Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs Renault Megane E-Tech

What's the difference?

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a big, comfortable and powerful SUV that ticks lots of boxes. Sadly, though, the electric power that makes it such a treat to drive is probably the same thing that will keep it off plenty of shopping lists. For now, at least.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The design for the Renault Megane E-Tech is top-notch and the eco-conscious footprint is even better. It’s an easy and comfortable car to be in but the price is a smidge too high in my opinion when you consider there’s currently only one choice for us Aussies and it’s a mid-spec variant at that. It also misses out on some items its rivals have but is a solid EV to consider for urban dwellers.

I'm going to sound like a bad football coach here, but the Ioniq 9 is a tale of two halves, at least when it comes to the exterior.

And I mean that literally. The front half is lovely, with a smooth, rounded nose, two stacks of LED lights that build the horizontal on top of the vertical and a clean, modern road presence.

The back half, however, isn't. It took me a while to put my finger on it, but it suddenly dawned on me that it gives off old-school station wagon vibes that, for me at least, don't gel with the rest of the design.

Inside, though, it is a complete picture, with my only complaint that the steering wheel feels a touch too big – though I like it's more minimalist design.

Elsewhere, the materials are lovely to look at and touch – even the dash panel insert that reminds me a bit of snakeskin pants – the seats are comfortable and the tech works well.

One word on the digital wing mirrors, though. They are one cost option I wouldn't be ticking the box for. I find them off-putting, not least because they seem to zoom-in so close to the car behind that you can almost see what part of the people behind's breakfast is residing between their teeth. It feels invasive.

Plus, all you're really doing is swapping a large mirror outside the car for a big screen inside it. Conventional mirrors for the win.

The E-Tech’s plump body panelling gives me some cute marshmallow vibes from certain angles but there are enough features to keep it looking slick, like the fun LED headlights, massive 20-inch alloys and optional two-tone paintwork.

I’m also a fan of the door handles on the E-Tech as they add some nice focal points, because the front has auto-flush handles that pop out on approach and the back door handles are positioned on the C-pillar.

If you're eco-conscious the E-Tech ticks the box because Renault has designed it to be 90 per cent recyclable.

The body is made of aluminium and can be reformed and shaped into new products at the end of its life. The interior materials are made from recycled fabrics and trims; even the lithium-ion battery is free from any rare earth minerals.

Head inside the cabin and the grey knit trims and upholstery on the seats, doors and dashboard creates a cabin space that feels warm and inviting. It's a similar feel to the Polestar 2 - simple but refined.

Although, with my kid around I have higher anxiety about dirtying them!

It’s a big unit, the Ioniq 9, measuring more than five metres long, just under two metres wide and around 1.8 metres high. Weight is a hefty 2.7 tonnes at its heaviest, too, while braked towing capacity is pegged at 2.5 tonnes.

So, big numbers and a big vehicle with big storage. With all three rows in place, you get 338 litres of boot space. But treat it like a five-seater and that increases to 908 litres. Drop both rows, and you’ll have a massive 2410 litres at your disposal.

The room in the middle row is ample for full-size adults, especially if you tick the box for the cushy six-seat layout, and the rear doors feel massive, so when opened you can step through to the third row with ease, too.

Once in there, you'll find an impressively luxe space. The room isn't ridiculous, but my 175cm got in easily enough, and then fit pretty easily, too. And the addition of USB charge ports, air vents, speakers and an automatic recline function for the third row will lift the mood for whoever you put back there.

The E-Tech’s cabin is fairly roomy up front with plenty of head- and legroom. The front seats are super comfortable with powered lumbar support and I wouldn’t mind them not being powered if the price point was a bit lower. 

The rear seat is comfortable enough once you get seated but the top of the door apertures are low, and I have to duck my head to get in and out.

Your head also brushes against the roof lining in the back which isn't terribly comfortable, especially considering there is no fold-down armrest to lean on.

The front row benefits the most with individual storage and you get a lot of options to choose from but the centre console is one of the most practical I’ve seen for the class. Lots of pockets and nooks that feature adjustable 'walls'.

