The Hyundai Ioniq 6 Is About To Become The Best Used Car For People With Taste

I have some sad news for people who enjoy weird cars that are also nice to drive: Hyundai is dropping the Ioniq 6 from its lineup for 2026. The South Korean automaker confirmed the news to multiple outlets yesterday afternoon, saying it plans to sell only the high-performance, high-dollar N model in the U.S. going forward, albeit in limited numbers.

First launched in 2022, the Ioniq 6 is a sleek sedan with a catfish-style face that played counterpart to the all-electric Ioniq 5 SUV (big hatchback?) in Hyundai’s lineup. While it never sold as well as that car, the Ioniq 6, in my mind, was always the better choice, due in part to its fascinating styling and superior range.

Now that it’s dead, I feel like the Ioniq 6 is about to become the ultimate affordable commuter sedan for buyers shopping used, not only because of its range, but because it’s one of the strangest, most interesting-looking things on the road right now.

The Ioniq 6’s Death In America Was Sort Of Expected

While Hyundai hasn’t issued an official reason for discontinuing the Ioniq 6 Stateside, anyone who understands simple math could see the writing was on the wall. The more popular Ioniq 5 is built in Hyundai’s Ellabell, Georgia assembly plant, while the 6 is assembled all the way in Korea. That means it’s subject to a hefty 25% import tariff, which wasn’t part of the tariffs recently struck down by the Supreme Court, according to Car and Driver.

There’s also the elimination of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which knocked down the sales of electric cars across the board in the fourth quarter of last year. The Ioniq 5 was among those cars that took a sales hit, but according to sales data released by Hyundai, it actually sold more units of that car in the first two months of 2026 than it did that same period last year, when the tax credit was still around. Slashing prices by up to $9,800 probably had a lot to do with that increase.

The Ioniq 6, meanwhile, saw no such jump in sales. In fact, sales of the Ioniq 6 in the first two months of 2026 cratered by 70%, from 1,883 units to just 573 cars. Even before all of this tax credit drama went down, the 6 was a niche car. Now it’s even more niche, to the point where Hyundai can’t justify keeping it on showroom floors.

The ultimate Ioniq 6 die-hards need not worry, though, because the high-performance Ioniq 6 N will still be offered in America for 2026. That car is mechanically similar to the lovely Ioniq 5 N, with two electric motors delivering a combined 641 horsepower and all-wheel drive. There’s also a widened track and real aero, which includes a swan-neck rear wing that Hyundai claims can generate 220 pounds of downforce at 155 mph. It should also be the priciest Ioniq 6 offered in America, with an estimated MSRP of around $70,000.

The Thinking Person’s Used EV

While the Ioniq 5 remains one of the best EVs you can buy new or used, I think there’s a lot of potential for the Ioniq 6 to become the thinking person’s choice in the lightly used segment.

On the looks front, the Ioniq 6 outshines virtually anything else in its price range, at least to me. Its sloping roofline borrows much of its design from the original Prophecy concept shown back in 2020. Though the proportions aren’t as dramatic, I still think it’s incredibly cool that such a shape made it past the bean counters. Every time I see one on the street, I have to stop and look.

From head-on, the Ioniq 6 isn’t what I’d describe as stunning—note my catfish comment earlier—but it’s certainly not boring. In a world where most car designs look like they were bred from the same grey, unassuming crossover, being interesting is a huge win. And the Ioniq 6 has that in droves. Don’t get me wrong, the Ioniq 5 is a looker, too. But this car regularly turns heads and starts conversations in a way the 5 doesn’t.

The Ioniq 6 is pretty impressive on the range front, too. Go for an early model with the large battery and rear-wheel drive, and it’ll deliver 361 miles of range per charge, according to EPA estimates. While that figure isn’t as mindblowing as it would’ve been five years ago, it’s more than enough for the average buyer to commute for an entire week before having to juice up.

And it’s not like you’re really sacrificing on space much if you choose an Ioniq 6 over an equivalent crossover. One thing about the 6 is that it is far bigger in person than it looks in pictures. I first got one to drive for a review, and I was amazed by the roominess of the interior, especially in the back seat, where it felt like there was as much legroom as in my long-wheelbase Audi A8. The cabin is also stuffed with real, actual, physical buttons, which means it’s not infuriating to use (though I’d recommend getting a dark-themed interior, as I’m not sure how well the light-themed cabins will age).

If a used EV sounds like a bad idea, you have some time. There are still 419 brand-new Ioniq 6s sitting on dealer lots right now waiting to be sold, according to Cars.com. Personally, though, I think certified pre-owned is the way to go. You can get a low-mileage Ioniq 6 for half of what they go for new, and still have a warranty to back you up in case things go south. As someone with taste, that’s what I’d do.

Top graphic image: Hyundai; DepositPhotos.com