2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Review

The 2020 Hyundai Ioniq EV debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a fresh face and upgraded machinery. First and foremost, there is a larger battery pack that increases both range and available horsepower. It also has a faster onboard charger and new optional features, including a 10.25-inch touchscreen, that are designed to improve the ownership experience. The 2020 Ioniq may only be a refresh, but it is a much-needed one that pushes the Ioniq into a new tier in the EV segment.

Hyundai upgraded the battery pack in the Ioniq EV from 28 kWh to 38.3 kWh, a substantial increase that allows the electric range to grow from 124 miles to 170 miles. It also pushes available horsepower from 118 up to 134. The onboard charger has improved as well — the 6.6-kW unit is now 7.2 kW. Hyundai says that the new battery can recharge from empty to 80% in just 54 minutes with a 100-kW fast-charging station.

Hyundai also makes hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Ioniq, both of which were improved for the 2020 model year and are reviewed separately.

Electric vehicles are seemingly improving by the day, so manufacturers need to continue squeezing as much power and range from their EV models as possible to remain relevant. The refreshed Ioniq offers good electric driving at an affordable price, although it is hamstrung by Hyundai's insistence on selling it only in California (at least for now).

The Ioniq's 170-mile range and $34,000 price tag put it in a unique niche as well, with competitors either coming in with more range for a lot more money or less range for a similar price.

Buyers have a growing field of affordable electric vehicles to choose from these days. In the time since the original Ioniq debuted in 2017, three brand-new options appeared on the market — the Chevrolet Bolt, Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro — and Nissan issued a significant upgrade to its Leaf. Quite a few EVs offer more range than the Ioniq Electric, with the Bolt, Kona, Leaf Plus and Niro all coming in over 200 miles. However, all cost thousands more than the Hyundai.

There are shorter-range options, too, including the Volkswagen e-Golf, the base Leaf and the newly announced Mini Cooper S E. All three are affordable but offer slightly less range than the Ioniq. Standing alone as an affordable "midrange" EV might give the Ioniq Electric a competitive advantage.