THE Hyundai Ioniq range of EV, hybrid and petrol C-segment sedans is expected to land in Australian showrooms in 2017, yet the new Toyota Prius rival also points to the next i30 hatchback.

Shown at the New York Motor Show only weeks after the official unveiling at Geneva, the Ionic range is made up of three sedans, each with a different powertrain. There’s a full EV, as well as both plug-in and regular hybrids.

They’re built on a brand new front-drive platform not used for any other model range. With Hyundai’s i30 one of the oldest cars in the showroom – and most important in terms of sales – the Ioniq’s C-segment sized platform is a natural match for Hyundai to amortise the costs of the new architecture.

Hyundai -Ioniq -front -side

They not only include the hybrid technology, but also tech such as fuel-saving stop-start engines and a dual-clutch transmission.

On sale in the US towards the end of 2016, the Ioniq will be offered in 50 US states – the same commitment made over at the Toyota stand for its plug-in model, the Toyota Prius Prime. And although Hyundai won’t directly compare its Ioniq to the Prius, Hyundai Motor America product planner John Shon said that it would have to be price competitive with similarly sized rivals.

Hyundai -I30-FRONT-SIDE

Hyundai Australia is chasing the plug-in and regular hybrid Ioniq for a proposed launch in 2017.

“Nothing’s been locked in at this stage – and we’re not ruling out the full electric, either,” said Hyundai Australia spokesman Guido Schenken.