You’ve decided on a price, shaken the seller’s hand and sealed the deal.

The buyer has found exactly what they want, and the seller is keen to get cash in the bank.

This is an exciting time for buyer and seller alike, and it’s easy to get carried away. Now for the awkward part: How do you safely, quickly and securely transfer the funds for your new pride and joy?

It pays to do your research before agreeing on a final price. Keep in mind that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an ongoing impact on used car values with elevated prices not uncommon.

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Scam stories are rampant within online marketplaces. Gumtree, eBay and Facebook Marketplace are great places to find a bargain, but are also ripe hunting grounds for scammers – don’t fall for the old Nigerian prince trick.

Make sure you aren’t being taken for a ride by getting the vehicle independently inspected, ensuring it has no finance owing, isn’t secretly on the written-off vehicle register and is in as-advertised condition.

Once you’re happy with the deal you’ve got, here are the best ways to swiftly and securely pay for a used car from a private seller.

• Option one: Physical bank transfer
• Option two: Electronic bank transfer
• Option three: Cash
• Option four: Crypto currency

Option one: In-person bank transfer

This is one of the safest ways to exchange large sums of money.

Performing the transaction in a bricks-and-mortar bank provides peace of mind for both buyer and seller.

In this circumstance, the seller knows the buyer has the cash to honour the transaction, and the buyer can walk away with the car as soon as the seller gets confirmation the transfer is complete.

It’s also on record – both buyer and seller are on camera at the time of transaction, so no funny business can occur.

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The buyer could also provide a bank cheque, which ensures the correct amount is in their account at the time of drawing up the cheque. A bank cheque won’t bounce as a personal one might.

It is true that bank cheques can be stopped, but this is difficult to accomplish and will raise eyebrows for the purchaser.

Option two: Online bank transfer

Typically we’d advise against electronic transfers made through mobile or online banking services. The funds can take 1-2 days to clear, giving the buyer more chance to cancel the transfer.

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However, it can be done providing there is trust established between two parties. Money-transfer services such as PayPal offer protections for both buyer and seller if the deal turns sour.

There’s also a danger that, as the buyer, you will be asked to transfer the funds prior to picking up the vehicle. This can be a dangerous game, as the seller could decide to alight with the funds.

Most banks and money transfer services will look after customers in the event of this kind of scam, though it’s best to tread carefully and avoid any potential hassle here.

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Option three: cash is king

It’s a saying for a reason. For smaller transactions – say up to $20,000 – cash is a good and instant way to pay for something. Here are some steps you can take to make it safer.

Firstly, the handover should be done at a bank, whereupon the full amount can be withdrawn or deposited into an account, all handled by a bank teller. This way you can ensure no notes have been forged and, of course, the correct amount is there.

The Federal Government enacted a $10,000 cash transaction limit in September 2019, though this does not apply to second hand goods.

You can therefore pay for that used Lamborghini Aventador SVJ you’ve always wanted with a million bucks worth of pineapples. But cash is bulky and possible to lose, unlike digital currency.

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Option four: Crypto currency

This option is in its infancy in the world of car sales. Crypto currency certainly isn’t as popular as cash or bank transfer, but if you can find a seller willing to accept the crypto you can move forward in this way.

It pays to take all the same steps as a physical cash payment (where applicable) to ensure security.

A seller should keep in mind that the value of decentralised crypto currencies, like BitCoin, is traditionally more volatile than centralised ones.

Whichever way you pay, ensure you get a physical or electronic receipt that includes the names and details of both parties, amount paid and date of transaction to prove your new pride and joy is, indeed, yours.

The facelifted 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class has debuted, ahead of its Australian launch in the second quarter of next year.

It is headlined by a larger front grille, redesigned headlight internals, modified tail-lights, and new alloy wheel designs.

Inside, the new-style steering wheel from the C-, E- and S-Class has filtered down to the smallest Mercedes-Benz, finished in Nappa leather as standard.

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The centre console has been simplified, with Mercedes-Benz removing the touchpad for its infotainment system, and repositioning the volume and drive mode controls.

However, an updated version of the current MBUX system remains, unlike the C-Class and S-Class, which feature a portrait-orientated unit positioned closer to the driver.

Mercedes-Benz has revised the software, allowing for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a revised 360-degree camera, “newly-designed” display styles, machine learning, and the ability to speak to the voice assistant without saying ‘Hey, Mercedes’ first in some instances.

The voice assistant can also act as a tour guide in the 2023 A-Class, however, this will be initially limited to the German market.

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A fingerprint sensor on the centre console will identify and authenticate the driver, while the brand has fitted an additional USB-C port.

Mercedes-AMG versions – the A35 and A45 S – pick up the round AMG emblem, in line with the next-generation C63 S E-Performance.

This replaces the Mercedes star with a laurel wreath, which remains fixed to the bonnet on non-AMG variants.

In addition, Mercedes-AMG has beefed up the A35, with the hatch and sedan gaining the A45’s bulkier front bumper, Panamericana grille and power bulge on the bonnet.

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It also receives an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission – replacing its current seven-speed unit – and a new front radiator for improved cooling.

The flagship A45 S ‘hyper hatch’ remains a hatch-only offering, with its 310kW/500Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder carrying over unchanged.

Under the bonnet, Mercedes-Benz has added 48-volt mild-hybrid technology across the A-Class range – excluding the A45 S.

The brand says its integrated starter-generator, which replaces a traditional starter motor and alternator, will provide 10kW more power in ‘EQ Boost’ mode.

Plug-in hybrid A250e variants – available in Australia as a hatch only – gain a larger usable capacity for the 15.6kWh battery, while the maximum AC charge rate has increased to 11kW, up from 7.4kW.

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The power of the electric motor has increased by 5kW to 80kW. As before, it is sandwiched between a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an eight-speed dual-clutch auto, with 160kW and 450Nm in total.

Meanwhile, a limited AMG A45 S Street Style Edition will be available at launch, but Australian availability is unclear.

It is finished in matte grey, and receives fluorescent orange and matte black finishes inside and out – plus the Aerodynamics and Night packages as standard.

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The 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatch and sedan will arrive in Australia in the second quarter of next year (April to June inclusive).

Local pricing and full details will be announced closer to launch.

The current 2022 Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts from $49,890 before on-road costs.

