Hyundai Ioniq 2: First look at Renault 4 rival before September debut
New model will sit between Inster and Kona Electric and be twinned with Kia’s upcoming EV2
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by Will Rimell
2 mins read
30 July 2025
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Hyundai is set to reveal an electric alternative to the Bayon, likely badged Ioniq 2, as it pushes to expand its EV line-up.
Understood by Autocar to be twinned with sibling brand Kia’s incoming EV2, it will plug the gap between the Inster and Kona Electric.
Pictures of the car testing this week confirm that it will be close in size to the combustion-powered Bayon, positioning it as a rival to the likes of the Renault 4 and Volvo EX30.
It will be revealed “in the next few months”, new Europe CEO Xavier Martinet told Autocar in June, which suggests that it is likely to be unveiled at the Munich motor show in September.
Hyundai confirmed the car will go on sale in the third quarter of 2026, so deliveries could begin as soon as next July. It is understood that Kia’s EV2, previewed by the EV2 concept, will arrive a few months before it.
“We are very much involved with the electrification of our line-up and to increase our electrified mix in the coming years,” said Martinet.
Like the EV2, the car will be based on the same scalable E-GMP platform that is used by nearly all EVs in the Hyundai Motor Group, which comprises Hyundai, Kia and Genesis.
It’s therefore likely to get a similar set-up to the slightly larger Kia EV3, which is offered with either a 58.3kWh or an 81.4kWh battery pack for ranges of 267 and 372 miles respectively. All versions of the EV3 are powered by a single electric motor that sends 201bhp and 209lb ft to the front wheels.
Inside, the new electric car will bring a “step change” in usability for Hyundai. This includes a new infotainment system that, Autocar has been told, will enable elements such as ambient lighting and noise to alter according to driving modes or chosen style. Like the incoming EV2, the new Hyundai is also expected to get a combined instrument and infotainment display set-up that spans roughly half the width of the dashboard.
Pricing for the new crossover is likely to be close to that of the EV2, at around £25,000.
When it arrives next year, it will be the sixth electric car in Hyundai’s growing EV line-up, following the Ioniq 9 flagship that is due to hit UK roads in the coming months.
