Hyundai Ioniq Electric 2021 Review

The newest electric vehicles on the market, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagen ID.4, offer more than 250 miles of range. That's great for long-distance travel, but it comes by way of large battery packs. And the bigger the pack, the higher the cost. What if your EV needs could be satisfied by a smaller model without the budget-busting price tag? That's where the 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Electric starts to make a lot of sense.

The Ioniq Electric is the fully electric version of the Ioniq; Hyundai also offers a regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid Ioniq. As for the Electric, its price undercuts those newer EV rivals by thousands of dollars. It's also more efficient when using electricity, which is like saying it gets better mpg in gasoline terms. However, its EPA-estimated range of 170 miles on a fully charged battery is among the shortest distances for an EV in 2021. How big of a deal is that? Check out our Expert Rating below for a comprehensive breakdown of the Ioniq Electric's greatest hits and misses.

Which Ioniq Electric does MatoCar recommend?

The 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Electric is an electric vehicle offered in a hatchback body style and two trims: SE and Limited. The Ioniq Electric uses a 100-kW electric motor (134 horsepower, 218 lb-ft of torque) that draws power from a 38.3-kWh battery pack. Range on a full charge is an EPA-estimated 170 miles.

If you like this all-electric Ioniq but need a car that uses gasoline, the mechanically similar Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid or Ioniq Hybrid (both reviewed separately) should suffice.

SE The entry-level Ioniq Electric is generously equipped with:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Heated mirrors
• Keyless entry and ignition
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Height-adjustable, heated front seats
• Automatic climate control
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (with wireless connection capability)
• Satellite radio

Standard advanced safety features include:

• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Hyundai and the car in front)
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
• Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)

Limited Includes everything above, plus:

• LED headlights
• Power-folding mirrors
• Sunroof
• Ambient interior lighting
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Rear air vents
• Power driver's seat with lumbar support and memory settings
• Leather upholstery
• Navigation system
• Wireless charging pad
• 10.25-inch touchscreen (deletes the wireless connection capability for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto)
• Eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)