It is the highest-selling luxury small car in Australia, with 2297 registrations year-to-date, ahead of the BMW 1 Series/2 Series Gran Coupe (2276) and Audi A3 (1516).

The Tesla Model Y was the third most popular vehicle in Australia last month as electric vehicles continue to gain momentum in the new-car market.

Tesla benefited for the second consecutive month from improved supply as its Model Y beat the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander with 4359 sales to claim the honour of best-selling SUV for September.

The Model Y’s result helped medium SUV sales overtake utes as the most popular vehicle segment.

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The US company also sold 1610 Model 3s to take a place in the top 10 brands list for the first time since it started reporting sales in March.

Tesla’s total September sales of 5969 accounted for the vast majority of the 7247 EVs sold last month. The figure was higher than the 4417 units the company registered in its official VFACTs debut.

EV sales were also higher than those for plug-in hybrid and hybrid sales combined – 5141 units.

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Battery-electric vehicles comprised eight per cent of new-car sales last month when not including heavy commercial vehicles.

There were no other notable results for electric vehicles. The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, direct rivals for the Model Y, continue to struggle badly with supply issues.

Electric vehicles sales are showing huge growth, though accurate year-on-year comparisons are not possible owing to Tesla’s previous policy of not publicly revealing its figures.

UPDATE: Toyota GR Supra manual in Australia from November

The updated 2023 Toyota GR Supra, including the long-awaited manual option, will be on sale in Australia from November 10.

Confirmation of a manual transmission for the new GR Supra came back in March, after months of speculation that the automatic offered at launch would not be the only transmission available.

Toyota then revealed the manual-equipped Supra in April and quickly confirmed its availability for the Australian market.

As detailed below, the manual will be offered in two grades: the entry-level Supra GT, priced from $87,000, and the flagship Supra GTS listed from $97,000 – both are plus on-roads.

Continue reading for the full story, and get on to your Toyota dealer – if you haven’t already.

You should also hit our Supra (auto) v Z comparison below.

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The story to here

September 8: 2023 GR Supra pricing and features announced

The updated 2023 Toyota GR Supra has been priced for Australia, ahead of its arrival before the end of the year.

Headlining the changes is the addition of a new six-speed manual transmission, which has been specifically developed to match the performance of the rear-drive, BMW Z4-based Supra’s 285kW/500Nm 3.0-litre straight six engine.

It will be available in two variants: the entry-level Supra GT, priced from $87,000, and the flagship Supra GTS listed from $97,000 – both are plus on-roads.

Manual examples miss out on adaptive cruise control and reverse autonomous emergency braking.

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For both variants, this represents a price increase of $506 compared to the 2022 Toyota GR Supra, which scored an $809 reduction in July.

As such, prices have remained mostly steady following the launch of the previous update in December 2020.

Red brake calipers and larger rear ventilated brakes are now fitted across the Supra range, while the flagship GTS gains new-design 19-inch forged alloy wheels with revised spoke and cross-sectional shapes.

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Finished in a premium titanium dark silver finish, the revised wheels have a weight reduction of 1.2 kilograms per wheel.

Toyota has also adjusted the Supra’s colour palette for 2023, with copper grey, azure blue and matte white replacing the existing, racetrack-themed Suzuka silver and Goodwood grey.

Since its launch in Australia in 2019, more than 700 examples have been delivered, with the two-door facing fresh competition from the newly-launched Nissan Z, which is available with a 298kW/475Nm 3.0-litre turbo V6 matched with a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission.

To read our international first drive of the 2023 Toyota GR Supra manual, click on the link below:

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2023 Toyota GR Supra Australian pricing

Prices exclude on-road costs.

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2023 Toyota GR Supra features

GT

GTS

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Engine, drivetrain and fuel economy

Under the bonnet, the 2023 Toyota GR Supra retains its ‘B58’ 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine, shared with the BMW Z4.

It produces 285kW (at 5000-6500rpm) and 500Nm (at 1600-4500rpm), and is matched with a ZF-sourced eight-speed torque converter automatic, or new-for-2023 six-speed manual transmission.

Toyota claims the automatic GR Supra will complete the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.1 seconds, while the manual version is rated at 4.6 seconds. It has an electronically limited 250km/h top speed.

Fuel economy figures can be found in the table below:

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Safety

The Toyota GR Supra has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, however, the related BMW Z4 received a five-star rating, based on testing conducted in 2019.

Seven airbags (dual front, side head, curtain and driver’s knee) are fitted across the Supra range.

Each variant includes the following active safety equipment as standard:

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Dimensions

The Toyota GR Supra has a wheelbase of 2470 millimetres, and is 4379mm long, 1854mm wide and 1292mm high.

It has a 290-litre boot space.

Warranty and servicing

As per the wider Toyota range, the GR Supra is covered by the brand’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, along with seven years of engine and driveline coverage.

Roadside assistance is available to purchase for $99 per year.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first. The first four services will cost $385.

Availability

The 2023 Toyota GR Supra will arrive in Australian showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2022 (October to December inclusive).

UPDATE: GR Yaris now available to order, 160 cars allocated for the next 12 months

A lull in the storm of supply and demand has opened up a fresh allocation for Australian hopefuls looking to get their hands on a 2023 Toyota GR Yaris, the company has confirmed today.

As noted in our earlier coverage below: “In order to support the delivery of the first batch of GR Yaris, Toyota Australia made the decision to place a temporary pause on orders from July 1, 2021.”

It’s not all good news, with just 160 examples available to us for the next 12 months – but, on the bright side, pricing is unchanged.

That means buyers can order a standard GR Yaris from $49,500 and a GR Yaris Rallye from $54,500 – both before on-road costs.

Toyota adds: “The number of orders able to be taken by dealers will match their given allocation over the next 12 months”.

“Customers are advised that not all dealers will have a vehicle available for order and that expressions of interest can be made for this in-demand vehicle.”

In related no-news, Toyota has yet to confirm reports of an eight-speed automatic to join the GR Yaris range.

Likewise, the torque-boosting engine tune announced in August remains a Japan-only option.

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The story to here

July 2021: Toyota Australia suspends GR Yaris sales due to high demand

Toyota Australia has temporarily removed its GR Yaris from sale due to high demand, choosing to fulfil existing orders before taking any more bookings.

