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Cornering on the original Ioniq EV - How do you find it?

12K views 60 replies 16 participants last post by  Superhero 
#1 ·
Hi,

I had a really brief test drive today on an Ioniq full EV (2017). I was after arriving in a Ford Mondeo, so quite a heavy car.
What surprised me was that the Ioniq seemed to handle the corners woefully on the test drive compared to the Mondeo.

Is this an issue with the car?

The test drive was brief, so I'm not sure if I was just gunning it more, but it really struggled on corners I could throw the Mondeo around with ease, and the Mondeo's hardly a race car!!

Especially noticed on one corner I managed to trigger the ESP and I felt like I wasn't going that fast around the bend.
 
#2 ·
No, it is not exemplary, it is the iONIQ's design. This thing is no roadwarrior by any means. It's not fast, it looses grip too easily if you put the pedal to the metal and no, it doesn't corner very well. The standard tyres don't help either - those things were made for economy, not for a sporty driving experience.

As for weight, the iONIQ EV weighs a whopping 1600 kg, just as much as the mondeo.
 
#3 ·
I must say the handling on the 38 isn't great compared to previous cars I've had. It's just not the sort of car to chuck about.
I don't think it is helped that in the full EV it has an old school torsion beam suspension set up, as opposed to independent multi link setup on the hybrid versions (to accommodate the bigger battery)
I don't think that is the main reason though, probably weight and different centre of gravity and eco tyres make it feel different to others. It always feels well planted and fairly balanced though and I don't think body roll is too bad unless you really plough it into a bend. I prefer to think of it as a relaxed driver. It can certainly get a bit lively accelerating out of a roundabout on a damp road with a bit of adverse camber though.
 
#4 ·
I drive quite a lot of small windy roads, usually att the posted speed set on the cc. I think it does ok with the tires at 3 - 3.2 bar, the stock Michelins feel mushy when at the recommended 2.6 bar. New (sporter) tires would probably make a big difference (mine handles better even on my kumho winter tires).

There is also a lack of downforce on the rear axle due to the kamback shape that is not helped by Hyundais choice to not fit a full undertray(there is a ~50cm gap right around the rear axle).

Completing the undertray might help. There are also stiffer swaybars to fit and lowering springs available.

Its not a racecar, its a small economical runabout. I have had a makeshift undercover tray for the gap the last six months and I feel it helps keep the rear in line, gonna fabricate a better one this summer.
 
#5 ·
IMHO the whole issue is down to fact that the front wheels have not enough weight on them. Eg. breaking on a straight road is very good, I don't have any problems with that, even on wet surfaces. Cornering must be performed carefully with the stock Michelins on a wet road. I plan to exchange those tyres to something different, with better grip.
 
#6 ·
I've driven yesterday the first 120km in my new Ioniq over twisty country roads. I neither find it very enjoyable nor unpleasant or even dangerous. I've driven Ford Focus, VW Golf, e-Golf, BMW 3, Mazda 3 over a couple of years - but for my driving style I don't recognize major differences. The Ioniq was made for efficient and comfortable drive and that it delivers very reasonable. If you are searching for a fun-to-drive car, you need to search for something else.
 
#7 ·
Does anyone find long journeys uncomfortable? I dont have any back problems or anything, but I find that pretty much after exactly 1.5hours of driving I get pain in lower back, never used to get that in previous cars where I'd sometimes driven 4 hours straight. It's either the seat or the driving position
It is my only real criticism of the car, though at 1.5 hours in its generally time for a charge I suppose!
 
#8 ·
Does anyone find long journeys uncomfortable? I dont have any back problems or anything, but I find that pretty much after exactly 1.5hours of driving I get pain in lower back, never used to get that in previous cars where I'd sometimes driven 4 hours straight. It's either the seat or the driving position
Or the increased age - former you were younger. ;) To my taste the seats are quite well supported in the lower part of the rest, but I had problems in the past with a BMW 3 getting pain in the back.
 
#10 ·
I don't find it bad at all. It is obviously heavier than the other C-Segment cars, but nothing terrible to drive. You just have to be aware of the low rolling resistance tires, weight transfer around corners, high torque on a weight discharged front axle under acceleration... You just can't drive it like a Saxo VTS around twisties, but if you adapt to the car, it responses gently.
 
#11 ·
Yes, considering these hold their value reasonably well, I'm considering buying it and if it doesn't sit well with me after six months, I can trade it in.

Thanks to everyone that has replied.

