″ wheels.

At the rear, the drama ramps up thanks to an imposing “gooseneck” rear wing - with an even larger alternative available - plus a bigger air diffuser. Every new or altered aerodynamic element is there to do a job, contributing directly to airflow management or cooling rather than acting as mere decoration.

Inside, it is set apart from other IONIQ 6 models by its sports seats, additional Alcantara-trimmed surfaces, and a collection of dedicated buttons for drive modes and other functions on the bespoke steering wheel. The digital instrument cluster also lets you tailor the information layout.

PlayStation for the real world

What really distinguishes the IONIQ 6 N from other EVs is how it brings digital sensations into the physical driving experience - as we have already seen with the IONIQ 5 N. It is almost like playing Gran Turismo… in real life.

Like the vast majority of electric cars, it does not have a conventional gearbox, but the N e-shift system imitates the shifts of an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, complete with torque interruptions, steering-wheel paddles, and even virtual downshifts with “heel-and-toe”.

Paired with N Active Sound+, it can also mimic the character of a combustion-engined car, offering three sound profiles (one of them inspired by a fighter jet).

Hyundai N says these combustion-style additions raise driver involvement beyond any other electric car, though they continue to split enthusiasts. Which side are you on?

More universally appealing is N Drift Optimizer, designed to turn this 2,2-tonne machine (we estimate its weight will be similar to the IONIQ 5 N) into a drifting tool.

Compared with the IONIQ 5 N’s system, it offers more parameters to fine-tune drift initiation, angle, and wheelspin. It sounds like the ideal recipe for more fun - in inverse proportion to tyre life.

When will it arrive?

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 N is expected to arrive this year, but no specific date or selling price has been confirmed. For reference, the IONIQ 5 N costs practically 80 thousand euros.