The new Hyundai IONIQ 9 from pixel to planetarium

First, we need to talk about the Ioniq family. A story that began with a modest hybrid with an iconic name—no number, no fuss, but clearly the first step toward something bigger. Then came number 5. The Ioniq 5, a charming, angular, blocky car from the future, like a mobile pixel art piece. Not just any EV, but a design statement that surprised the market. And yes, still my personal favorite.

Next up was the Ioniq 6. An elegant coupe, an aerodynamic athlete, wind-tunnel-slick, easily devouring the horizon, and—honestly—perhaps a little too understatedly brilliant and deserving of more. What a fantastic car.

Then it’s 2025 and everything suddenly gets big, really big, the Ioniq 9. Let me put it this way: getting into the 9 doesn’t feel like getting into a car. It feels more like a zen lounge on wheels. A kind of mobile loft, or—and this isn’t an exaggeration—a private planetarium, at least if you open the roof around midnight and look up. During a stargazing trip to Dark Sky Alqueva in Portugal, this didn’t precisely align perfectly. We were there to admire the Milky Way, but secretly we just as much enjoyed staying in the car. Lying down, seats reclined, and legs up.

With the panoramic roof wide open, I gazed at the universe. Rarely have I so enjoyed the stars, the silence, and my 9, which felt like a campervan. During the moment before bed in a transparent dome tent, you wonder how it all came together. The car has become part of the experience. I still think about it and had already decided then and there that I would return to Dark Sky Alqueva for a longer stay, especially with an Ioniq 9, because it still feels like a dream.

Comfort, space, tranquility and reinventing the future

The IONIQ 9 is large. At 5.07 meters, you might think it’s almost clumsy, but no, everything in this car is designed to not only utilize space but also make it feel like it. No cluttered dashboard, despite the many buttons that are a real treat. Sometimes you have to go back in time to reinvent the future. That’s the conclusion I reached together with Eric-Yann Coulouvrat, the French interior designer of the Ioniq 9. The spaceship has a flat floor, a sliding center console, a spacious third row of seats (where you won’t find yourself with your knees on your neck), and, if you arrange it correctly, recliners that can recline further than your commitment-phobic ex. Think about that for a moment. In practice, you can recline the seats in the Ioniq 9 so far back that you can lie down and look at the stars.

There’s silence—not just any- but that deep kind of silence you normally only hear on a mountaintop or far from the highway. Active Noise Cancelling, sound-dampening glass, and tires that seem to roll more than they move create a cocooning effect. You can hear your thoughts again, which is handy because in this car, you’ll think for yourself as you drive through one of Europe’s most sparsely populated areas. You’ll also wonder why brands still stumble and fail to create a comfortable cabin where you feel completely at home. Imagine how much you enjoy taking long road trips. Just read our book “Insane Road Trips” —then you’ll understand my statement about the Ioniq 9 much better.

Design that doesn’t have to shout

Fortunately, Hyundai tends not to make their cars shout. There is no exaggerated grille or Korean bling, although I’m a fan of those in South Korea. The Ioniq 9 has a certain calmness. An elegant, almost boat-like rear, a sleek front, and pixelated lighting that has clearly been carefully considered. The shape and how the air flows around it are also well-thought-out. It’s the first Hyundai with a ‘dual-motion Air Flap system’, ahem. That doesn’t exactly sound sexy, but it’s clever. It ensures that the airflow adapts to what you’re doing. If you want to cruise leisurely, everything closes for maximum aerodynamics. However, if you want a sporty drive—which is perfectly fine with this monster of a car—you can open it up for extra cooling.

Fortunately, you don’t get an overload of colours, no glossy piano black where you can immediately see your every fingerprint, but an interior with smart choices, natural tones and lighting that you can adapt to your mood, or your outfit when you’re looking at the stars.

Relaxed floating on the grip and pixels

Don’t expect any racing DNA. This isn’t a car you’d want to take on the Nürburgring, and that wouldn’t make any sense. You get stability, composure, and a ton of control. For those who prefer to drive at warp speed rather than in zen mode, there’s the Performance AWD, also the most powerful powertrain with two electric motors and all-wheel drive. This version is plenty quick if you want to sprint (0-100 km/h takes just over five seconds), but it never feels like it has to prove itself. It’s all incredibly smooth, and that’s precisely what makes this car so special.

The steering is light yet precise, and you don’t feel like you’re driving a 5-meter-long SUV. The suspension is adaptive and knows when you just want to relax and when you need a bit more firmness. Then there’s that air-suspension vibe that, thanks to the automatic level control, keeps everything perfectly balanced, whether you’re driving solo or with a full load and a caravan on the tow bar.

Tech without the familiar menu jungle

The Ioniq 9 is packed with tech, a whole lot, but designed so you don’t have to take a course or wade through five menus before you understand the air conditioning. The curved dual screen is logically structured, the infotainment system is fast and intuitive, and the new AI assistant is one of the few voice control systems that doesn’t want to shout you into the abyss.

Just say “Hey Hyundai” and ask if you want to dim the lights, turn on the seat heaters, or navigate to the nearest charging station. It understands it all and doesn’t sound like a stuttering robot. You can even add digital themes through an app store, so if you want your dashboard to look like a retro ’80s game or a relaxing walk in the woods, be my guest. It’s your choice.