The Hyundai Ioniq debuted in 2016 as the brand’s first vehicle powered exclusively by electrified powertrains. With three years under its belt, it hasn’t exactly been a breakout success story the way the second generation Toyota Prius was in the mid-2000s and has been significantly outsold by its platform-mate, the Kia Niro. Heading into year four, the Ioniq is getting a mid-cycle update with some exterior tweaks but more substantive changes inside and under the metal.
The battery electric variant does get a major upgrade though. Previously, the Ioniq Electric was one of the most affordable and energy efficient BEVs on the market with a starting price of just over $30,000 and EPA efficiency rating of 136 MPGe. Part of how that was achieved was by keeping weight down with a smaller, lighter battery with just 28-kWh of capacity. That was enough for just 124-miles of range.
The 2020 Ioniq also adds more standard and optional driver assist features. Forward collision alert, auto high-beams and driver attention monitor are standard. Blindspot monitors and adaptive cruise control, lane following and highway driving assist function are now available as extra cost options. The latter is similar in function to Nissan’s ProPilot Assist.