<div id="readability-page-1"><div><p>The first impression of a new electric vehicle is usually quite accurate. Even before setting off, you get a sense of its quality, craftsmanship, and the functionality of its systems. After just a few metres, you notice tyre noise and suspension comfort. With every kilometre driven, the wealth of information grows—regarding driving behaviour, the powertrain, energy consumption, range, and other interior details that stand out, whether positively or negatively. Reflections on surfaces, for example, can obscure displays and controls, while acoustics can change rapidly on the motorway at cruising speeds.</p><p>However, these are still only first impressions. Energy consumption, for instance, is only representative of the conditions on the day of the event—a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) that is quite efficient at 20 degrees Celsius may consume significantly more in winter with a less efficient heating system. Additionally, due to the limited time available during such events—and the now substantial ranges of electric vehicles—proper charging tests are rarely possible.</p><p>During the first drive in July 2025, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 made a strong impression. As for the question of whether a seven-seater SUV in the five-metre class is practical, I refer, as I did then, to the BMW i5 Touring, which has very similar dimensions in terms of length and width but falls short in almost every category when it comes to practicality. With a displayed consumption of just 16.0 kWh/100 km according to the onboard computer, the rear-wheel-drive Ioniq 9, boasting a WLTP range of 620 kilometres, stood out particularly positively. However, the question immediately arose: could the Ioniq 9 deliver the same performance under different conditions, such as colder temperatures and a 50-kilometre trip through the Rheingau region?</p><h2>How does the van perform on the motorway?</h2><p>To answer this, Hyundai later provided the same test vehicle from the first drive for an extensive test. This was the Ioniq 9 with a 110 kWh battery and a 160 kW rear-wheel-drive powertrain. The mid-range Techniq trim (starting at €77,500) already offers many features but is not quite as luxurious or high-quality as the Uniq trim. According to Hyundai, only ten per cent of customers are expected to opt for the base model (starting at €68,500), meaning the Techniq trim with the long-range rear-wheel-drive powertrain is likely to be one of the most popular variants of this large SUV.</p><p>Instead of driving through the summery Rheingau region, I primarily took the Ioniq 9 on the motorway, at single-digit temperatures. How would energy consumption fare under less-than-ideal temperatures and higher speeds? How reliably and flexibly does the charging planning work? And can the Ioniq 9 fully utilise its up to 233 kW charging power in everyday conditions?</p><p>The first trip started from Düsseldorf, heading north towards Lüneburg. The roughly 400-kilometre journey could just about be completed without a charging stop—if the system were willing to attempt it. However, the system suggested a charging stop along the route. I would have likely made one anyway, as the drive through the Ruhrgebiet’s heavy commuter traffic was expected to take nearly five hours. A break for the driver was necessary on this route, and if the car was stationary, it could charge.</p><p>Since the traffic jam forecast for the Ruhrgebiet motorways changed repeatedly, the route and charging planning also fluctuated. At times, the southern route via the A2 to Hanover and then the A7 seemed faster, while at others, the northern route via the A1 past Münster to Bremen and Hamburg, before continuing on the A39 to Lüneburg, appeared more efficient. On the southern route, the system suggested good charging stops with multiple charging points at each location, whereas on the northern route, it only ever proposed one location with just two charging points. With an expected arrival time of around 6 PM on a Friday, these two spots could quickly become occupied.</p><p>In the end, the decision swung in favour of the southern route. After 304 kilometres, I arrived with 27 per cent battery remaining and 106 kilometres of indicated range at the Autohof Buchholz (Aller), which offers 16 CCS charging points from Aral Pulse. During a short 13-minute break, the Ioniq 9 recharged 43.8 kWh, averaging 204 kW. While the maximum charging power of 233 kW was not achieved, the result was still impressive—preferable to a short peak followed by a drop in charging power. With 64 per cent battery capacity, the remaining 90 kilometres to the destination were no issue. On the second leg of the journey after the charging stop, the onboard computer displayed an energy consumption of 23.8 kWh/100 km, with an overall average of 24.5 kWh/100 km for the entire trip.