Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs Kia EV6 Air

Full specs on the EV6 are still not available, but a press release was sent out this morning containing the main specs and pricing - a day after I placed a $2,000 (luckily refundable) deposit on a Hyundai Ioniq 5 to replace a Tesla Model 3 as my daily driver!

The EV6 and Ioniq 5 are built on the same E-GMP platform so are similar cars, but the way each manufacturer has decided to sell them in Australia varies wildly. I like them both and would be happy with either, but I can only get one! Let’s compare the two with this new information and try decide which one I like best.

Image pulled from the EV6 press release Word document

Things I Like About The EV6

  • $67,990 RRP (probably $73,160.30 drive away) vs $71,990 RRP ($77,297.10 drive away)
  • 528km WLTP range vs 451km WLTP range, 15% more driving
  • 19" wheels vs 20" wheels, cheaper to replace and arguably more comfortable ride
  • Physical steering wheel buttons vs capacitive ones that kinda shit me
  • Australian tuned suspension could be better for daily driving than the Ioniq 5

Things I Like About The Ioniq 5

  • Exterior looks better to me, not that the EV6 is bad but the Ioniq 5 looks cool
  • Interior looks nicer and more spacious (glovebox bigger, no transmission tunnel, adjustable centre console)
  • Better interior controls for climate and main car functions (EV6 has a touchscreen for menu shortcuts, Ioniq 5 physical buttons)
  • Laminated/acoustic glass standard should make for a slightly quieter cabin than the EV6
  • Privacy glass rear & back
  • “Relaxion” seats, with full electric controls and leather
  • Charging port in more practical location, EV6 has it in the drivers side rear headlight, not on the side
  • More tech: Surround View Monitor, Blind Spot View Monitor, Remote Smart Parking Assist, “machine learning” ACC,
  • Door handles pop open when in proximity with car
  • Panoramic roof (with an electronic blind!), which the EV6 Air doesn’t have
  • V2L feature so you can charge stuff @ 3.6kw using the car’s battery
  • Heated & ventilated front seats and heated steering wheel

As you can see from the list, there’s more things I like about the Ioniq 5 than the EV6. Everything the Ioniq 6 does can be had on the GT-Line EV6 though, but that costs more than the Ioniq 5 (~$80,000 drive away) and range takes a small hit (but still more than the Ioniq 5). The main attraction of the EV6 for me is the cheaper drive away price, particularly if it becomes eligible for the VIC EV subsidy and the 15% extra range.

As nice as more range would be, the 2021 Model 3 SR+ I currently own has a 448km WLTP range (2022 models are now 491km) and I’ve never gone “I wish this had more range”, even on road trips. Wheel size, mild suspension tweaks and capacitive buttons vs physical buttons on the steering wheel are relatively minor things, so really, the decision comes down to price.

The Ioniq 5 is likely $4137 more expensive than the EV6. Is it worth $4k for the stuff I like? I’m leaning towards yes. Some of it I can live without (the fancy seats, the way the car looks, the panoramic roof, V2L, privacy glass), but some features I really want, like the surround view monitor and remote parking assist. The Ioniq 5’s cabin seems more spacious to me too, which I really like.

There’s also the downside of the EV6’s demand. Kia is telling the media that “the company had received no fewer than 1800 firm orders” but only 500 are locked in for 2022 and possibly an extra 100 if Kia HQ is feeling generous. Chances are if I go to a Kia dealer now and leave a deposit, I’m not getting a car until 2023. I also called two local Kia dealers and they want me to sign a contract to purchase the car and leave a $1,000 deposit. Meaning if I change my mind I’m out of pocket $1,000.

What am I going to do? Nothing. I’m going to stick with the Ioniq 5 pre-order I placed yesterday.


Drive Away Price Guestimating
*Drive away price for the EV6 Air isn’t available so I don’t know what they’ll be charging for dealer delivery, but the RRP comes $750 under the Victorian state government’s $3,000 Zero Emissions Vehicle Subsidy. So if dealer delivery is more than $750, no $3,000 discount. *

Using the Niro EV Sport as an example, dealer delivery is usually in the $1,500 range:

*Kia Niro EV Sport RRP - $65,990 *
Drive away offer - $70,990
On-road costs - $3,586.30
Dealer delivery - $1,413.17

Kia EV6 Air RRP - $67,990
On-road costs - $3,670.30
Dealer delivery - $1,500
Estimated drive away price - $73,160.30

Kia EV6 GT-Line RRP - $74,990
On-road costs - $3,964.30
Dealer delivery - $1,500
Estimated drive away price - $80,184.3

I get the feeling Kia dealers aren’t going to take a 50% profit cut on these cars that have triple the amount of orders than there is stock arriving and are more likely to bump up their delivery charges if anything. If Kia somehow forces dealers to accept $749 delivery fee in VIC for the first batch at least (the subsidy will probably be exhausted this year), the drive away price drops to $69,409.30.