2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Spied Up Close Hiding Production Body

Even though Hyundai has already previewed the Ioniq 7 large SUV with the SEVEN concept, we have yet to see the Ioniq 6 in production guise. The good news is we won't have to wait much longer to discover the electric sedan since a prototype was caught undergoing final testing in Europe with slightly less camouflage. Although not as exciting as the Prophecy concept, we are anxious to see the production model with its fastback-esque rear end.

The Ioniq 5's pixel lighting motif is evident here by looking at the taillights peeking through the camouflage. Cutouts in the disguise applied onto the trunk lid are likely there for the rear camera and the third brake light, while the exposed rear windshield confirms the Ioniq 6 will be a sedan rather than a more practical liftback. A built-in spoiler mirroring the concept should easily make the EV stand out.

Hyundai's answer to the Tesla Model 3 rides on a set of aero-optimized wheels and shows off a tiny quarter glass while masking the pop-out door handles inherited form the Ioniq 5. It’s easy to see the roofline slopes towards the rear, which will certainly have a negative impact on available headroom for rear passengers. The rear overhang is quite long for a dedicated EV, but that should translate into a fairly spacious cargo area.

We can't help but wonder why there are two cutouts in the camouflage applied onto the front trunk, although that doesn’t necessarily mean Hyundai is up to something. From what we can see, the headlights are substantially different than those of the Prophecy concept and there are holes in the camo for the camera and parking sensors. Also noticeable is the large radar sensor right below the license plate.

As you might have heard, Hyundai has allegedly delayed the model's launch until mid-2022 to stretch the body by 20 millimeters (0.8 inches) and restyle the bumpers. In addition, the Korean Economic Daily reported back in August 2021 about how the engineers want to cram in the larger 77.4-kWh battery instead of the 72.6-kWh pack. If these capacities seem familiar, the Ioniq 5 is offered with both and rumored to switch to the bigger one (already available in the United States) all over the world.

One other potential reason why the Ioniq 6 has been pushed back has to do with Hyundai having to revamp the Asan factory in South Korea where the zero-emission sedan will be assembled.