</p><p>Before the return journey, the Ioniq 9 was fully charged overnight at the ‘Bürgermeister-Ladesäule’ (mayor’s charging station) in front of the community centre. The same scenario applied here: a charging stop wouldn’t have been strictly necessary, but the brief toilet break could also be used for recharging. Another motorway service area, this time with a TotalEnergies charging station on the A2. The Hyundai’s navigation system indicated an available power output of 300 kW, with both charging points supposedly free. The latter was correct, but upon arrival, the charging station’s display showed only 225 kW, as it seemed one of the 75 kW modules of the Hypercharger HYC300 was unavailable. Not a major issue, as the car’s peak power of 233 kW wasn’t much higher, so the loss was minimal. However, it appeared that only two modules were functioning, as only 143 kW was fed into the battery. Thus, during a 14-minute break, 33.5 kWh were recharged, increasing the battery level from 36 to 66 per cent.</p><p>Interim conclusion: two breaks of 13 and 14 minutes over 800 kilometres were more for human needs; with the AC charging at the destination, nearly ten hours of driving without additional stops would have been possible; the Ioniq 9 is capable of that. However, if the battery’s range reserves hadn’t been so generous and I had needed to charge from 10 to 80 per cent at the second service area, it would have been frustrating if the charging station hadn’t delivered the promised power, unnecessarily extending the break.</p><p>The next trip, again from Düsseldorf heading north, this time towards the Jadebusen: just under 320 kilometres. After the Lüneburg trip, the journey started with just under 50 per cent battery. The Hyundai’s system therefore planned a charging stop in Emsbüren, where there was plenty of choice at the motorway exit—a local provider with its own charging park, two EWE-Go Hyperchargers at the McDonald’s branch, a Tesla Supercharger site, and Allego Hyperchargers in the car park of a garden centre (as well as a Nio Power Swap Station, which, of course, played no role for the Hyundai). Since the EWE-Go chargers were occupied and the roaming card didn’t work with the local provider, the choice fell on Allego. The battery level was at ten per cent, and the system had optimally preconditioned the battery for the charging stop. As fewer than half of the Allego charging stations were occupied (with only one of two possible cars), the Ioniq 9 should have been able to utilise its maximum charging curve at the 300 kW chargers.</p><p>Not quite. For large parts of the charging process, only 186 kW flowed into the battery, and switching to another charging station didn’t help. There, the power briefly reached 199 kW before dropping again. However, the charging process at the second station, from 36 to 84 per cent in 19 minutes, still averaged 171 kW—just as on the return journey from Lüneburg, the charging infrastructure, not the car, was the limiting factor.</p><figure><table><thead><tr><th></th><th><strong>RWD</strong></th><th><strong>AWD</strong></th><th><strong>AWD Performance</strong></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Powertrain</strong></td><td>RWD</td><td>AWD</td><td>AWD</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Power</strong></td><td>160 kW</td><td>226 kW</td><td>315 kW</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Torque</strong></td><td>350 Nm</td><td>605 Nm</td><td>700 Nm</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Acceleration (0-100 kph)</strong></td><td>9.4 s</td><td>6.7 s</td><td>5.2 s</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Top speed</strong></td><td>190 kph</td><td>200 kph</td><td>200 kph</td></tr><tr><td><strong>WLTP range</strong></td><td>606 km</td><td>606 km</td><td>600 km</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Battery</strong></td><td>110.3 kWh</td><td>110.3 kWh</td><td>110.3 kWh</td></tr><tr><td><strong>DC charging power</strong></td><td>233 kW</td><td>233 kW</td><td>233 kW</td></tr><tr><td><strong>DC charging time (10-80%)</strong></td><td>24 min</td><td>24 min</td><td>24 min</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Price</strong></td><td>€68,500</td><td>€81,500</td><td>€86,750</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>The same pattern emerged on the return journey from the Jadebusen to Düsseldorf, this time with a visible cause: at the Aral service station, 15 of the 16 charging points were occupied, leaving me with a Hypercharger all to myself. The result was a peak power of 200 kW instead of 233 kW, likely due to the high utilisation. Thanks to the Ioniq 9’s flat charging curve, which allowed it to maintain the available 200 kW over an extended period, the average charging power was still a respectable 189 kW. Charging from 16 to 82 per cent took 23 minutes. I find the manufacturer’s claim of 24 minutes for 10 to 80 per cent charging at a peak of 233 kW highly plausible, though, unlike in other tests, I was unable to verify this myself. Over 1,800 kilometres, there wasn’t a single charging session where the car could fully exploit its capabilities.