You get a single permanent cupholder but with the removable walls, accommodation for a second cup or bottle, can be catered for.

Underneath the multimedia screen you get a dedicated phone shelf, which I love using.

In the rear, you get two map pockets and shallow bin storage in each door.

The charging options are good with two USB-C ports in each row as well as a 12-volt outlet and a wireless charging pad up front but you miss out on V2L (Vehicle to Load) functionality in this model.

The 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system looks great headlining the dash and is easy to access and use. The system rebooted once on me while driving but other than that everything is responsive.

You get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the CarPlay is easy to get started.

The steering wheel has numerous stalks, controls, regen paddle shifters and even the gearshifter on the column, too. It takes a beat to get used to it but I like how driver orientated it is.

The boot offers great storage at 440L but it’s a deep well, which might be annoying if you’re unloading heavier gear. There is underfloor storage for the cables, too, and like I said, you miss out on a powered tailgate.

For the moment, the Megane E-Tech is being offered in only one grade for the Australian market and that’s the Techno EV60, which is the mid-level version of Renault’s brand new EV.

The EV60 is priced from $64,990, before on-road costs, and that positions it right in the middle of its rivals. The nearest competitor is the Hyundai Kona Extended Range at $60,500 MSRP, newcomer Toyota bZ4X 2WD slides in at $66,000 MSRP and the Volvo C40 Plus sits at $78,990 MSRP.

The E-Tech comes with a decent array of features for a mid-spec variant and premium items include heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a digital rear view mirror and wireless functionality for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but you do miss out on items like a powered tailgate and electric front seats which most of its rivals sport.

Technology looks good with a 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, faster USB-C ports (four total) and a wireless charging pad.

Sound is covered by the Arkamys Auditorium sound system with six speakers and the mood can be set with the 48-way configurable ambient lighting system.

Despite missing out on a powered tailgate, the EV60 has some features that still offer convenience like keyless entry, heated and auto-folding side mirrors and auto-folding flush door handles that pop out on approach (front only).

There's only the one configuration available here, with Australia's Ioniq 9 a dual-motor AWD producing a combined 314kW and 700Nm – the latter ensuring this heavy EV never feels dull or sluggish.

Overseas, our powertrain is called the Ioniq 9 Performance, and it produces the fastest zero to 100km/h time of just 5.2 seconds.

The Techno EV60 has a single electric motor. It produces a power output of 160kW and 300Nm of torque, and Renault says it will sprint from 0-100km/h in 7.4-seconds.

That's perfectly adequate for keeping up with traffic or getting  around town. You only notice a sluggishness with power when you have a full load of gear. Flipping it to 'Sport' mode make it feel peppier, if you ever need it.

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 is essentially sitting atop a massive 110.3kWh battery, which produces a claimed WLTP driving range of 600km.

Be warned, though, the digital dash has a live read out of your minimum and maximum driving range, presumably judged on your driving inputs, and there is a vast gap between the two numbers. In short, if you want to maximise range, go easy on the accelerator.

Its 800V architecture unlocks 233kW DC fast charging, which the brand says will take you from 10 to 80 per cent charged in 24 minutes.

Plugging in at home, though, will be much slower than that – something like 10 hours using 10.5kW wallbox.

The official energy consumption figure is 15.6kWh/100km and I averaged 13.9kWh after a fair mix between urban and open-road driving.

That’s outstanding consumption but the official driving range for this E-Tech’s 60kWh lithium-ion battery is up to 454km, which is similar to the Hyundai Kona Electric but I still had an eye on the range during longer trips.

The E-Tech has a Type 2 CCS charging port which means you can benefit from faster DC charging speeds, however, it can only accept a top speed of 7.4kW on AC power.

On a 7.4kW AC charger, you can go from 0-100 per cent in a little over nine hours but on a standard 2.3kW house plug, that jumps up to over 30-hours. 

On a 130kW DC charger expect to go from 15-80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes, which is pretty convenient if you have access to one.

