Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid (2016-2022) interior, dashboard & comfort

The Ioniq’s interior is unexceptional – it can feel a bit grey and plasticky, in general – but feels well built and is straightforward to use. It’s also a comfortable car that’s quiet (provided you don’t ask for hard acceleration) and you get a comprehensive touchscreen sat nav and media system as standard – with a big 10.25-inch screen in all but the cheapest version.

The option of a 'Red Umber' interior is a nice post-facelift touch that adds a dash of personality. There’s a degree of clunkiness to the way the Ioniq deals with scarred road surfaces – it’s bumpier than we’d like around town, certainly – but for the most part its suspension keeps you well cushioned from bad roads.

Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid dashboard

The electric blue trim, gloss-black inserts and faux leather on the Ioniq’s dashboard add a welcome flash of colour and texture in an otherwise rather dreary-looking but very logical dashboard. Everything’s where you expect it to be and takes only a few moments to fathom out, even if it’s your first time in the Hyundai.

Equipment, options & accessories

The entry-level SE Connect offers 15-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lamps, automatic headlamps with high-beam assist, rear parking sensors, cruise control, a leather steering wheel and cloth seats with powered lumbar support adjustment for the driver. There's an eight-inch touchscreen multimedia system inside, with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a rear-view monitor. Safety features include autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance and driver drowsiness monitoring.

Next in the line-up is the Premium, which has a different design of 15-inch alloys, plus LED headlamps, keyless entry, chrome window surrounds, heated front seats and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. This is also the first Ioniq Hybrid trim level to include the 10.25-inch touchscreen, along with wireless charging.

The Premium SE boasts 17-inch alloys, chrome doorhandles, rear privacy glass and automatic wipers, plus leather seats (heated and ventilated up front, with the driver's seat getting power adjustment). The two outermost rear seats are heated and there's also adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-following assistance and rear cross-traffic alert.

Following the facelift, a limited-run 1st Edition specification was offered for a time. Based on Premium trim, the 1st Edition offered enhancements such as 17-inch alloy wheels, an electric parking brake and lane-following assistance from the Premium SE.

Infotainment, apps & sat nav

It’s definitely worth going for at least Premium trim if you’re remotely bothered about connectivity and audio quality in your car. This gets you a 10.25-inch touchscreen complete with sat nav, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB radio, two USB inputs, wireless phone charging (for compatible phones) and a decent eight-speaker Infinity sound system.

You also get free live traffic information and map updates, although a lot of motorists will prefer to use the maps on their phone via the relevant app. The graphics look sharp and the screen generally responds quickly and is easy to navigate.