</p><p>However, this wasn’t purely a test of the charging infrastructure on German motorways but a long-distance test of the Ioniq 9. During the extensive trips and shorter everyday drives in between, the Ioniq 9 impressed with its comfort and spaciousness. Five adults travelled very comfortably in the car, leaving over 900 litres of boot space. And even if plans changed spontaneously, the Ioniq 9 didn’t immediately reach its limits: the test vehicle was a seven-seater, with two electrically foldable seats in the otherwise very large boot. Need to take an extra friend along at short notice? No problem. At least for shorter distances, as long trips in the third row can become somewhat cramped—and the boot space shrinks dramatically to 338 litres. However, with five fully usable seats and the option for more, the Ioniq 9 is extremely practical and, with the (emergency) seats stowed in the boot floor, very flexible. In most five-metre vans with seven seats, the rearmost two seats would have had to be removed and stored at home, making them far less flexible. Another advantage for the van: as a five-seater, the boot would likely have been even larger, particularly taller. However, if you don’t utilise this height, the advantage isn’t as significant.</p><h2>Plenty of space</h2><p>No matter how you look at it, a lack of space is not one of the Ioniq 9’s problems. However, the consequences of its size are evident: while the vehicle’s dimensions and wheelbase contribute to a very comfortable driving experience on the motorway, its enormous size can be challenging when parking in residential areas, city centres, or multi-storey car parks. Those who prefer using technical aids like parking sensors and surround-view cameras will still be able to manoeuvre the Ioniq 9 precisely into tight spaces. However, visibility of the body could be slightly better, particularly towards the front and the passenger side. To the rear, it’s not an issue: where the steep rear window ends, so does the car.</p><p>At this point, a note on a feature that I previously considered of questionable use in Hyundai and Kia test vehicles but have come to appreciate in the Ioniq 9. In some models from the Korean brands (from a certain trim level), you can manoeuvre the vehicle forwards and backwards using the key fob as a remote control without having to sit inside and drive it yourself. While I never used this feature in compact or mid-size electric vehicles (except to test it specifically), it came in handy several times with the Ioniq 9: its length usually fills a standard parking space completely. If you reverse into a space perpendicular to the road, you have to get within a few centimetres of the boundary or hedge behind the vehicle to ensure the front doesn’t protrude into the road or onto the pavement. However, this makes it impossible to open the boot—a situation I encountered with the Ioniq 9 at several locations. The remote control feature helps here: you can simply roll the vehicle forward a little, retrieve items from the boot, and then reverse it back into place. No doubt, critics will see this as evidence that the Ioniq 9 is too large for European roads. But remember: the BMW i5 is just as long, and we won’t even mention some van models that reach 5.30 metres, yet these are established as ‘normal’ vehicles in Europe.</p><h2>Is rear-wheel drive sufficient?</h2><p>With 160 kW and 350 Nm of torque, the Ioniq 9 is just about adequate for a vehicle weighing around 2.5 tonnes, but it is somewhat underpowered. Yes, converted to old money, that’s still 218 horsepower, but overtaking manoeuvres on country roads require careful consideration. The standard sprint from 0 to 100 kph in 9.4 seconds already shows that the Ioniq 9, with its smallest motor, only offers limited electric-vehicle-typical acceleration. Even on the motorway, acceleration above 100 kph is somewhat subdued. Hyundai offers two all-wheel-drive models with 226 kW/605 Nm or 315 kW/700 Nm for those seeking more performance.