Sadly, the E-Tech doesn’t have vehicle-to-load capability, so you can’t power or charge bigger items.

It's a proper surprise packet, the Ioniq 9, because you approach it with a pretty good idea of how a big, heavy and equipment-soaked seven-seat SUV is going to behave on a twisting road. Short answer? Not well.

But somehow, through some kind a wizardry, the opposite is true. Rather than feel stupendously big and heavy, the Ioniq 9 shrinks around you, feeling far smaller, more dynamic and more capable than you'd expect.

I'd maybe forgo the tightest of tight switchbacks in favour of more sweeping, undulating bends, but honestly, you can squeeze plenty of fun out of the Ioniq 9 on the right road.

Happily, it's no one-trick pony, either. It's quiet in the cabin, even at freeway speeds, it's comfortable in the city and there's plenty of space and tech on board.

The key take-away here is I like the way Ioniq 9 drives, another big vehicle helped massively by electric motors. Sometimes in big ICE-powered SUVs you can feel just how much work is going into getting them up and moving, but that's not the case here.

Instead, because there are no transmissions or turbochargers to deal with, the Ioniq delivers a rich flow of power and torque every time you push the accelerator. No lag, no whining, it just goes.

But here's the really interesting bit. It almost doesn't matter how good I say this car is, or how well I think it drives, this car will remain a niche seller. And Hyundai's executives seem to know it. And all of that's a shame, because it's really very good on the road, this Ioniq 9.

I have mostly loved driving the E-Tech. It's easy to cruise around in and the power is adequate for open-road driving but it prefers an urban environment.

The power can feel a bit lacklustre when you are carrying lots of people or gear but you mostly feel that when you're on a steep incline and trying to keep up your speed.

The steering is crisp and that makes the E-Tech very responsive to drive. The power is delivered smoothly and it feels well-balanced when you put your foot down.

There is more roll in corners than I was expecting but the car still feels firmly planted. 

The ride comfort is great. The suspension is more firm than soft which means you feel the road but it's not a major bother. There is a bit of wind noise at higher speeds, as if the door isn’t properly sealed by a millimetre but it doesn't annoy me. 

The regenerative braking is controlled by paddles on the steering wheel and you have three levels plus a one-pedal function to choose from.

The single pedal set-up is pretty smooth, even in stop/start traffic, but it’s great to be able to quickly change modes on the go.

The smaller size of the E-Tech makes it an easy car to manoeuvre in a small car park. You get front, rear and side parking sensors which is great because the reversing camera isn’t as clear as it should be for this price level. 

The E-Tech has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing in 2022 and has seven airbags, including a front centre airbag.

The EV60 comes with lots of passive safety features including dusk sensing auto LED headlights, LED DRLs, a rear fog light, child safety locks, tyre pressure monitoring, traffic sign recognition tech, an intelligent seatbelt warning, a reversing camera plus front, rear and side parking sensors.

Active safety equipment includes items like blind-spot monitoring, driver attention alert, rear collision warning, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, and adaptive cruise control (with stop and go).

You also get a digital rear view mirror which is essential as the back window is narrow and the camera feed provides a clearer view than you’d have without it.

The rear row also features ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats and three top tethers but two seats will fit best. The front passenger seat also has ISOFIX child seat mounts and a top tether.

AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist function is operational from 8.0-80km/h (160km/h for cars) but it is common to see that starting figure sit closer to 5.0km/h.

Five years with unlimited kilometres is still the underwhelming warranty norm at Hyundai. The battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km.

Happily, servicing is infrequent, with intervals pegged at two years or 30,000km. As a result, the first six years of servicing will cost a total $2005, or an average $334 per year.

The E-Tech comes with a five-year/100,000km warranty, but it’s usual to see an unlimited km term for the class. The battery is covered by an eight-year or up to 160,000km warranty term.

Service intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 30,000km and you also get five-years roadside assistance included.

Pricing over the first five years ranges from a low of $230.04 to a high of $519.62, averaging out at pretty competitive $317.72 per service. No capped-price deal is available.