Since its launch in November 2020, Toyota has sold around 1700 units of the three-door pocket rocket, with 1100 of those coming before it had even arrived Down Under, exhausting Toyota’s initial allocation.

The arrival of the uprated Rallye variant in April hasn’t seemed to slow the base model’s popularity – even an increase from the original base pricing of $39,950 drive-away to $49,500 RRP didn’t deter potential buyers.

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Vice president of sales, marketing and franchise operations for Toyota Australia, Sean Hanley, said the demand for the GR Yaris is a reflection of a desire in the market for vehicles like it and it has increased brand recognition for the Gazoo Racing arm.

“The GR Yaris is a fan favourite with enthusiasts and we are pleased that we have been able to ignite the performance-car market,” said Hanley.

“This vehicle continues to exceed expectations and we look forward to continuing our momentum with the GR brand in Australia.”

Featuring a 1.6-litre, turbocharged three-cylinder engine, the GR Yaris develops 200kW and 370Nm, putting power to the ground through a six-speed manual gearbox and all-wheel-drive system.

Improvements to the Rallye include front and rear limited slip differentials, a tweaked suspension setup, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres as well a range of interior tech upgrades, justifying the $6000 price jump from the base GR Yaris.

New car sales in Australia hit a seven year high last month, with almost every mainstream brand in the top 10 doing well – and Tesla breaking into the best-sellers list to take seventh place.

According to monthly results provided by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), it was a better September than last year, with 93,555 units registered compared to 83,312 this time in 2021, if slightly down on August’s 95,256 posting.

But it leaves the market down 0.6 per cent, or 5010 vehicles year-to-date.

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Though most leading brands posted positive results, market leader Toyota suffered the biggest loss at 27 per cent down. Kia and Mitsubishi managed to swing things in the other direction, both up more than 40 per cent each.

As expected, New South Wales sold the most vehicles with 28,945 units shifted, followed by Victoria with 25,367 and Queensland at 20,364.

The FCAI said that it as encouraged by the signs that new car sales are showing signs of improving, but chief executive Tony Weber cautioned that logistical and supply chain issues will be with us for some time yet.

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It was the improvement in EV sales that had Weber most excited: “During September 2022, 7247 battery electric vehicles were sold, more than hybrid and plug-in-hybrid combined…while the overall market share of battery electric vehicles remains low (2.7 per cent), there is a clear market trend towards zero-emission technology.

“Car makers are encouraged by the release of [the electric vehicle] discussion paper. Australia’s pathway to decarbonising light transport is complex and requires and holistic policy framework. This paper addresses many of the issues that will need to be resolved.”

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Top 10 models ?

The Toyota Toyota HiLux ute kept the top spot with 5170 sold for September and 49,796 YTD, compared to 4890 for its regular rival, the Ford Ranger, which came in second place for the month – and came in second year-to-date with 32,115 sales.

Coming in third however was a shock for Toyota, with Australia’s most popular SUV, the Toyota RAV4, knocked well down the charts by the Tesla Model Y taking third with 4359 of the latter sold, though we don’t have data for that yet year-to-date as it has only recently been released locally. The RAV4 achieved just 1856 registrations, putting it in eighth spot and down 44 per cent, but back up YTD in third with 27,148 and up seven per cent.

Also beating the RAV4 in September were Mazda’s CX-5, which had a great month on 2439, up 72 per cent, and still did well YTD in fifth on 21,124 sales, up one per cent.

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Closely behind were the Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max utes, which continue to be top 10 players, coming fifth and sixth with 2319 and 1904 shifted respectively. Year-to-date the Triton took fourth with 23,205 sales, and the D-Max held sixth on 19,244.

Sneaking into seventh was the Mitsubishi Outlander SUV, which also has had a good September, selling 1879 units, up 80 per cent, though it fell out of the top 10 for the year.

Rounding out the top models so far for 2022 was the Hyundai i30 representing passenger cars and Kia’s Sportage medium SUV which has also risen in popularity throughout the year. The i30 sold 1733, but was down 15 per cent, while the Sportage shifted 1775 growing a huge 218 per cent.

For the year however, only the i30 earned a top 10 spot, with 17,218 cars finding homes and down 10 per cent – instead it was the MG ZS which took the final place on 14,066 for the year so far, up two per cent.

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Top 10 cars in Australia: September 2022

Top 10 cars in Australia: YTD 2022

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Top 10 car brands ?

September was a difficult month for the market’s dominant brand Toyota, with 14,852 sales, down 0.2 per cent compared to this time last year – mostly down to production problems. Year-to-date it has notched up 176,410 units.

Kia followed in second place with 7290 units sold last month (up 41 per cent) and 60,200 year-to-date, followed by Mazda – which narrowly missed second spot as it shifted 7259 cars in September (up 11 per cent) and 73,894 this year so far.

Mitsubishi took fourth place, selling 6784 units in September and 60,523 YTD and posting a 47 per cent growth, followed by Ford – which climbed to fifth spot last month with 6635 units (up 15 per cent), and came sixth year-to-date with 45,575 vehicles sold.

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That nudged Hyundai into an unusual sixth place for the month despite its 6501 sales and 19 per cent bump, but it managed to pick things up for the year so far to take fifth with 58,103 cars finding homes and a seven per cent growth.

MG held its seventh position for the year with 33,860 registrations (up 17 per cent), despite just the ZS appearing in the top 10 vehicles list (YTD). MG was pushed down the monthly rankings by newcomer Tesla into ninth, achieving 3261 sales.

While at this stage we have no percentage increases or decreases to compare to for Tesla, as it only began sharing its sales results with FCAI early this year, we can see it took seventh for September with 5969 cars shifted – showing all those ships coming in are making a real difference. Year-to-date however, Tesla is knocked well out of the top 10 with just 14,023.

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Isuzu Ute unfortunately did not have a good month, not making the top 10 – but YTD continues to hold eighth spot with 27,155 sales, though even that is down 10 per cent.

Subaru made the cut for September, with 3167 units sold, but bested by Volkswagen which nabbed eighth with 3698 sales. Year-to-date, Subie retained its top 10 spot with 25,946 sales and VW was ousted – its 21,643 vehicles finding homes not quite enough to get it over the line. YTD Mercedes entered the best-sellers as it achieved 24,790 sales.

