2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Is a Blue Beast

July 10, 2025 Andrew Beckford

Hyundai just gave its Ioniq 6 sedan some teeth, and I’m not talking about the new front fascia. The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N just had its global reveal, and it is coming to market soon with over 600 horsepower and a host of other features to make driving it as fun as possible.

Super Powered Sedan

Hyundai wants the Ioniq 6 N to stand confidently among other super sedans and that means having big power on tap. We’re talking 601 horsepower and 561 lb-ft of torque. If those numbers sound familiar that’s because they’re the same figures from the Ioniq 5 N which shares its drivetrain with the Ioniq 6 N.

Output gets bumped up to 641 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque when using the “N Grin” boost mode but that only amplifies the power in 10 second bursts. When in boost mode the Ioniq 6 N can get from zero to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds.

Suspension Tuning

The IONIQ 6 N gets all-new suspension geometry, with a lower roll center and reworked kinematics for sharper, more confident handling according to Hyundai. The automaker’s magic trick here is the new stroke-sensing ECS (Electronic Controlled Suspension) system. Unlike your typical adaptive dampers, this setup uses stroke sensors to read wheel movement more accurately, meaning the car can constantly adjust damping for grip, comfort, or full-send track attack.

Software Defined Fun

One of the biggest complaints about performance EVs is that they feel numb compared to their dino juice sipping counterparts. Other than the torque stomping on your intestines during a launch, critics complain that there’s no visceral sensations that connect the driver to the vehicle. With the Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai used software to emulate some of those sensations to make the car more fun to drive. That software returns in the Ioniq 6 N, but if you’re unfamiliar, here’s a quick refresher:

Let’s start with N e-Shift, Hyundai’s take on simulated shifting. it actually modulates torque to mimic the feel of gear changes. Paired with N Ambient Shift Lights (yes, it lights up when it’s “time to shift”), the whole experience is meant to give the driver a satisfying rhythm of rowing through gears, even though there’s no transmission.

Then there’s N Active Sound+, which lets you pick your driving soundtrack. Choose from three modes:

Ignition – Think turbocharged ICE vibes with pops and crackles.
Evolution – An old-school EV sound, nodding to Hyundai’s early electric concepts.
Lightspeed – Straight out of a sci-fi movie, complete with synthetic whooshes.

Look, we get it — fake engine noise is divisive. Though, even among those who are anti-emulated-ICE sounds the way Hyundai does it in their EV N vehicles has actually won some people over. That feat alone is worthy of note.

For those wanting something a bit more “real,” there’s the N Track Manager which gives you live telemetry, lap data, and even ghost cars to chase — a cue taken straight from modern racing games.

If you like getting sideways, that’s where N Drift Optimizer comes in. You can actually set how the car initiates, holds, and exits a drift. The drift optimizer was a crowd favorite with the Ioniq 5 N, and we imagine it will be just as popular here.

N Style

My relationship with the Ioniq 6 has been somewhat complicated from the start. I appreciated the fact that the Ioniq 6 was the first EV to really pose a threat to Tesla by way of range and value for money. A significant factor to that competitive edge is the Ioniq 6’s silhouette giving it a very low drag coefficient.

A side-effect of its slippery aerodynamics is that it has an odd shape, especially when looking at the rear. Though, a real sore point in my opinion was the front end which was just plain ugly. I know it’s harsh to say but honestly speaking the weird headlights and fascia just brought more attention to the Ioniq 6’s weird shape.

Thankfully, Hyundai has recently refreshed the front fascia and made it much more attractive, which adds beauty points all around. The Ioniq 6 N builds on that with an aggressive air dam and a rear spoiler that adds downforce and doesn’t look half bad either.

Questions Remain

Hyundai hasn’t given us range numbers, a release date, or a price for the 2026 Ioniq 6 N. MotorTrend estimates that the MSRP could start around $65,000 which would make it a great deal for the performance it offers on paper, but let’s face it these types of vehicles never get sold at MSRP so expect to pay more if you’re truly interested.

We’ll also have to wait and see what reviewers think once first-drive invites and press cars go out. I suspect that it will be just as popular with auto journalists as the Ioniq 5 N since it is essentially the same vehicle in sedan form, but that remains to be seen.