"Not expensive, yet a true sports car": Hyundai upends the high-performance car market

[Financial News] Hyundai Motor Group is reshaping the high-performance car landscape, climbing the podium once again in the performance category of the World Car Awards—regarded as one of the world’s three major automotive awards—by beating leading premium brands.
The IONIQ 6 N from Hyundai Motor Group has taken the "World Performance Car" title at the World Car Awards, a category that until recently had been dominated by luxury and premium brands such as McLaren, Porsche, Audi and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW).
According to industry sources on the 5th, Hyundai Motor Group has emerged as a game changer in the "World Performance Car" category, with the Kia EV6 GT winning in 2023, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N in 2024, and the IONIQ 6 N taking the honor this year.

Analysts say this seismic shift became possible as Hyundai Motor Group leveraged its electrification technology to create a new competitive landscape in the high-performance segment, which had long been led by premium brands built on internal combustion engine expertise and deep-rooted heritage.
Built on the Hyundai Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the cars combine cutting-edge electrification technology with motorsport know-how and vehicle data gathered from the company’s "Rolling Lab" moving laboratory. This fusion has pushed driving performance to the extreme and helped solidify Hyundai’s position in the high-performance arena.
Drawing on 11 years of experience in the World Rally Championship (WRC), Hyundai developed high-performance electrification technology through the Hyundai RN24 Rolling Lab, which integrates the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N’s power electric (PE) system. The Hyundai RN24 was created to overturn the conventional belief that battery-equipped electric vehicles are too heavy and lack agility, and the high-performance technologies proven there have been applied to mass-production models for both track driving and everyday use.
Born from this background, the IONIQ 6 N is equipped with front and rear motors that deliver a combined maximum output of 448 kW and peak torque of 740 Nm. Hyundai has also fitted the IONIQ 6 N with next-generation suspension geometry and stroke-sensitive electronic controlled suspension (ECS) dampers, earning praise for achieving a comfortable ride in daily driving while still delivering the dynamic performance expected of a high-performance car.


The strengths of the Hyundai IONIQ 6 N were clearly reflected in the judges’ comments for the World Car Awards’ World Performance Car category.
Judge Zvonimir Jurcic said of the IONIQ 6 N, "In today’s fiercely competitive high-performance EV market, many models can go very fast, but there are not many cars that combine driving fun, precision and a truly authentic driving feel," adding, "The IONIQ 6 N is neither the most expensive model nor the one with the most extreme specs on paper, yet it can move like a genuine sports car on demanding roads."
The IONIQ 6 N made a strong first impression on the world stage last July at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, where it took part in the hillclimb course and showcased its striking presence.
In January this year, it was named "Best Performance EV" at the 2026 What Car? Awards hosted by leading British automotive magazine What Car?, and this month it was selected as "Best Car for Drivers" at the 2026 Top Gear Electric Awards organized by renowned UK automotive publication Top Gear.
hjkim01@fnnews.com Kim Hak-jae Reporter