Top 10 brands: September 2022

Top 10 brands: YTD 2022

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Ups and downs ? ?

Outside the top 10, Fiat (down 83 per cent) and Lexus (down 41 per cent) were the biggest strugglers among mainstream brands.

Successes came for other household names though, with Genesis (up 138 per cent), Ram (up 102 per cent), GWM Haval (up 69 per cent), Ssangyong (up 71 per cent) and Volvo (up 63 per cent) all posting large increases in September.

For the first time in months, utes were not the country’s most popular vehicle type last month when combining 4×4 and 4×2 variants, with the former accounting for 17,245 units of a 20,091 total.

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There were 21,563 medium SUVs that left showrooms compared to 14,031 in September 2021.

All SUV categories posted growth last month, except large SUVs which were down by two per cent – though the overall SUV share of the market also grew by 22 per cent for the month and two per cent YTD. Total SUV sales sat at 49,643 for September and 424,679 for 2022 so far (versus 416,275 this time in 2021). For the year so far, medium SUVs and small SUVs increased by 54 and nine per cent.

Light-commercial vehicles also increased its share by 11 per cent in September and 0.1 per cent YTD, again at the expense of passenger cars that were down six per cent of the market last month and nine per cent YTD.

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Micro, light, small and upper large cars were all down by 17, one, 25 and 22 per cent respectively.

Meanwhile, medium, large, people-movers and sports cars were all up by 34, 14, 47 and 18 per cent in that order for the month.

Comparatively, year-to-date all these categories experienced decline with the exception of medium, large cars and people-movers, which were all up by 26, five and 10 per cent.

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In September, there were 7247 electric vehicles sold compared to 466 September 2021 and 21,771 for 2022 so far – increases of more than 1000 and 510 per cent.

Although the number of hybrids actually fell from 6959 this time last year to 4616 last month, a drop of 34 per cent for the month, but still looking good with a seven per cent increase for the year-to-date. Plug-in hybrid numbers were up by 74 per cent with 525 sold in September and 4584 for 2022 (compared to 301 in September last year and 2360 this time in 2021).

Rising petrol prices are partly responsible for the electric boom, though state-based incentives, a host of new models and greater public debate have also played a part.

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In charts ?

September 2022 – Top 10 models

September – Top 10 brands

September 2022 – Overall segment sales

September 2022-2021 category sales

September 2022-2021 category YTD sales

2022 Sales race

September 2022 Australian sales map

September 2022 buyer type

UPDATE: The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6, due to launch locally in the first half of next year, has achieved a WLTP-rated driving range of 614 kilometres per charge.

This ranks among the best and most-efficient mainstream EVs (soon to be) on the market, besting the best of Tesla’s Model 3 (Long Range AWD claims 602km on WLTP), which currently claims around 25 percent of 2022’s electric passenger vehicle segment.

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The Ioniq 6 offers 800V fast charging from ten to 80 per cent in just 18 minutes, and rides atop Hyundai’s E-GMP electric modular platform, just like the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. Its air-bending drag co-efficient of 0.21 the lowest in Hyundai’s portfolio, among the lowest in the industry and contribute heavily to admirable ranges.

Read on below for more information about the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6, including specifications, features and the most up to date release information.

New information regarding the Ioniq 6’s WLTP certification have been updated in the original story below.

The story to here

July 14: 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 detailed: Power, driving range and more

The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric vehicle has launched globally, with the sleek coupe said to be capable of driving more than 610 kilometres on a single charge.

Launching in Australia in the first half of 2023, the Ioniq 6, which was revealed last week, is expected to arrive locally in two highly-specced variants initially, offering both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive options – mirroring its Ioniq 5 sibling’s lineup – though this is still to be officially confirmed.

Pricing has yet to be revealed, but is expected to be similar to the Ioniq 5 SUV and fall in the $70,000 to $80,000 bracket. At present the Ioniq 5 costs $69,900 for the RWD Dynamic and $77,500 for the AWD Techniq, having recently undergone a price drop and rise respectively in addition to the entry-level variant’s driving range being bumped up to 481km.

The Ioniq 6 will also be the brand’s first model to offer the over-the-air (OTA) software updates to allow drivers to upgrade the vehicle’s controllers for electric devices, autonomous driving, battery, maps, media software and more.

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Features

Specification by variant hasn’t yet been provided, but here’s what we know about what the Ioniq 6 range will come with:

Unlike the Ioniq 5, the digital side mirrors (which can be had in other markets) will be coming to Australia with the Ioniq 6.

It will also be the second model in Hyundai Australia’s lineup to feature the marque’s Bluelink connected car service – following on from its inclusion in the 2023 Palisade – and a complimentary five-year subscription will be included with every 6 sold locally.

“Ioniq 6 is designed and engineered to seamlessly enhance our daily lives as space to awaken your potential,” said Thomas Schemera, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Customer Experience Division at Hyundai Motor Company.

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“The innovative interior is meticulously thought out as a cocoon-like personal space, enhanced with the latest technologies to create a safe, fun, and stress-free driving experience. The spacious interior, with sustainability and usability at its heart, once again represents a step forward for electric vehicles, in line with the values of our customers.”

“Ioniq 6 connects an emotional convergence of functionality with aesthetics,” said SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Design Centre. “The distinctive streamlined design is the result of close cooperation between engineers and designers, with obsessive attention to detail and customer-centric values at the core. We have created the Ioniq 6 as a mindful cocoon that offers personalised place for all.”

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Powertrain, range and charging

The Ioniq 6 will share the same battery found in its EV6 cousin – the 77.4-kWh unit (which will be available on either the single-motor RWD or dual-motor AWD variants) and also come with a smaller 54kWh single-motor version overseas (RWD only) – which has been promised for the Ioniq 5 locally at a later date previously, but has not yet arrived. The Ioniq 5 uses a 72.6kWh battery, but all three models ride on the same electrified E-GMP platform.

Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 achieves a WLTP rated cruising range of 614km, ranking it among the best available on the Australian market.

The best-selling Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD is rated to 602km on the WLTP cycle.

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The Ioniq 6’s headline cruising range, however, applies only to the Long Range (77.4kWh) 2WD variant riding on 18-inch wheels. Stepping up to 20-inch wheels drops its claimed range to 545km.

