Hyundai Ioniq 9 - from doubt to quiet admiration

Joe Rayfus

When Hyundai unveiled the Ioniq 9 at its Irish launch earlier this year, I wasn’t convinced. Standing beside it in the car park of the K Club, its squared-off panels and pixel-style lights gave the impression of a building project on wheels rather than a sleek SUV. Big, yes. Bold, certainly. But was it beautiful? I wasn’t sure.

A few weeks later, I had the chance to live with the car properly. Collecting the keys from Hyundai, I drove away in a black-finished model that immediately seemed more confident than the green example I had first encountered. Over the course of a week, the design that once jarred began to fall into place.

On the road, the Ioniq 9 plays to its strengths. My daily routine involves long motorway runs, the kind that usually sap your patience, but here the wide, cushioned seats, quiet cabin and well-judged suspension turned those journeys into a calmer experience. It’s not a car that thrives on darting through gaps or squeezing into tight spaces, but once it’s rolling, the sheer mass translates into a sense of unhurried control.

Hyundai equips the Ioniq 9 with a 110kWh battery, officially rated for 620km. In practice, I averaged about 21.6kWh per 100km, which works out at 500–550km. That’s still a strong showing. In fact, it was day four before I even thought about plugging in, despite a mix of motorway stretches, back-road detours and town traffic.

The regenerative braking deserves a mention. It’s calibrated so smoothly that easing off the accelerator quickly becomes a substitute for pressing the brake pedal. The system even signals to traffic behind with a light flicker when regeneration kicks in, a thoughtful safety touch.

Performance figures put the rear-wheel-drive version at 9.4 seconds 0-100kmh. Quicker all-wheel-drive models are on the way, but this isn’t a car that urges you to push it. Steering is light, feedback is vague, and its size makes sharp cornering academic. Where it shines is in covering distance with a steady rhythm that leaves you more refreshed at the journey’s end than you might expect.

Space is the Ioniq 9’s trump card. The second row is as generous as you’ll find in any family SUV, with legroom to embarrass some far more expensive rivals. The third row is no afterthought either, thanks to push-button sliding and folding that make access simple, even for adults. Even with all seven seats occupied, there’s enough boot space for golf bags or several suitcases, and with everything folded flat, the capacity edges into van territory.

Practicality is boosted by Hyundai’s clever Vehicle-to-Load system, which lets the car’s battery power external devices. A socket in the boot means you can run a laptop, camping kit, or even keep household appliances going during an outage. I tried it out one afternoon, turning the car into a quiet mobile office, an oddly fitting use for such a big, calm space.

The cabin itself is one of Hyundai’s best efforts yet. Opting for lighter upholstery lifts the atmosphere, but even in darker trims the materials feel high quality and the layout restrained. At a starting price just under €78,500, it is far from cheap, but compared with seven-seat electric SUVs wearing premium badges, it looks like strong value.

By the end of the week, I found myself softening towards the car in ways I hadn’t expected. Manoeuvring it in tight multi-storeys is still a chore, and its styling will split opinion, but as a long-distance electric seven-seater, the Ioniq 9 delivers exactly what it promises. It’s refined, spacious, and quietly capable, with features that make day-to-day life easier.

Hyundai hasn’t just built another large EV here. It has produced a car that makes sense for families who need space and comfort but aren’t willing to pay German premium money for the privilege. If that sounds like you, the Ioniq 9 deserves a place on your shortlist.