Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

What's the difference?

Hyundai is reaching for new heights with the Ioniq 9. And I don't just mean that literally – though it's certainly true that this three-row electric SUV is an absolute giant of a vehicle. I mean because it's also the most expensive car, electric or otherwise, to ever wear the Hyundai badge.

With it, Hyundai steps into premium air – the Volvo EX90 starts at around the same money, as does the Audi Q6 e-tron, albeit with fewer seats.

And because Hyundai has only brought in one flagship variant, the Ioniq 9 is also miles above the cheapest Kia EV9. But will its customers rise with it? 

Let's find out.

Let’s make one thing clear from the very beginning - this new Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S E Performance is technically superior to the model it replaces. Whether it’s actually better or not, is the real question at the heart of the matter.

Why? Because, like the C63 sedan stablemate, AMG has opted to replace the previous model’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine with a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain. It was a move brought about in part because of increasingly stricter emissions standards in Europe, but also ties-in with the German firm’s success in modern Formula One racing.

While the new hybrid system offers more power, more torque and better fuel economy, as the lukewarm response to the C63 has demonstrated, the hard reality for AMG is that its buyers associate it with V8 and even V12 engines. That emotional pull is hard to replace with logic, even if the new model offers technical superiority.

But how does the new powertrain suit the GLC63 - is it just technically better or is it holistically improved?