A similar range penalty occurs on the Long Range AWD, too, with the 18-inch vehicle claiming 583km, which drops to 519km with the 20-inch wheels fitted.

The Standard (53kWh) 2WD-only variant is only fitted with 18-inch wheels and registers a claimed 429km.

However, in contrast to the Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 has a shorter wheelbase (2500 millimetres) – even though it is longer overall, making it a closer match to its petrol-powered Sonata N Line sibling. It’s 4855mm long, 1880mm wide and 1495mm tall and comes with a choice of 20-inch or 18-inch wheels. In addition, all seats are around 30 per cent thinner than those in other conventional non-EV models, providing more space for passengers.

As a low-slung sedan, aerodynamics played a significant role in the design of the Ioniq 6, which achieves a low drag coefficient of 0.21 when fitted with 18-inch wheels and digital side mirrors.

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Power and torque outputs for the RWD variants have not yet been given, but the top-spec dual-motor AWD option is said to be capable of providing 239kW/605Nm and can go from 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds. The Ioniq 5’s sprint times are rated at 7.4s for the RWD and 5.2s for the AWD using the 72.6kWh battery, with driving ranges at 451km (at launch, now bumped up to 481km) and 430km respectively.

Like its stablemates, the Ioniq 6 claims an ultra-fast 350kW charging time of 18 minutes to power it from 10 to 80 per cent, and can support both 400-V and 800-V charging. It also gains the vehicle-to-load (V2L) function that allows customers to charge any electric devices for; powering necessities during a power outage, camping or outdoor projects. V2L is enabled using an available accessory adaptor and goes into the outside charging port. In addition, there is a second outlet underneath the back row seat for charging laptops, phones and other devices.

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Though the Ioniq 6 shares similar powertrains with its forebear, Hyundai execs told media at an event this week that its extended driving range has been made possible through a series of innovative and technological enhancements, including to the vehicle’s aerodynamics compared to the 5, to make its energy conversion process more efficient.

As with all Hyundai models, the Ioniq 6 will go through Hyundai’s local tuning program, which evaluates various hardware components, such as dampers and springs, as well as tuning software compared to how it’s presented overseas “to select the best setup suited to our unique local conditions”.

Said program is carried out on local roads across Greater Sydney, but does not include bespoke local ECA tuning or damper builds, the manufacturer has confirmed.

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Safety

The Ioniq 6 features Hyundai SmartSense’s advanced driver assistance systems, including:

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Availability

Production for the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is slated to begin in the third quarter of 2022, with a launch set for Australia in the first half of 2023.

Hyundai would not be drawn on what it expects local sales to be like, but confirmed that “but like Ioniq 5 before it, we expect demand to significantly exceed supply for the foreseeable future”.

So far this year, 321 examples of the Ioniq 5 have been sold in Australia, in addition to the 172 last year, 585 Kona EVs and 338 units of the original Ioniq – now discontinued – EV.

Hyundai has confirmed the Ioniq 6 will be sold online in batches – as has been the case with the Ioniq 5 since its local launch in 2021. A further allocation of 130 examples of the latter went on sale yesterday providing a mix of colours and variants, with another 119 units of the top-spec Techniq AWD due to do the same on July 20, and another batch set to follow in August.

Ford is trialing a new home power management network that could avoid a looming widespread EV charging energy crisis before it ever happens.

While the number of electric vehicles on roads around the world continues to grow, providing enough power to charge them simultaneously will become an increasing challenge for electricity providers.

Ford has developed a system that connects a network of its battery-powered models into a smart grid that can actually help prevent interruptions and power ‘sag’ rather than cause them.

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Dubbed the Virtual Battery, Ford’s system connects a fleet of F-150 Lightning trucks on owner’s driveways via a monitoring and control system as well as the connection into the power grid.

If the power provider detects a spike of electricity demand that threatens to compromise or ‘brown-out’ supply, the bank – comprised of individual 131kWh batteries – can be called upon to either temporarily stop charging or even add power back into the system, preventing a supply interruption.

The smart part about Ford’s system is that each F-150 battery can be controlled individually, effectively creating a charging roster rather than attempting to charge all vehicles at the same time, which would cause the sag.

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Once the peak period has passed, the smart grid regains the capacity to return any charge that has been ‘borrowed’ from each vehicle and, if that happens to be during off-peak rates, the customer pays less for a top-up. Ford EV programs and Model E vice president Darren Palmer explains the maths.

“Multiple trucks are ready to go, and when the electricity company needs it they can command a truck to reverse the power and support the grid,” he said. “Even if it simply stops the truck charging and powers the home it’s connected to, it’ll be enough to save the grid.

“Each truck can take 20kW of charging [demand] off, plus give 10kW in so each truck can change the situation by 30kW and two trucks is 60kW. That would probably be enough to prevent a neighbourhood from browning-out.”

At this stage, the trial is only using the relatively large-battery Extended-Range Lightning which has bi-directional charging hardware as standard. In time, the Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit (which are also fitted with the necessary DC power port) will be able to contribute to a real-world Virtual Battery if it’s given the green light. The more vehicles that connect, the better the system works, says Palmer.

And the advantages don’t stop there. Backup power specialist Sunrun is partnering with Ford to install the required grid-tied inverter hardware that is available in ‘two flavours’.

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The most basic system allows the F-150 to be used as backup power only and provides the technology to feed electricity back into the grid if required or the household if there is an unavoidable power outage. “If the power goes out, the truck will power the home for three to 10 days.”

The second more advanced system incorporates solar charging as well, at a cost of about $6500 (A$10,000), and allows the homeowner to charge the F-150 with free electricity

As the cost of installing a whole-house generator hovers about the $13,000 (A$20,000), Sunrun’s install allows the F-150 Lightning to provide all the independence of a home generator as well as solar charging for about half the cost says Palmer.

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“It’s a half-price, whole-house generator that’ll run for ten days without AC. You start to get this feeling of – I’d like to power my own life, thanks.”

While other nations have facilitated the adoption of EVs through more aggressive strategies including Norway – which Palmer described as “vicious” – Ford’s approach including future features such as the Virtual Battery are less ‘stick’ and more ‘carrot’ by comparison.