I just want to highlight again that I'm comparing it to a Mondeo. Absolutely miles from something that's built to corner really well, or a race car. It's also nearly 14 years old!
 
#14 ·
Hah! This thread mentions many of the things I have been through. While investigating I found the EV to have a stiff rear axle. Really cheap and low end choice while the hybrid got a proper multilink rear axle.

I lowered my car 30mm and made a custom plate to fill the gap where the rear axle is. The missing part from having a flat underbody.





I too upped the tire pressure to 3.5bar or so. I will still stay on 16" and the lowers rolling resistance tires though.

My old daily driver was a Volvo V70 2007 diesel with 600000km on the clock. Ioniq handles better than that for sure. My toy is a Toyota MR2 -00, lowered with various bushings changes on 17" semi slicks. That one does better than the Ioniq LOL. But I would say the Ioniq is not that bad after all. I'm surprised how well it does on a winding road. For corners in the city, yes it lifts the inner tire and you don't get any power to the ground, but on the roads it's good. It's still fairly light compared to many other EVs.

Disable traction control to be your own boss and things will be better. It also won't keep power on cruise control of the road turns so you will actually drop speed through corners if not manually adding power.
 
#15 ·
What is the custom plate supposed to achieve exactly?
Not sure overinflating tyres will improve ride/handling either. It may make economy better, but will surely make the ride harsher and give less grip (due to lower contact area)
 
#16 ·
I doubt he's inflating his tyres to 50PSI. Typo?

I wouldn't go as far as adding a custom plate to the car, I'd get rid of it before doing that! I'll certainly add better tyres (rather grip and handling then economy) though.

I'm still so 50/50 on this because of how expensive it is..

On a side note, you're a mad man if you're lying under that wooden ramp!
 
#18 ·
@Superhero your cover is crazy nice, you must have a nice workshop! Wanna make one for me? 🙃
Does the suspension ever move close enough that the rounded cutouts matter?

Mine is just a piece of hardboard weatherproofed with ductape(its just a prototype to test if its worth it, been under the car for 6 months now). I'm planning of using an old refrigerator door to make a more long term cover this summer.

34045


I never got around to measuring if it had any impact on consumption but the car feels better behaved on the motorway and in windy conditions.
 
#19 ·
Several times I have made the trip from my home in North Hertfordshire to St Ives in Cornwall (3x 5-10 minute loo breaks and 1x 1/2 hour meal stop) and I find the car very comfortable, extremely stable at sat nav regulated 70mph (where allowed). It may be that my body shape just agrees with the car as I never use the lumber support, yet get out of the car pain free after 300 miles. My car has the 17" alloys and I run the stock tyres at the sticker pressure of 36psi as I take the view that it would have cost Hyundai thousands of testing hours and a lot of money to settle on that value, so who am I to think otherwise.

On this trip, apart from the first 1.5 miles and a couple of short section in Cornwall, the whole trip id dual carriageway or motorway and the ACC is superb.

Drive the car as intended (smoothly with plenty of anticipation) and you will be well rewarded with good handling and a more than acceptable ride, even when picking up the pace and making swift progress.

Why would you have a car like this to chuck into corners or drive it so it lifts a wheel in sharp bends? It's not a sports car, if that's what you want, look elsewhere.
 
#20 ·
Why would you have a car like this to chuck into corners or drive it so it lifts a wheel in sharp bends? It's not a sports car, if that's what you want, look elsewhere.
Thanks for your input, but again, I'm not comparing it to a sports car.
I'm comparing it to a 14 year old Mondeo family wagon and it didn't even hold a candle to it in what I would call normal driving.
 
#22 ·
Yes, I'm thinking the "free wheeling" through the bend probably didn't help compared to having at least the engine on the wheels in the Mondeo.

For what it's worth, I'm not letting the handling prevent me from buying it. If it's still an issue in six months, I'll look at swapping it.
 
#23 ·
You used the phrase that it couldn’t handle corners you can throw the Mondeo around with ease. That is entirely my point, since it’s launch, the Mondeo has had a reputation for being one of the best handling ‘normal’ cars in its class, as does the Focus and Fiesta. They are legacies of Richard Parry-Jones, the now retired chassis genius.

Generally, Mondeos don’t ride on Eco tyres and their suspension, certainly compared to the rigid torsion system on the rear of the Ioniq BEV, is far more sophisticated.

If you want something that’s better (or at least as good as) your Mondeo, buy another Mondeo. If you can accept the compromises driving an Ioniq BEV requires, especially the complete change in your approach to the art of driving, buy one.
 
