Enter the finished styling of the production five-door, which only marginally departs from the wild THREE concept car that debuted at last year’s IAA Munich Motor Show.
Curvy front-end detailing gives way to an aggressively chopped fastback roofline that visually continues the all-glass surface into an ‘aero hatch’ with clever use of gloss black.
It recalls classic European performance car designs with shades of Volvo P1800 while Hyundai Europe lead designer Manuel Schoettle snuck in a nod to the Alfa Romeo SZ.
Australian launch of Hyundai Ioniq 3 confirmed for early 2027
The Frankfurt-based division of Hyundai developed the Turkish-built Ioniq 3, which is aimed at EU markets, but which is also headed to Australia, likely in the first quarter of 2027.
In Europe, the Ioniq 3 is aimed at competing with the Renault 5. Competition in Australia is tighter due to Chinese competition, and Hyundai will need to target the price of those cars.
Key rivals will include single-motor versions of the MG4 ($39,990 driveaway), BYD Atto 2 (from $35,300 d/a) and more premium rivals like the Volvo EX30 and forthcoming Toyota C-HR BEV.
Competition also comes in the form of the Kia EV3 (from $46,990 d/a), which shares some of its components (but not its battery) with the Ioniq 3.
Pricing of the Ioniq 3’s smaller electric sibling, the city-sized Hyundai Inster (currently from $43,000 driveaway) may need to be reduced to accommodate the newcomer.
Physical buttons retain a strong role in surprisingly premium cabin
Hyundai revealed only the athletically styled N Line version of the Ioniq 3 at the car’s world premiere, but designers say the purer forthcoming ‘standard’ trim is closer to the concept.
Interesting and soft materials are on display in the Ioniq 3’s cabin, including ’70s-style pleated upholstery on the dash.
A wide variety of physical controls are retained — including for climate — while new 14.6-inch or 12.9-inch touchscreens debut new Pleos Connect infotainment.
Physical buttons remain “very important” to Hyundai, according to Ioniq 3 interior designer Victor Andrean.
“They have dedicated meaning — that means when you drive you can do all this blindly. You don’t have to go into the screen to change the [air] vent,” Andrean told Chasing Cars.
Extensive connectivity will be included, including digital key systems. Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto will be standard while Bose audio will be optional.
Suspension and steering will be set up for Euro dynamic tastes — execs say to expect sorted ride and handling — and Hyundai Australia will do a final polish for local roads.
Ioniq 3 is shorter than i30 but about as roomy inside, thanks to EV platform
Dimensionally, the 4155mm-long Ioniq 3 is 185mm shorter than an i30 hatchback. The height of 1505mm makes it taller than the i30, but not as tall as a Kona — call it a crossover.
The Ioniq 3 is a spiritual successor of sorts to the i30, but it does not directly replace that model.
Wheels measure from 16 to 19 inches. Front suspension is a MacPherson strut-type design, with a space-saving torsion bar in the rear to unlock 441 litres of boot space via a deep ‘megabox’.
The Ioniq 3 is small on paper but the use of the Hyundai conglomerate’s e-GMP EV chassis sees wheels pushed to the corners, unlocking more interior space than an i30 or Golf.
Importantly, the Ioniq 3 ushers in a more conventionally sized alternative to the pint-sized Inster. It’s 190mm wider, for a start, with an i30-like breadth of 1800mm.
N Line trims are just as spacious inside, with dark upholstery, though we hear the standard trims have some wild interior colour options. Seat heating and cooling is available.
Choice of LFP or NMC batteries, impressive efficiency claims
Two battery sizes will be available at launch. Hyundai idiosyncratically refuses to disclose usable capacities but the packs measure 42kWh (LFP) or 61kWH (NMC) in total.
Like the related Kia EV3, the Ioniq 3 is front-wheel drive — at least at launch — and unusually it is the smaller 42kWh pack that has the most power.
Outputs are 107kW/250Nm for the ‘Standard Range’ while the 61kWh ‘Long Range’ sees power moderated down to 99kW albeit with the same torque.
Hyundai says the 0-100km/h sprint will take nine seconds for the Ioniq 3 Standard Range with the Long Range trailing by 0.6 seconds.
Part of the reason the acceleration scrapes into single digits is because the Ioniq 3 is light by EV standards, at 1550-1580kg depending on the battery size.
Driving range is estimated to be ‘over 335km’ and ‘over 490km’ for each of the battery packs with commensurate efficiency of around 12kWh/100km for both versions.
Insiders say there’s still a chance that some ‘Long Range’ trims will be rated at over 500km WLTP by the time all the numbers are locked in with regulators.
Modest power and charging speed compared to some rivals
While a 22kW onboard AC charger is an impressive option in this segment (with 11kW standard), DC charging speeds are modest.
Recharging from 10-80 percent requires 29 minutes for the LFP battery (averaging around 60kW) while the bigger NMC pack asks 30 minutes (about 85kW).
That’s because the Ioniq 3 uses the 400-volt fork of the e-GMP platform rather than the ultra-fast-charging 800-volt version under the skin of the higher-end Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9.
The future could bring bigger batteries and faster charging but Hyundai Europe executives say that this class of car is rarely rapidly charged by owners, who mainly use AC to top up.