“The UK and Europe for example, has put regulations in to make you have an EV. That’s very nice, but we want you to want an EV”.

Despite reports saying the five-door version of the Jimny has been signed off for production, there has not been any official confirmation of such a project. These images would suggest it certainly is happening.

Pre-production prototypes of the 2023 Suzuki Jimny five-door wagon have been spied testing in the high altitude Kashmir region of Ladakh near the India/Pakistan border.

The 5-door wagon version of the Jimny is reportedly being produced by Suzuki’s Indian arm, Maruti Suzuki and the camouflaged wagon was snapped in the high altitude mountains.

Alongside the prototype Jimny was a new Suzuki Grand Vitara (not for Australia) as well as a Mahindra Thar which would be a competitor to the Jimny in India.

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Despite reports saying that the five-door version of the Jimny has been signed off for production by Suzuki head office, there is yet to be any official confirmation of such a project. These images would suggest that it certainly is happening.

Earlier this year, the boss of Suzuki Australia, Michael Pachota said, “The moment that it’s available for our country, I will place as many orders as I can. When anything starts with the word Jimny it just ends in sales.”

The Jimny has been a huge success in Australia in 3-door configuration with demand far exceeding supply resulting in long wait times and jacked up prices for the diminutive off roader.

A 5-door Jimny would be even more appealing to many buyers as it offers the added practicality of a 5-door with extra seating and load carrying abilities.

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Auto website GaaadiWaadi.com suggest the five-door Jimny could debut as soon as early January 12, 2023 at the Delhi Auto Expo where a five-door Mahindra Thar is also expected to be unveiled.

There’s no official word on what would power the bigger Suzuki Jimny but the existing 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine would be a likely carry over.

Suzuki could also employ a more modern engine such as the 1.4-litre 48V mild-hybrid petrol engine found in some Suzuki models overseas. This engine would get the Jimny back in to the European countries where it has struggled to meet more stringent emission standards that the old 1.5L engine could not muster.

The story to here

September 9: Suzuki boss says five-door Jimny would be a smash hit in Australia

Local arm has its hand up for the as yet unconfirmed model

The head of Suzuki in Australia has said he’ll place as “many orders as [he] can” for a five-door Jimny the first chance he’s got.

Speaking to Wheels, General Manager Michael Pachota said the as yet unconfirmed model would fly off the shelves if it were to come to Australia.

Late last year the carmaker’s Indian arm reportedly signed off on the much-anticipated five-door Jimny Long, which is said to be powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, potentially with the addition of mild-hybrid technology.

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But Pachota says officially the model still does not exist.

“I can tell you there’s a lot of speculation out there, but can I confirm there’s one coming at all and or to Australia? No, I can’t,” he said.

“I can tell you one thing though, the moment that it’s available for our country, I will place as many orders as I can. When anything starts with the word Jimny it just ends in sales.

“It’s an unbelievable product, we are are definitely going to have our hands up for it.”

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Speaking at the launch of the new S-Cross small SUV this week, Pachota said Australia is an important market for Suzuki, ranking 10th globally.

And this year it is on track to have its best result ever in Australia, selling 2144 cars in August and 15,182 for the year so far – up 105 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.

Of those numbers, the Jimny was the breadwinner, shifting 672 off-roaders in August and 3630 for 2022 year-to-date – also its best month on record.

Despite a good month, wait times for the Jimny remain at least 12 months, having not stopped being in demand since it arrived locally in 2019.

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“Our success this year has been based on the fact that the supply rate has been better. This will be the biggest year for Suzuki Australia in its history,” said Pachota.

“But at the same time, if you can supply plenty of cars and you can’t sell them, then that’s a problem. We’ve been well ahead of our supply rate in terms of sales. So if you’re looking at our figures of what we’re supplying at the moment, then in some instances you can even double them because that’s really where we’re selling it.

“Jimny is the hero of the pack, and our supply rate for it has well and truly doubled and yet our order rate has done even better than that.

“We are constantly chasing our tail with Jimny unfortunately. But with that said, production is improving which is good. And every single new Jimny on the road is just another rolling billboard that we have for awareness of that product. Because we haven’t even marketed that car. When you see them in these cute little colours just driving around the streets, you just want one.”

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Last year Suzuki introduced the Jimny Lite in Australia, a stripped back version offered to try and meet demand while getting around the shortages of semiconductors.

The back-to-basics variant sacrifices the mod-cons from the normal Jimny with only a five-speed manual gearbox on offer, but continues to be powered by the 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine making 75kW/130Nm.

It also comes with 15-inch steel wheels rather than the existing alloys, as well as halogen projector headlights and no front fog lights, deleting the LED units normally found on the regular version.

Inside the cabin the same principle has been applied with the Apple CarPlay/Android Auto infotainment set-up removed in favour of a simpler in-dash radio/CD player, still featuring Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming and calls.

Hyundai’s chief stylist Simon Loasby has just three seconds to sell a new vehicle concept to one of the busiest, richest and most powerful men in Korea.

Just once a month, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung visits Loasby’s Seoul design studio. If Loasby manages to halt Chung’s progress in the metaphorical hallway, he uses another 30 crucial seconds to sell the concept further. After that, Chung is hooked – hopefully.

In charge of dozens of separate companies within the Hyundai empire, Chairman Chung might be busy, but he loves risky automotive styling. He’s directly credited with empowering the Korean carmaker’s design team to push the visual limits.

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That includes the 1980s-inspired, boxy IONIQ 5 electric vehicle; the Staria commercial van which makes tradies look like they’re driving something out of Tron; and even the basic Tucson with lines so sharp you could almost cut your finger.

It’s Chung’s appetite for gambling on design that has transformed Korea’s roads and made German design studios look old, stuffy and snoozy. Full of daringly-designed cars, at pedestrian level Seoul feels like a progressive, high-tech place. And that has a lot to do with the cars.

Unlike Australia, sedans are still the most popular type of vehicle in South Korea – so it was only a matter of time before we saw an all-electric sedan.

Enter the IONIQ 6 we’re driving today.

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According to Loasby’s three-second pitch, it’s “the most aerodynamic car we’ve ever done”.

Loasby says that at the start of the IONIQ 6 program in April 2019, when it was still but a blank piece of paper, he cheekily wore into Hyundai’s offices a custom-printed t-shirt emblazoned with “0.1X” – alluding to an ambition to get the IONIQ 6 under a 0.2 Cd drag coefficient.

