The Hyundai Ioniq 3 will join the Korean brand’s growing electric vehicle (EV) lineup next year, appearing as a competitor to vehicles like the MG 4.
“Our existing electric vehicle offering already covers 85 per cent of the market, and with the launch of the Staria Commercial Van later this year and the Ioniq 3 Hatch early next year, we expect to achieve a total market coverage of 96 per cent electric vehicle,” Hyundai Motor Company Australia sales director David Rodda said in a statement.
The Ioniq 3 is scheduled to be unveiled on April 20, 2026 and was primarily developed for the European market.
The Concept Three was previewed at the Munich Motor Show last September and will enter production in Turkey this year before hitting the market Down Under in early 2027.
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An aggressively styled small hatchback, the Concept Three measures 4287mm long, 1940mm wide and 1428mm high, with a wheelbase of 2722mm. This makes it slightly shorter and lower than an i30 hatch, but wider and has a longer wheelbase.
The concept is identical in length to the MG 4, albeit with a 17mm longer wheelbase, although Hyundai describes the concept as a “reflection of (its) European B-segment ambitions”. This term typically refers to the light car segment occupied by models such as the Toyota Yaris and the MG 3.
It is expected to share a 400V version of the E-GMP platform with the Kia EV4.
The Concept Three carries the Korean brand’s new Art of Steel design language, which debuted on the 2024 Initium concept and previewed the second-generation Nexo hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to be unveiled in 2025.
The electric tailgate almost looks like a coupé with its slim roofline and striking, sharp edges. So it’s more like a Veloster than an i30 Hatch.
It’s still recognizably an Ioniq vehicle, however, as the sub-brand’s signature square Parametric Pixel lighting elements can be found front and rear.
Reconnaissance shots show the production vehicle has the same Genesis GV60-style proportions, although there have been some detail changes such as the addition of conventional side mirrors and flush door handles.
The interior bears far less resemblance to the concept, although there is still a slightly angular steering wheel and a two-tier center console, as well as a minimalist center console with a single row of buttons.
In contrast to the concept, there are actually free-standing instrument clusters and infotainment screens.
The instrument cluster is slim and set well back, so a head-up display may not be necessary, while the infotainment screen is large and horizontally oriented, with physical switches and buttons underneath for functions like climate control.
There’s a bridge-style center console, with the top level featuring a covered bin with a padded armrest and a pair of cupholders, while there’s a storage compartment below.
Hyundai plans to offer an “electrified version of every model in Europe” by 2027 and launch 21 electric vehicles worldwide by 2030.
With the production hatchback, Hyundai gets an electric car that slots in under the Ioniq 6 in Australia and sits alongside electric SUVs like the Inster and Kona Electric.
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