Say hello to…
…the Ioniq, Hyundai’s full-size, all-electric SUV that’s just scooped a category win in the 2026 UK Car of the Year awards. It’s also the sister car to Kia’s EV9. The Hyundai comes in three powertrain options. All have a 110kWh battery but the entry level Premium version is rear-drive and has a 218hp motor. Ultimate trim means all-wheel drive and 307hp, while Calligraphy takes the power to 427hp and can be optioned with a six seat cabin, rather than the usual seven-seat layout.
Hyundai is offering the Ioniq 9 in three trim levels:
- Premium
- Ultimate
- Calligraphy
Standard equipment on the Premium trim level includes 19-inch alloys, powered and heated front seats, three-zone climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, adaptive cruise control with stop-go function, powerfold door mirrors, heated steering wheel, heat pump, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, powered boot lid, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12.3-inch infotainment screen, 6x USB sockets and wireless phone charger.
Ultimate adds surround view monitor, blind spot view, uprated stereo, 20-inch alloys, noise cancelling, powered steering wheel adjust, rear door window blinds, park assist, side parking sensors, head-up display, panoramic roof, power fold rear seats and ventilated front seats.
Calligraphy adds 21-inch alloys and uprated interior trim.
Is the Hyundai Ioniq 9 suitable for my fleet?
Hyundai’s Ioniq 9 ticks a lot of boxes for the company car market. As well as being big and practical with a good range, the Ioniq 9 has an impressive maximum charge speed of 250kW. It’s also fitted with a heatpump as standard and in our testing we found it was more efficient on a long motorway cruise rather that lower-speed, local journeys. While, over all our driving, we averaged 2.4m/kWh, on a long motorway journey it was returning 2.6m/kWh, which would life the real-world range from 254 miles to 275 miles.
Leasing a Hyundai Ioniq 9
Gateway2lease is offering the seven-seat Ultimate specification Ioniq 9 for £810 a month on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Gensen forecasts monthly maintenance costs to be £38.
Class 1A NIC comes in at £30 a month.
Driving a Hyundai Ioniq 9
As you’d hope, the large family SUV is easy and comfortable to drive. Refinement, too, is excellent. While the car is at the upper end of size chart for UK passenger cars, it doesn’t feel too large on UK roads. Where the size is noticeable is in car parks, where you’ll want to pick your space carefully. However, the surround view camera system that’s standard on all but the entry trim is very good and clear and help manoeuvering.
The other advantage to the car’s size is the view out. You sit level with Transit van drivers, giving great visibility forward.
Rear visibility is compromised if you forget to lower the rearmost seat headrests and in wet weather, the rear wiper doesn’t quite clear enough of the screen.
The ADAS systems are relatively easy to disable. You can pre-set some to the steering wheel shortcut buttons, but not all.
These minor points aside, the Ioniq 9 impresses.
As well as being loaded with tech and kit, there’s a useful number of drive modes, including off-road setting with the all-wheel drive versions. Plus Hyundai offers four levels of regenerative braking, accessed through wheel-mounted paddles, including full one-pedal driving.
The brakes themselves are reassuring and progressive.
Overall, the experience is hugely positive. If you need either ultimate boot space in five-seat layout or seven-seats because you’re carrying lots of passengers, the Ioniq 9 is an excellent choice.
Verdict on the Hyundai Ioniq 9
Big and comfortable with a good range and fast charge speed.
Hyundai Ioniq 9
- Model: Ioniq 9 Ultimate
- Power: 307hp
- Torque: 605Nm
- Max speed: 124mph
- 0-62mph: 6.7s
- Official range: 376 miles
- Test range: 254 miles
- CO2 emissions: 0g/km
- BIK tax band 2025/26: 3%
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