Hardcore Hyundai Ioniq 6 N with huge wing spotted testing

This is our best look yet at the long-awaited Hyundai Ioniq 6 N: the lower and sleeker sibling of our Performance Car of the Year for 2024 – the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N – and a new challenger for the Tesla Model 3 Performance.

Hyundai planted the seed for the Ioniq 6 N back in 2022, when it revealed the RN22e concept car. It featured a much more aggressive styling than the standard Ioniq 6 saloon and a massive rear wing which, somewhat surprisingly, appears to have made its way onto the production model.

Design changes compared with the regular Ioniq 6 include a redesigned front bumper, with more pronounced air vents on either side and what look to be a large central air intake. This would help cool the battery and motors underneath the car. Meanwhile, the wheels are wider than standard and partially hide a set of big, bright red brake calipers.

It appears that the Ioniq 6 N has also received some wheelarch extensions, and the rear bumper has been tweaked to look more aggressive, too. The most noticeable change is, of course, the massive rear wing, below which is the standard car’s ducktail spoiler.

The Ioniq 6 N should feature the same 641bhp, dual-motor set-up as the Ioniq 5 N, as well as that car’s 84kWh battery and 800V charging system. There’s no reason why we couldn’t see an even higher power figure for the sportier bodystyle, but this is only speculation at the moment. 

We suspect that the Ioniq 6 N will also feature the same novelties and clever driving modes as its award-winning sibling, such as synthesised soundtracks that mimic the exhaust note of a petrol hot hatch and the ‘N e-Shift’ system that’s supposed to simulate gearshifts from an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

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It’s still far too early to speculate about performance figures, but we expect the Ioniq 6 N will at least match the 5 N’s 3.4-second 0-62mph time, and offer its drift and N Grin Boost modes. In terms of handling, it’ll still run a coil-spring suspension set-up, but given the saloon’s lower centre of gravity, it could be even more engaging to drive than the somewhat more upright 5. 

Inside, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N will probably pick up more sporty design elements, such as the 5 N’s new steering wheel and bucket seats. However, the basic interior architecture won’t change too much, and the standard Ioniq 6 already feels quite cosseting, thanks to its large centre console. 

Hyundai hasn’t confirmed a specific timing for the Ioniq 6 N yet, but it should arrive sometime in 2025. We should learn more when the facelifted version of the regular Hyundai Ioniq 6 is revealed.

Now read our review of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N...