</p><p>While the acceleration may be modest, the Ioniq 9 proved to be a very comfortable long-distance vehicle. Its 3.13-metre wheelbase ensures stable straight-line stability on the motorway. Another highlight during the many motorway kilometres: from the Techniq trim upwards, a Bose sound system with 14 speakers is fitted. Integrated into this is the ‘Active Noise Cancelling’ technology, familiar from Bose headphones: specifically generated sound waves counteract background noise—such as wind noise and tyre roar—making the interior noticeably quieter.</p><p>I don’t consider Hyundai’s use of ‘Active Noise Cancelling’ a gimmick; what matters to the customer is the result, and the Ioniq 9 delivers a genuine premium feel with its acoustic and seating comfort. However, even after 1,800 kilometres, I still share my initial assessment: despite its comfort, the Ioniq 9 cannot fully conceal that the E-GMP platform is designed more for volume models than premium vehicles. There is no all-wheel steering to reduce the turning circle to compact car levels. There is no air suspension or adaptive dampers, only steel springs and conventional dampers. The Ioniq 9 doesn’t quite match the silky-smooth ride of a (well-tuned) air suspension in comfort mode. That said, when a price of under €80,000 is possible—as with our test vehicle—rather than reaching six figures, compromises are inevitable even at this level. And Hyundai has extracted a great deal from the available package with the Ioniq 9.</p><p>The same applies to the material selection and finish in the interior—here, the volume-focused E-GMP platform is again evident. While everything is neatly assembled and precisely fitted, some materials are more reminiscent of an Ioniq 5 than a premium brand. The smooth, silver plastic of the centre console or dashboard feels very much like plastic, and the wood veneer seems somewhat randomly placed, as its pattern isn’t echoed elsewhere in the interior. A fabric trim matching the seats might have created a cosier atmosphere than the combination of silver plastic and light wood grain on the dashboard.</p><p>Operating the Ioniq 9 requires little familiarisation. The temperature can be easily adjusted via (somewhat low-placed) rotary controls. Other climate functions aren’t hidden at the top of the touchscreen menu but are designed as touch-sensitive areas below the rotary controls—you have to look down quite far to activate, for example, the rear window heating in winter. The menu structure on the touchscreen and cockpit display is straightforward, with all functions easy to find. Of course, there is still room for improvement in the details: in the charging menu, the battery temperature is only roughly indicated in three stages—low, medium, and high. No more precise information is provided. Incidentally, ‘medium’ is the ‘optimal’ level; at the other two levels, full charging power isn’t available. The system doesn’t indicate how long you’d need to heat or cool the battery to reach the ‘medium’ range—Volkswagen does this better. At least, preconditioning is possible manually and not just via route planning.</p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>The 1,800 kilometres with the Ioniq 9 were a very pleasant experience. It’s a spacious vehicle that drives as comfortably as a high-quality passenger car, rather than like some vans derived from commercial vehicles. While the Ioniq 9—at least in the tested Techniq trim—doesn’t quite reach the premium segment, it is a well-equipped and well-finished vehicle. The impression might differ in the more expensive Uniq trim.</p><p>And what about the efficiency praised at the outset? The Ioniq 9 didn’t quite match the summer result of 16.0 kWh/100 km due to the high motorway mileage and significantly lower temperatures. Nevertheless, the onboard computer ultimately displayed 25.4 kWh/100 km. This isn’t a spectacular figure for these conditions, but given the size of the vehicle, it’s still fully acceptable. An electric estate might have been slightly more efficient, but without a direct comparison drive, no definitive judgement can be made; after all, driving style always plays a role.</p></div></div>

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<p>The Hyundai Ioniq 9 has been tested over 1,800 kilometers on German motorways, showcasing its low energy consumption and practicality as a seven-seater SUV. Initial impressions from a summer drive indicated a consumption of 16.0 kWh/100 km and a WLTP range of 620 kilometers. The extensive test in colder conditions revealed the vehicle's performance, charging capabilities, and energy efficiency under different temperatures. The Ioniq 9, equipped with a 110 kWh battery and a 160 kW rear-wheel-drive powertrain, demonstrated impressive charging speeds, averaging 204 kW during a stop.</p>

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Hyundai Ioniq 9 impresses as refined, spacious long-distance cruiser in motorway test