2027 Hyundai Ioniq 3 First Look: Cute ’n’ Quirky

Last year, Hyundai showed off the Concept 3, an awesome hatchback that was aggressive and adorable at the same time. It was a preview of the 2027 Ioniq 3, and now, only eight months later, Hyundai has pulled the sheet from the production version. Its quirky style and some of its cuter details have remained, but will the U.S. market get this all-electric small hatch/crossover?

We’ll go ahead and rip off the band-aid now. “Hyundai Motor America currently has no plans to offer the Ioniq 3” to the U.S., a representative told MotorTrend. The rest of the statement said Hyundai “continually evaluates market trends and customer demand” and that it will focus on vehicles that meet U.S. demands.

We also asked Genesis (Hyundai’s luxury brand) if it saw space in its American lineup for the car, as the Hyundai does look a lot like a scaled-down version of the GV60. It immediately shut that down, saying, “Genesis doesn’t have details to share regarding future plans for our product lineup at this time.”

With fuel prices reportedly not expected to drop until 2027 and EV interest increasing, perhaps Hyundai will have a change of heart. And hopefully it does, as the 2027 Ioniq 3 not only looks great but has nice specs, too.

That Quirky Exterior Hides Impressive Standard Tech

The automaker characterizes the car’s design philosophy as “Aero Hatch,” a silhouette optimized for aerodynamic efficiency and “generous interior space.” Its an inch taller than the mechanically related Kia EV4 but the Hyundai is a smidge narrower than the Kia and not quite as long. A claimed 0.263 coefficient of drag is quite slippery.

Aero-focused wheels help with Cd, but buyers will get a choice of 16- to 19-inch wheels, as well as performance tires for the N-Line trim.

The Ioniq 3 features Hyundai’s Intelligent Front-Lighting System (IFS) with projector LED headlamps. This system provides a dynamic welcome lighting display when powered on as well as enhanced visibility, according to Hyundai. You’ll also find Hyundai’s Ioniq pixel lighting elements like its four central dots that signal “H” in Morse code. It will also feature a standard sensor suite for Highway Driving Assist 2, Remote Smart Parking Assist, Memory Reverse Assist, and external cameras for its blind-spot and surround-view monitors.

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Interior Space

Hyundai hasn’t provided interior or full cargo dimensions, but an additional 4.20 cubic feet of hidden storage lives under the cargo floor in an aarea called the “Megabox.”

Infotainment is handled via a standard 12.9-inch central display or an optional 14.6-inch upgrade, both usins Hyundai’s version of Android Automotive OS (AAOS) called Pleos Connect. This will be the first European Hyundai vehicle to feature this updated system, which uses both physical buttons and simplified touch controls within the screen. The driver also gets a simplified digital screen on the top of the dashboard.

Battery and Range Options

The Ioniq 3 uses a 400-volt electrical architecture and comes standard with a 42.2-kWh battery pack that provides up to 192 miles of range or a 61-kWh long range pack with up to 280 miles. Both range numbers are based in the WLTP testing cycle, which differs from our EPA cycle; it’s likely that the 3 would have lower range numbers if it were tested here.

The electricity powers a single front motor regardless of trim level, but power ranges from 133 horsepower in standard models to 145 horsepower in the N-Line. All Ioniq 3s deliver 184 lb-ft of torque.

The range figures pale a bit among small EVs considering the FWD Nissan Leaf and its 75-kWh battery is good for up to 303 miles on the S+ trim. But then again, the Leaf isn’t nearly as cool as the Ioniq 3 and the Hyundai likely will be a lot better to drive, as well. The Ioniq 3 does match the Leaf with vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, as well as vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) abilities. Hyundai says charging the standard pack from 10 to 80 percent will take 29 minutes, and the long-range version an additional minute more.

Price and availability have not been announced for the 2027 Hyundai Ioniq 3, which will be built at Hyundai Motor Turkey’s Izmit plant.