Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy 6-Seater Review Singapore 2026

01Introduction

Hyundai's Ioniq family has always been the "wait, that's a Hyundai?" bunch, and the Ioniq 9 is the biggest of them all. It's a full-size, three-row electric SUV that sits on the E-GMP platform, and it's built for people who need to move six humans without giving up on style.

There are three main variants. The Standard rear-wheel drive car makes 218hp, while the Calligraphy comes as a 7-seater or a 6-seater with dual motors and 308hp. We spent our time in the Calligraphy 6-seater, the one with captain's chairs in the second row, and it made a very strong first impression. The moment we stepped in, everything felt premium.

Figures from the official Hyundai Ioniq 9 Singapore brochure. All three variants share the same 110.3kWh battery.

02Exterior Design

Let's be honest, this design is sure to stand out on the roads. At 5,060mm long and 1,980mm wide, riding on a 3,130mm wheelbase, the Ioniq 9 is a big unit, with that clean, chunky silhouette that looks like it rolled out of a concept car show. Hyundai's Parametric Pixels show up everywhere: the daytime running lights, the headlights and the tail-lamps all use that signature pixel look.

The headline feature on the outside is actually something that's missing. There are no physical side mirrors on our car. Instead you get slim cameras feeding screens inside the cabin. More on how that feels to live with in the driving section.

03Interior Review

Quiet, comfortable and luxurious. That's the cabin in three words. The two-tone upholstery lifts the whole space, the windscreen view is wide, and there's a mixture of physical buttons and digital controls, so you're not stabbing at a touchscreen just to change something simple.

Infotainment & Sound

Pairing Android Auto and Apple CarPlay was relatively simple, no drama, no restarting anything. There's a heads-up display too, which keeps your eyes on the road. The start button is a bit out of sight because it's integrated with the wiper stalk. Some will love the clean look, some will go hunting for it on day one. Personal preference.

Climate is handled by 3-zone aircon, and it's strong. Even at level 1 it keeps the cabin properly cool, which is exactly what you want after the car has been baking in an open-air car park at 2pm. Our one gripe: the aircon controls sit a bit low. Raising them just a little would make them easier to reach while driving.

Seats & Comfort

The seats are well bolstered and comfortable, the kind you can sit in from Woodlands to KL without needing a long stretch at every R&R stop. Legroom and headroom up front are more than sufficient, and the Universal Island 2.0 console between the seats gives you 5.6L of storage in the upper tray and 12.6L in the lower one. Bags, wallets, a tumbler or two, all sorted.

Rear Passenger Space

This is where the Ioniq 9 earns its keep. Every row has ample space. The second row captain's chairs come with handy storage drawers, and getting to the back is easy: press a button and the second row seat automatically moves down and out of the way. No awkward climbing.

And the third row? It seats two adults comfortably. Not "comfortable for kids", actually comfortable. The third row seats even get electric recline, and that wide sunroof extends all the way back so the last row doesn't feel like the boot. Fun one: on paper, the third row actually gets slightly more headroom (1,011mm) than the second row (1,000mm).

04Boot Space

With all three rows up you get 338L, which is fine for a grocery run or a couple of cabin bags. Fold the third row down and it opens up to 908L, enough for the full family holiday load or a big IKEA haul. Then there's the 52L frunk up front on the Calligraphy for the charging cable and the odds and ends you don't want rolling around the back.

05Driving Experience

Ride & Handling

For a car this size, the Ioniq 9 is honestly not difficult to control at all. The steering is light, body control is excellent with minimal roll, and cornering feels really stable. Speed bumps? It goes over them with no fear. The dual motors (66.1kW up front, 160kW at the back) give it 308hp and 605Nm, good for 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 200km/h, which is plenty of shove for a six-seater.

Now, the digital side mirrors. We'll be upfront: at first we didn't have the confidence to change lanes. It felt like being back in driving school. Parking felt the same way, like our muscle memory had been wiped. But with practice it clicks, and you'll master it. Just give yourself a few days before judging.

The self-parking function was almost accurate, needing about two adjustments to get it right. And you get a full suite of safety systems helping you along the way, so there's no need to worry about the size.

Refinement

Sound insulation is great. Road and wind noise are kept well outside, which makes the cabin a calm place to be, whether you're stuck on the CTE at 6pm or cruising up the North-South Highway. Long story short: good comfort for road trips.

Range & Charging

The battery is big: 110.3kWh, good for a claimed 600km of range on the Calligraphy. That's a few Causeway runs before you need to think about plugging in. On 11kW AC charging, 10% to 100% takes about 10 hours, so overnight at home or at the office works well. On a 350kW DC fast charger, 10% to 80% takes about 24 minutes, just enough time for a kopi break. On a more common 50kW DC charger, plan for about 109 minutes. Note that you'll only see that number on a charger that can actually deliver that much power.

Thanks to its 800V system, Hyundai says an ultra-fast charger can add about 304km of range in just 15 minutes, and it works with both 400V and 800V chargers. There's also Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), which can supply up to 3.6kW through a 230V socket. Think powering a camping setup at East Coast, or charging an e-scooter straight from the car.

06Is It Right for You?

07Verdict

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy 6-seater is a big three-row SUV that actually gives every row ample space, wraps it in a quiet, premium cabin and still drives with confidence. The digital mirrors and the sheer width ask for a bit of patience at first, but once you settle in, it's a seriously easy car to live with and a lovely one for road trips.

If we had to sum it up in one word? Futuristic.

Full Specifications

Figures are from the official Hyundai Ioniq 9 Singapore brochure (Komoco Motors, 01/2026), hyundai.com.sg and our test drive notes. Please confirm pricing and final specs with the authorised distributor.