Last month, Hyundai confirmed that this would be the year it would launch its three-row electric SUV. We’ve been waiting some time for it to materialize, since the company showed its Seven concept, seemingly previewing the SUV, way back in 2021. We’re getting an early look at it thanks to new spy photos, and it most definitely follows the pattern set by the Seven.
The basic profile fits the concept, though the roof looks taller. The whole SUV looks longer, too. And naturally, the rear-hinged rear doors of the concept have been abandoned for conventional examples. All of these changes are surely to provide more space inside for both people and cargo. Still, the windshield is steeply raked and makes a clean arch all the way through to the rear like the show vehicle.
Looking at the front, we’re expecting a similar fascia to the concept and other Ioniq models, particularly the main light bar across the front, and a pillar of LEDs on either side. Up close, we can see some amber LEDs above and below the main light bar, with each “pixel” spaced out a bit. And the wheel arches are fairly pronounced separate sections from the sheet metal. They’re a bit like more conservative versions of the contrasting fenders on the little Kona. Underneath them are 21-inch wheels.
The rear is heavily covered, so it’s tough to make out much. But one detail is very faithful to the concept: the taillights. The full arch of LEDs has made it to production, and it all illuminates under braking.
These photos also give us our first real look at the interior. This is much more a typical Ioniq interior, starting with a pair of large screens in a single monolith. They sit on top of a low shelf of a dashboard. The steering wheel seems to be the boxy-shaped unit from the Santa Fe, and has illuminated “pixels” like on other Ioniqs. Generous amounts of silver painted plastic cover the interior.
The instrument panel also gives an interesting bit of information. We can clearly see a range estimate and charge status. At 95% charge, the SUV is reporting an estimated of range of 308 miles, with high and low estimates of 480 and 208 respectively. Those extremes are, well, definitely extremes. The 308-mile, though, would seem believable, as the Kia EV9, which also sits on the E-GMP platform, and should be fairly analogous to the Hyundai, has an EPA range of 304 miles on a full charge.
We’re anticipating a reveal of the biggest Ioniq at the L.A. Auto Show, in keeping with Hyundai’s confirmation, the completeness of this prototype, and the popularity of three-row SUVs in the U.S. Powertrains will likely be similar to the EV9 with a single-motor rear-wheel-drive model with long- and short-range battery packs, plus a dual-motor all-wheel-drive version with just the long-range pack. Horsepower should range from a bit over 200 horsepower for the base models and 379 horsepower like the dual-motor EV9.