If the styling dial goes from one to 10, Hyundai somehow turned it to 11 when it debuted the Ioniq 6 electric sedan in 2022. Now, it’s time for an update. Incredibly, Hyundai has found 12 on the same dial.
The automaker debuted the 2026 version of its curvy EV at this week’s Seoul Mobility Show in South Korea. The company traditionally sells nearly identical cars in Korea and the U.S. The only change is often a matter of suspension tuning to suit American roads. So, we expect the model you see here to be the one we’ll get in the United States.
It’s not a complete redesign. It’s what automakers call a “mid-cycle refresh” – an update to a car’s styling and technology halfway through its production run.
Hyundai hasn’t discussed pricing. The current, 2025 model starts just under $40,000, including destination fee.
Believe it or not, Hyundai has barely touched many of the car’s body panels. But a rework of the lights and front and rear bumpers, and a slightly raised hood take its “streamliner” style to new extremes. From some angles, it looks like it’s melting. But, strangely, it looks great.
Designers separated the daytime running lights and headlamps into two units, and made both from thin LEDs. They gave the front bumper a more pronounced point and simplified the rear, molding the trunk lid into a single-spoiler shape rather than the two-stacked-spoiler look of last year’s model.
Inside, Hyundai says, the 2026 Ioniq 6 “features a redesigned steering wheel and enhanced door trim materials for a more premium feel. The center console layout has been refined for improved functionality, and the climate control display has been enlarged to enhance ease of use.”
New N Line Ioniq 6
Hyundai will also introduce a more aggressively sporty N Line model for 2026.
The company has introduced a high-performance division in recent years and a tiered system of performance models.
N cars, like the Ioniq 5 N and Elantra N, sit at the top. Those get mechanical and technological upgrades that turn them into track-day toys.
N Line models are a step below and are mostly styling exercises without actual power boosts to match.
The Ioniq 6 isn’t getting an N (yet…more on that in a moment), but shoppers will have the option of an N Line version for the 2026 model year.
It features specialized bumper designs front and rear, including a front lip spoiler and new side sills, creating a visual line low around the car. In the rear, the lower bumper elements are blackened.
Ioniq 6 N Model Promised
The news doesn’t end there. Hyundai officials teased that an Ioniq 6 N model will be unveiled in July.
They offered no further details. But, as an amuse-bouche, we invite you to consider the Ioniq 5 N. The Ioniq 5 and 6 are built on the same platform and use most of the same parts. The 5 N offers a blistering 641 horsepower, simulated shifts (if you turn them on), and track-day features like launch control and a G meter.