#24 ·
I have to say the ID.3 feels very well planted indeed. Thanks to the rear wheel drive, and the far better weight distribution, plus a lot more torque/power in the motor, & multilink rear suspension, you can chuck that round corners remarkably well. Give it some throttle on a bend and there's none of that nose-drifting-wide at all, instead it's really neutral &keeps its line beautifully. But it's no sports car - my son's Mazda MX3 would blow it away round the twisties! But he did really like the almost-endless surge of power when he accelerated it quickly up the motorway! Chp off the old block, but he'll learn... :)

But why would you want to be chucking any of these EVs round corners, unless you have money & energy to waste? A great part of EV driving is about coming to the realisation that resources should be used carefully, as excessive demands place demands in turn on other aspects of life & the environment on this planet. Hoofing a car round the corners simply wastes energy as more scrubbing takes place, wears your tyres out faster, and generates more tyre particulates than really necessary.

Maybe it's part of getting older, and ?possibly? wiser, but I now find great delight in using as little energy & tyres as possible, that way I'm giving the chancellor even less of my money as VAT. etc. Zero VED p.a. is just part of thet delight! While it lasts...
 
#26 · (Edited)
I thought the Ioniq 28 had a worse distribution than that? Was thinking front 40/ rear 60 ish? The 38 has more battery up-front, so is better, no?

edit: after some googling:
2018 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Review – Video - HybridCars.com
says the 28 kWh has 50-50 weight distribution. I could have sworn it was lighter at the front end, leading to some loss-of-grip in winter time!
 
#27 ·
I could have sworn it was lighter at the front end, leading to some loss-of-grip in winter time!
I have yet to adress the poor traction. I could unscrew the front sway bar links and se if it changes. Probably I dont want to run it that soft in the front but I think it's a ratio between rear and front. making front softer is easier for testing.

Maybe the multilink of the phev fits in the rear.

time will tell I guess
 
#34 ·
That is one beautiful job! And the perfectly-fitting box must be your make as well? Looks like you've made it from sheet steel & plastic-paint-dipped it whatever that process is called?
Any plans to do a careful test to see if fitting this improves the range?
 
#37 ·
Ally, eh? Hope you don't get any resonances with it! It's a large area to be totally flat. I'd be tempted to add some longitudinal pressed-grooves myself, or maybe some adhesive sound-deadening pads on top to discourage vibrations? Still, maybe the mounting straps have enough coverage. You'll soon find out! :)
 
#39 ·
Yesterday going home the car used 104Wh/km 24 Celsius/75F, return to work this morning 106Wh/km 12 Celcius/53F.(that converts to very close to 6mi/kWh) After the 101km(63mi) trip battery stated 65% left. 4/5 of the road is 80kph(50mph) and 1/5 is 70kph(44mph). I go slightly above the true GPS speed so speedo at 85 and 75kph. Climate on of course. This is good, very good, but if it's better than stock I don't know. Likely not worse at least.
 
#40 ·
105 Wh/km is 5.9 miles/kWh, excellent as you say. With 38.3 useable that's 226 miles range. WLTP is 194 FWIW.

63 miles at 5.9 m/hWk = 10.7 kWh used, that's 27.9% of 38.3 useable. 65% remaining then suggests you started with 93% SOC? Sure to be a ton of rounding errors etc, inaccuracy in what the car reports, or maybe the battery capacity is actually <38.3 thx to cold weather? Perhaps you stated with 100% SOC, but that didn't equate to 38.3 kWh just then? Interesting anyway!
 
#43 ·
Units are mostly a habit. For me it makes sense using Wh/km as we use metric here. If imperial I would use Wh/mi. The problem are not the units them selves but rather people being too lazy to translate with google hence not understanding the numbers LOL.

From when I bought my car the average looks like below. Remember my average is higher then the work commute. Going on weekend trips etc I often go 130kph/80mph which uses more juice. Still very efficient car.

2020
October 144.6Wh/km
November 153.3Wh/km
December 160Wh/km

2021
January 187Wh/km
February 195Wh/km (snow and -15ceclius for 2 weeks)
Mars 156Wh/km
April 143Wh/km
 
#48 ·
I'm not 100% sure about the resistive addon but i'm 100% sure it got the heat pump, probably a resistive heater in series with that.

I do not have any remote options. I can set a schedule that heats the car up, but that only works when plugged in. So for my everyday life it works well as I leave the same time every day, at work with no power connected I don't get any heat though.
 
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