Spied: Hyundai Ioniq bares it all

Dec 21, 2015, 9:36am ET

Hyundai\'s answer to the Toyota Prius has been spotted completely undisguised.

Hyundai's upcoming Toyota Prius-rivaling Ioniq compact has been spotted completed camouflage free on the set of a commercial shoot. The Hyundai Ioniq will officially be introduced at an event in South Korea next month before making its North American debut at the New York auto show.

The Ioniq's front end will take on Hyundai's latest corporate face while the rear of the compact will adopt a roofline similar to that of the Prius and Chevrolet Volt. Although that familiar shape should help the Ioniq in the eyes of economy-conscious shoppers, the overall shape is probably down to aerodynamics more than anything else.

The Ioniq will usher in a new platform engineered specifically for electrified automobiles. Although we haven't seen the Ioniq's interior, we've heard that it closely mimics the cabins of the Sonata and new Elantra. Pricing and packages should closely mirror that of the Toyota Prius.

The Ioniq will be a unique offering in the market places in that it will offer buyers the choice of three different electrified drivetrains — a conventional hybrid, a plug-in hybrid and a pure electric system. The hybrids are expected to use a 1.6L gas engine mated to an electric motor.

Following its U.S. debut in New York, look for the Hyundai Ioniq to go on-sale during the later part of 2016.