New Hyundai Ioniq 4 and Ioniq 7 to boost brand’s EV line-up

Hyundai will soon attempt to plug two important gaps in its electric car line-up with a pair of new Ioniq-branded models – both due within the next 12 to 18 months. It’ll give the firm a vital leg-up in the hotly contested small and medium electric-SUV segments – an area the maker is currently gifting to the competition, including sister-brand Kia.

The first will be a larger and more family-friendly model that’ll sit above the Ioniq 5, with the other slotting nicely between the Kona EV – which is unlikely to be available in the UK in its next generation – and the supermini-sized Ioniq 3 hatchback. 

The news, which was first announced in August as part of a wider strategy, will be pivotal to the company’s short-term success as it continues to build its Ioniq EV brand. The technical make-up of the models hasn’t been confirmed, but given how much we know about Hyundai’s existing EVs, we can make plenty of educated assumptions about what might power the two new variants. 

New Hyundai Ioniq 4: new B-sgement EV to target Skoda Epiq

Joining the recently revealed Ioniq 3 will be a similarly sized B-segment SUV, which Hyundai’s VP of product for Europe suggested was vital for the brand, telling us to “watch this space” for news on the new model over the coming months.

When challenged on the idea of a Kia EV3-based small SUV, Chris McKinnon said: “I really can’t answer that question, to be honest. Watch this space.” He admitted it was an “important” market for the brand, but wouldn’t divulge anything more on the car we expect will make production in 2027 badged ‘Ioniq 4’.

The model will help to broaden the company’s electric offerings in this massive European marketplace. The Ioniq 4 will aim for more of a lifestyle appeal than the Ioniq 3 or 5 thanks to its boxier design and more conventional SUV shape. Like its Kia sibling, it’ll prioritise a safe, comfortable drive rather than sporty dynamics – although there may be hot N versions in the future, of course. 

The Ioniq 4 is likely to share its interior design with the newly launched Ioniq 3, with a relaxed ‘living room’-like cabin and another use of the Pleos infotainment system. Space inside is where the true differences will lie, though, because the Ioniq 4 should have more head and legroom in the rear, as well as a larger and more versatile boot. 

The powertrains will also draw from the same toolkit, so expect a similar range of battery options in 42kWh and 61kWh specifications, running a single front-mounted e-motor. Given its placement above the Ioniq 3, and the potential for a hot Ioniq 4 N variant, we’d suggest it’ll also be available at some point with a dual-motor option. 

While McKinnon was keen to reiterate that “Kona is in [the] space” that this future Ioniq 4 will occupy, it’s expected that the third-generation model will lose its all-electric powertrain option, and as a result won’t be offered in the UK.

Pricing for the Ioniq 4 will also need to remain competitive with a new glut of similarly sized EVs such as the Skoda Epiq and Renault 4, suggesting a starting price of around £25,000 – some £2,500 more than the entry-level Ioniq 3.

New Hyundai Ioniq 7: family-friendly SUV to sit between 5 and 9

Sitting between the Ioniq 5 and 9 will be a new family-friendly two-row or occasional three-row SUV. This model will sit closer to the 5 in terms of price and size, but will have a boxier shape to offer a more versatile interior. While there has been no official information about the newcomer’s name, Ioniq 7 is a strong candidate and would fit neatly with what we’re expecting to see. 

Given its size and eventual price point, this new model will almost certainly include an 800V architecture that’ll keep it competitive in the fast-moving electric-SUV class. It’ll offer single and dual-motor layouts, but it’s still too early to know specifics such as battery sizes and range projections – although it’ll need to muster at least 400 miles on a charge to keep up with the competition. 

This will also be one of the new Hyundai models to incorporate the next generation of design and digital interfaces, including the new Pleos infotainment system and a further evolution of the design language featured on the Ioniq 3. 

In terms of positioning, the Ioniq 7 will be priced just above its Ioniq 5 sibling, leaving some space above for the three-row and more premium-focused Ioniq 9. This would suggest a starting price of between £45,000 to £50,000 in the UK, with high-spec dual-motor variants still leaving a gap to the Ioniq 9’s base price of just under £65,000.

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