Created around the same purpose-built “E-GMP” 800-volt dedicated electric architecture that underpins IONIQ 5 and the Wheels Car of the Year-winning Kia EV6, the IONIQ 6 has been sculpted by the wind tunnel.

Its 0.21 Cd drag coefficient didn’t quite meet Loasby’s lofty dream, but it’s still one of the lowest of any production vehicle. Mercedes’ own EQS – its first-ever dedicated electric vehicle – is the most aerodynamic series-production car in history, at 0.2 Cd.

2023 Hyundai IONIQ 6: The basics

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Hyundai’s aerodynamicists would have kept tapering to a point if allowed, but a two-metre rear overhang was deemed, well, impractical.

A Tesla Model 3 is 0.23, while the most aerodynamic (and low-volume) production car, the 2013 VW XL1, was 0.189. A new VW Golf is something like 0.275. Be in no doubt, the IONIQ 6’s 0.21 Cd is an impressive achievement.

Aerodynamics is key in the world of electric cars (as some owners have found when fixing surfboards to the roof racks of their new EVs and then attempting to go on extended road trips). In the case of the IONIQ 6 – which Hyundai calls an “electrified streamliner”; you’ll be frowned at for calling it a four-door sedan – it starts with its sloping roofline, converging at the rear for something of the classic teardrop shape.

Hyundai’s aerodynamicists would have kept tapering to a point if allowed, but a two-metre rear overhang was deemed, well, impractical. So were rear wheel spats and flat aero wheels like the XL1 – they trapped dirt, added cost and just didn’t make overall sense.

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Poking your head around the IONIQ 6’s exterior, you’ll find all the classic aerodynamic tricks – flush door handles, a completely flat under-floor, active aero flaps on the lower front bumper which open as the liquid-cooled battery pack demands, even video side mirrors whose antennae-like protrusions reduce drag and add 1.5km of range.

One other innovation is the “wheel gap reducer”, a bit of vertical plastic trim ahead of the front wheel which does what it says on the tin. This effectively extends the front overhang (a long front overhang is good for aero, apparently) and helps the airflow stick to the side of the car.

Hyundai says this was just some random idea a designer had, that they tried, which turned out to work surprisingly well. Expect to see it on other models in future.

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The attention to aero adds 107 kilometres of extra range, if you compare the IONIQ 6 with the boxy 0.288 Cd IONIQ 5, using the same 239kW dual-motor powertrain and 77.4kWh battery (614km claimed WLTP range versus 507km). This figures comes with a few catches which exclude using an IONIQ 6 to power your dishwasher. We’ll come back to them.

Loasby informs Wheels there was no friction – pardon the pun – between Hyundai’s styling team and aerodynamicists. “They were great”. That means, we are left to assume, that the final styling is what he wanted. As ever, we’ll leave judgement to you.

In the end, the slug-shaped IONIQ 6 looks as if the team filled a simmering cauldron with different car designs and ladled-out whatever bubbled up. The rear looks like something a 992 911 would regret after a saucy night with an AU Falcon. It’s certainly different – not that it turned many heads in Seoul. Even Hyundai’s hottest new electric car can’t get a South Korean fizzy like a Ferrari does a red-blooded Italian.

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In the end, the slug-shaped IONIQ 6 looks as if the team filled a simmering cauldron with different car designs and ladled-out whatever bubbled up.

The IONIQ 6’s oily bits – not that there are that many – are a 168kW/350Nm motor out back, and a 71kW/255Nm motor up front offering all-wheel drive. The high-tech lithium-ion battery pack supports up to 350kW DC fast-charging (although it’ll generally peak at around 230kW as a battery preservation function), which can top the battery up from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes.

In Australia, on a typical single-phase 7kW AC at-home charging wall-box, the IONIQ 6 will go from flat to full in about 12 hours; utilising its maximum 11kW three-phase AC charging capability reduces that to more like eight hours.

Like the IONIQ 5, the IONIQ 6 supports “vehicle-to-load” inside and out, meaning it can power 240V appliances like a kettle, hair-dryer, laptop, and so on. (No, you can’t plug it into itself, although you can recharge other EVs in a pinch.)

Range-wise, only the 2WD model with 18-inch wheels gets the full 614km. We tested an AWD model with 20-inch wheels whose computer was reporting 352km range at 83 per cent capacity (but also we motoring journos have hooves instead of feet).

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The dual-motor IONIQ 6 weighs about 2100kg, claims a 0-100km/h time of 5.1 seconds and will cost about $80,000 when it arrives in Australia early next year. A cheaper rear-drive single motor variant will also be offered.

In the metal, the IONIQ 6 is surprisingly long. Indeed, its 2950mm wheelbase – 50mm shorter than IONIQ 5 – is still basically as long as a new Range Rover, lending it huge rear legroom and generous overall cabin capacity (even if rear headroom is tight). Elbow room for front occupants, odd as it is to single that out, is lovely, like sitting in a low-backed armchair.

With sun streaming in through the enormous moonroof, in white trim the IONIQ 6’s interior feels huge and light-filled. There are delightful details everywhere, inside and out.

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Ahead of you is the futuristic twin-spoke steering wheel with four illuminated trademark IONIQ pixels, the large dual 12-inch displays for instruments and infotainment, further flanked by additional small live video displays for the side mirrors. The material choices are lovely and the build quality feels rock-solid.

The driving position is good, but you sit slightly high and ‘on’ the car rather than ‘in’ it. Any option to make the seat go lower would have been nice, as would some extra steering reach adjustment. From the driver’s seat, the bonnet plunges away out of view, and the top of the windscreen is surprisingly low – like the roof’s been chopped.

With no sense of an engine starting, the IONIQ 6’s creators have – like all other electric cars – charmed it with all sorts of different chimes and bongs to audibly communicate what it’s ready to do next.

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Twist the steering column drive mode selector into D and with a prod of the throttle the IONIQ 6 moves away silently, like a giant golf buggy.

Up to about 25km/h it uses an external speaker to produce a slightly eerie noise to warn pedestrians. Funnily, it’s distinctive enough that if you can only hear it coming, you know it’s a Hyundai IONIQ 6.

