u/Daniel_KOT_V2

​

Preamble

5,000 miles on the IONIQ 9 — enough to understand whether expectations match reality. Overall, they do. I have something to compare with: 6 years on Tesla, the entire lineup from Model X, S, and Y. So my opinion is well-founded.

Appearance

Controversial, but easy to get used to. And it even starts to grow on you. Still a rare specimen on the roads, but lately it's becoming more common. Every time you spot another IONIQ 9, it's an event.

Dynamics and Handling

More than enough. Haven't tried the Sport mode yet, but in regular mode the car drives like a good sports car. You constantly have to remind yourself that the weight and inertia of the machine can significantly increase the braking distance.

The IONIQ 9 is definitely a highway car. That's its element. On the motorway, everything is there: comfort, silence, and power. Plenty of everything.

Fuel Consumption and Efficiency

Tricky business. The most efficient temperature is +24°C. The car comfortably gets 300 W/mile even at speeds of 70–80 mph. In normal temperature, around the city, consumption stays in the range of 230–250 W/mile.

With a 100+ kWh battery, this gives a range of 250–320 miles on a single charge. For a car with a dry weight under 3.5 tons — quite acceptable.

Comfort and Sound

The cabin is very quiet. With music on, it becomes a concert hall inside.

The number of options and assistance systems is enormous: massages, sunroof with blind, everything you need. Basically, a small house on wheels.

Minor Annoying Things

Plastic everywhere

The Koreans cut corners on the little things. Lots of bare and thin plastic inside. Because of this, enjoying the quiet is somewhat problematic. Any little thing in the tray, in the doors, in the center console, or cup holders easily turns into an annoying noise. I even had to buy felt to line the trays. There are plenty of them all over the car.

Assistance systems are too sensitive

When maneuvering in parking lots, exits, or narrow roads, the distance sensor may decide that it's not enough and simply stop the car, hitting the brakes for you. On the one hand, with the large dimensions, this should help avoid scratches, but often there's more than enough space.

The same applies to the eye-tracking system. Any diversion of the eyes longer than two seconds — the system starts demanding you not get distracted from the road. There are even paradoxical situations: when turning the wheel, the side spoke blocks the eye-tracking camera, the car panics, even though you have no intention of getting distracted.

ADAS lags behind Tesla

Even Tesla's basic cruise works better. On the highway, there's not much confidence. Sometimes it loses the plot and starts weaving across the lane, looking like a drunk driver. The system can be significantly improved with an additional device, but it's expensive and not critical for now.

High wheel flare height — a real plus

Where I used to guarantee scraping the wheel rim on Tesla, here I just roll through and slip by. Rims without a single scratch. Tesla owners will understand.

Serious Problems

Software — a sore subject

Despite no complaints about the hardware (Koreans really know how to build cars), there are many questions about the software.

Android Auto glitches constantly

The most unpleasant thing is that Android Auto occasionally crashes. This is a Hyundai glitch that they've been fighting in every firmware update and still can't fix. Sometimes everything works smoothly for weeks. And sometimes it gets stuck in an endless loop of connection and disconnection. I'm inclined to think it's weather-related.

Phone overheating on the charger

A huge problem. Android Auto requires serious performance from your phone, which causes it to heat up. Additional heat from the wireless charger really warms it up. After that, a message appears on the screen about phone performance issues.

The only thing that helps is moving the phone to the air vent. Looks awkward, haven't found a better alternative for a phone holder yet.

Door Locking — an anti-feature

Hyundai continues to lock you inside the car. If you lock the car from the app or keyfob, you cannot get out — not at all. The door opening buttons inside stop working. The door handles from inside and even from outside don't work either.

I don't know why Hyundai does this, but the same thing happened on all previous generations of IONIQ. I even filed a complaint with them, but never got a response.

Door closing is a whole separate story, which I've already written about in earlier posts.

Matte Paint

The matte finish makes me happy. I'm not particularly careful with paintwork — scratches appear with enviable regularity. But matte paint forgives me for this.

Summary

Nothing has broken, and that's a relief. In a week, I'm heading on vacation with a couple thousand additional miles. Let's see how it all goes.

The IONIQ 9 is a good car. The hardware is solid. The software needs work, but that's a matter of time. Serious issues like door locking — that's more a question of corporate philosophy than engineering. But overall? I recommend it. Especially if you're not fussy about every scratch and are willing to let the car teach you to drive better.