Earlier this year, Hyundai revealed the smallest member of its Ioniq electric car family, the Ioniq 3. The little hatchback features Veloster-like looks, a funky interior, and the promise of a small price to go with its relatively small size. Now, Hyundai has revealed just how small that price is, and it’s sure to make it a compelling EV option over in Europe. If it were offered in America, it would also probably be an impressive deal, assuming tariffs or other obstacles didn’t drive the cost up.
Hyundai Ioniq 3 from the front three-quarter angleHyundai
It Costs Thousands Less Than The Leaf
Hyundai sells the Ioniq 3 with two different battery packs in Europe, and so does Nissan. Naturally, these have significantly different base prices, since bigger batteries are more expensive. When comparing the small-battery Hyundai and Nissan to each other, and the same with the large-battery versions, the Hyundai is way cheaper.
In this case, we’re comparing the prices of each car in the UK, converted to US dollars. These prices are not indicative of what the price would be for the Ioniq 3 if it came to America, they’re just to illustrate the difference in price between these vehicles. These are also what are known in the UK as “on-the-road” prices, which include various taxes and fees, which is partly why the Leaf is comparatively pricey versus US pricing.
Hyundai Ioniq 3 from the rear three-quarter angleHyundai
With that out of the way, the base Ioniq 3 with a 42-kWh battery pack starts at $30,352 at current exchange rates. The 52-kWh Nissan Leaf starts at $39,362. That’s almost exactly a $9,000 price difference to go with the Ioniq 3. The difference is basically the same with the long-range cars. The 61-kWh Hyundai has a price of $35,127, while the 75-kWh Nissan (the version sold in the US) starts at $44,001. That means the long-range Hyundai costs about 20% less than the Nissan. If you apply that to the $31,535 base price of the Leaf in America (including destination charge), the long-range Ioniq 3 would be about $25,000, similar to the Slate Truck. However, we again stress that other factors such as tariffs could potentially shrink any price advantages the Ioniq 3 would have if exported to America.
You Don’t Get As Much With The Ioniq 3
While this is an interesting comparison for us in America, since the Leaf gives us a benchmark, it’s not the most direct one. The Ioniq 3 is significantly smaller than the Leaf. It’s nearly 8 inches shorter than the Leaf, and nearly 6 inches shorter than a Chevy Bolt.
Hyundai Ioniq 3 from the sideHyundai
It’s significantly less powerful than the Leaf, too. The small-battery version makes 145 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, while the large-battery version makes a bit less power at 133. The small-battery Leaf makes 174 hp, and the large-battery one makes 215. Range is reduced, too. Using the WLTP numbers provided, the Ioniq 3 will go 213 miles on its small battery, 67 fewer than the closest Leaf. The Ioniq 3 with the bigger battery goes 308 miles, 79 fewer than the long-range Leaf. These numbers would also certainly be lower on the American EPA test, so the short-range Hyundai would probably have less than 200 miles of range, and the long-range one less than 300.
In reality, the Ioniq 3 is more designed to take on subcompact EVs in Europe, such as Nissan’s own Micra, which is a rebranded Renault 5, the Peugeot e-208, and more. All of those models, including the Micra, are similar in size, power, and range to the Ioniq 3. The fact that none of these models have appeared in the US suggests that the Ioniq 3 probably won’t either. However, Hyundai could still use a new entry-level EV model that’s a little smaller, more affordable, and more value-packed than the base Ioniq 5.
Wide shot of the Hyundai Ioniq 3 dashboardHyundai
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Unfortunately, with meager prospects for the US market, the Ioniq 3 probably doesn’t have much relevance for us. Still, it shows that Hyundai is aggressively expanding its EV range around the world. It also leaves space open for a hypothetical Ioniq 4 that could be a bit larger and a bit more powerful, which would potentially be a better fit for the American market. Hyundai could even base this car on the Kia EV3 and EV4, the former of which is headed to the US, and the latter of which was initially intended for the US before it was suspended because of tariffs. The point is, we’re certain Hyundai won’t be content to let Chevy and Nissan have the affordable EV market in America all to themselves.
