Stranger things? or stranger thing? Not really sure what we have here… they call it the Hyundai Ioniq 6, we call it weird-looking. Hyundai says it is streamlined and aesthetically pleasing. Very few people buy into corporate press statements and very few people buy Hyundai sedans. And if form follows sales then it is easy to conclude very few people will buy the pure electric stranger things Ioniq 6. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 looks depressed and in need of counseling, it needs to acquire positive thinking skills. Conversely, Hyundai absolutely nailed the Ioniq 5, which begs the question, how on earth did they get the Ioniq 6 so visually wrong?

The only way to avoid looking at the exterior of the Ioniq 6 is by sitting inside it. And it appears Hyundai has done a much better job of the interior design. The wing mirrors are replaced by camera stalks which means you get digital wing mirrors on the inside. Hyundai has gone for a single infotainment screen which also incorporates the driver’s instrument information. Ambient lighting is a nice touch, what is a modern car without ambient lighting?

The drive train will more than likely mirror the Ioniq 5, however it is likely that Hyundai will increase the battery pack from 77 kWh to around 100 kWh for the Ioniq 6. Expect single motor RWD entry-level models and AWD dual-motor flagship variants. And also expect superfast charging capability and a retail price tag starting from $50K.

The reason for the exterior design failure is due to Hyundai getting on the aerodynamic, low drag coefficient bandwagon. Doing so is good for corporate marketing and sales but not so much for my mental health. Batteries will eventually get more efficient, electric motors will eventually get more powerful and more efficient. Therefore the focus on aero will diminish and electric cars will get more stylish.

These aerodynamic-inspired designs really don’t improve the electric range by a significant factor. Nevertheless, whereas the Inoiq 5 used a lot of original inspiration, the Ioniq 6 is enough to make you lose hope in the future of humankind.