There’s also an odd, synthetic interior noise which matches its pitch to your speed, and has three levels of volume. It’s hard to describe what it sounds like; imagine a choir of robots singing a low hymn, changing in pitch excitedly as you accelerate and decelerate, like a cheer squad.

From 70km/h, it’s like a second choir of different robots chimes in. It’s interesting but, gladly, it’s also easy to deactivate. After the novelty (quickly) wore off we preferred to give the fake robot choir an early mark and just enjoy one of the major perks of electric motoring – quietude.

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Now, those camera side mirrors.

Initially stressful, they make you wish there was a button to have normal side mirrors fold out, especially if you are first thrust into busy Seoul traffic like we were. But you get used to them – and learn to trust them, and even prefer them to normal mirrors. Red and yellow depth perception lines pop up on the displays as you hit the indicator, making lane-changes a doddle.

Lane-changes on the driver’s side take just a glance without having to move your head, which is a pleasant conserving of precious kilojoules. Overall, they’re interesting and novel – and, importantly, functional – even if the protruding camera stalks themselves seem a bit of a missed opportunity.

Quite chunky, they obscure a surprising amount of forward vision. We didn’t get a chance to ask why the cameras couldn’t just have been mounted on the A-pillars. Just as question-raising was why there are video side mirrors… but then a conventional rear-vision mirror.

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While the IONIQ 6 is nice and easy to drive around town – quiet, smooth, punchy, responsive, fast – we noticed our first minor grievance: the ride quality on our 20-inch-wheel-shod test car. The suspension feels tuned for sporty driving rather than pillow-soft comfort.

It’s very comfortable, but not in a wafting kind-of-way. Hyundai’s aerodynamicist told us air suspension and a lower ride height would further reduce the 0.21 Cd drag coefficient. If it was available, improved the ride quality and extended the range, it would have been a worthwhile option – even at $10,000, we reckon.

Like the IONIQ 5, the IONIQ 6 offers six levels of regenerative braking immediately adjustable via steering wheel pedals – including the much-fawned-over “one-pedal” mode sought after by many new electric vehicle owners.

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If air suspension were available, improved the ride quality and extended the range, it would have been a worthwhile option – even at $10,000, we reckon.

This winds the electric motor recuperation up so high, you don’t really need to use the brakes. Just ease out of the accelerator pedal. You can turn recuperation off completely and use the brake pedal as normal, if you wish.

On the motorway, the IONIQ 6’s wind noise is impressively low – a bugbear of many other electric models. If it wasn’t for tyre noise, the IONIQ 6 would be whisper quiet. The IONIQ 6 offers semi-autonomous cruise control able to steer itself hands-free at motorway speeds for about 10 seconds, before it asks you to give a steering input.

It works well and is easy to trust. Although in traffic jams, while it will automatically come to a stop, you have to press a steering-wheel button or poke the accelerator to instruct it to start moving again, making naptime potentially ruinous.

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With 239kW from the dual-motor IONIQ 6, throttle response is instant. Acceleration is punchy from a standstill and enough to give unsuspecting passengers an adrenaline rush.

Such is its instant wallop, the IONIQ 6 feels like it would have a 911 Turbo-rivalling 0-20km/h or 0-30km/h time, but after that the power starts tapering. It’s a heavy car, after all. Bring on the N version, we say.

In the corners, the IONIQ 6 is great up until about six tenths. With the weight very low in the car, and on its sporty suspension, it sits quite flat, and lulls you into thinking it’s a lighter, more capable car. Its lower weight and ride height certainly gives it more handling chops than the taller, brickier IONIQ 5. But also it promises more.

While you do get used to the weight of the IONIQ 6 and its effect on the handling, you’re always aware of it. Driven hard on a twisty road, the IONIQ 6 asks you to brake earlier and harder than you first expect, with the brakes themselves getting hot and fading quickly.

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It doesn’t take much corner speed to overwhelm the 245/40 Pirelli P-Zero tyres, either, where the IONIQ 6 starts lapsing into early understeer, not helped by its length and wheelbase. Also the steering has very little feel, and its ratio could be slightly faster.

Like all other fast electric cars, judging your speed is also tricky with no engine and gears and only rising tyre and wind noise as your auditory references. You have to rely more on visual cues – how quickly everything is rushing at you through the windscreen – to discern how fast you’re going. Which takes some getting used to.

There’s a steering wheel Drive mode button with Eco, Normal and Sport, but keen drivers will delight to find a surprising amount of further adjustment and customisation in the IONIQ 6 (although buried deep in the centre screen menu – a shortcut button of some sort would be nice).

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Like all other fast electric cars, judging your speed is also tricky with no engine and gears and only rising tyre and wind noise as your auditory references.

The brake-by-wire has Normal and Sport pedal modes. Power output and accelerator pedal sensitivity are adjustable. The steering has Normal and Sport modes. Most enticing, there’s a Driveline mode where, with the press of your index finger, you can switch between rear-drive, all-wheel drive and Auto AWD modes.

Rear-drive mode, unsurprisingly, makes the IONIQ 6 more fun in the corners. It dulls the performance somewhat (in only utilising the rear, 168kW/350Nm motor) but the IONIQ 6 still packs plenty of instant punch and, with the ESC in a reduced setting, can even muster up some throttle steer.

That means a rear-drive character is available if you search hard enough for it – although it’s sort of like a BMW 330i with an open differential. It’s enough, however, to make your inner P-plater want to find an empty parking lot and experiment. And enough to get you excited for the inevitable IONIQ 6 N which is set to pack serious electric punch – and drift mode. Woo.

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After a while, though, you want to wind back the hard driving in the IONIQ 6, just because you feel like you’re hurting it. After even a brief sporting drive, the brakes get smelly, the tyres hot and the front active aero flaps open with electric fans whirring away to cool the battery pack.

Ultimately, the IONIQ 6 is best enjoyed for the same party trick it shares with many other electric models: its punchy, passenger-startling near-silent acceleration.

Bristling with technology and covered in Hyundai’s new pixel design language, the IONIQ 6 is a triumph – and a definite new drain to Elon Musk’s world domination plans. With Korean order books already at capacity, there’s no doubt it will be a sell-out success in Australia as well, like the IONIQ 5.

Not that we would need even three seconds to have explained that.