Hyundai IONIQ 3

Not so good though is that Advance spec doesn’t have the driver display so relies on the speed readout on the central screen which we don’t much like as your eyes drift away from the road ahead. Advance doesn’t come with Sat Nav either, so you’ll need to connect your smartphone to access a navigation app.

Equipment

Advance does though come with 16-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, front & rear parking sensors, a reversing camera & the smaller 12.9” touchscreen. Premium adds 17-inch alloys, battery preconditioning, blind spot monitoring, a wireless phone charger, V2L & the drivers display.  Ultimate comes next with 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, metal-effect exterior trim, adaptive headlights & ambient lighting. N Line EVO complete the line-up with bodykit, 19-inch wheels, a large sportier rear wing, N Line upholstery, 360 degree camera & the larger touchscreen.

Whilst N Line looks the part it shaves 20 miles off the cars driving range & felt decidedly slower than the Long Range Advance model we also drove which we still haven’t figured out.

Charging

Another oddity is that the Standard Range beats the Long Range’s 110kW maximum charging rate with speeds of up to 119kW, although differences in charging curves mean both can be topped up from 10-80 per cent in 30 minutes. In our experience public fast chargers tend charge at 100kW or lower so both are competitive. As ever charge at home whenever you can when cheaper overnight tariffs are available. A full charge of the larger battery from 0-100% would take 8 hours 35 mins. https://www.rolecserv.com/ev-products/evo

Cabin practicality

Twin centre cup holders, slim but long door pockets, a lower down area in the centre, a medium sized glove box & under armrest space with one front & two rear USB’s. A wireless charger fan features on some versions.

The cabin comes with plenty of front & rear leg & headroom but it’s probably not large enough for three to sit comfortably in the rear. One thing we like is the inclusion of physical climate buttons. However Hyundai has decided to put the wiper & light function on the touchscreen which we’re not fans of.

It’s worth knowing that the rear window is impeded by the spoiler so reverse parking isn’t as easy as in other cars, whilst the boot is a generous at 441 litres with Hyundai’s Megabox storage void under the floor accounting for a third of this.

Driving

First up was the Long Range Advance which definitely feels nippier than the N Line we drove after. The cars sits low down to the road so offers a road-hugging feel which we took advantage of on some winding Welsh roads. The drivetrain is controlled rather than exciting, so there isn’t that much in the way of super fast acceleration & at the top end & once over 50mph, the power dissipates & the car feels sluggish. And you’ll notice a bit of wind & road noise at higher speeds but it’s not that intrusive.

Steering though is excellent being light & precise & if you go into Sport mode the extra weight added makes this even better & it really shines on tight corners. In the N Line model the lack of top end power was more noticeable, but the IONIQ 3 hasn’t really been set up to compete with a Cupra Raval, more sister brands Kia EV2 & in that respect it’s a touch more exciting to drive than its Korean counterpart.

The existing IONIQ models feature excellent regenerative braking & so does the 3. Shift up or down using the steering wheel paddles or hold up for a couple of seconds, to go straight to one-pedal. Utilising the Auto Regen will enable the car to decide which levels to use based on traffic flow & distance to the vehicle head & is another useful tool to aid driving range.

Incredibly competitively priced, looks the mustard & is very well kitted out. Rides & handles better than most of its competitors. Features one of the best brake regeneration set-up’s of any car.

Cons

Still too much is controlled through the touchscreen. Base model Advance handles better than the N Line, but doesn’t feature the excellent drivers display.

The IONIQ 3 ticks plenty of company car boxes & is great value compared to even the Renault 5. The on-board tech & safety is exceptional & it’s a really attractive car from the outside & certainly more interesting than the Kia EV2. What’s not so good is the reliance on the central touchscreen for some basic functions & that Advance doesn’t come with the Driver Display, because the entry level model is arguably the version that’s the most fun to drive & in Standard Range, is the best value for money EV in the class.

A handsome devil 3.75/5

Prices as tested

Advance Long Range £25,745