Best sedans of 2023 and 2024

Joining the Ionic 5 this year, the Ioniq 6 is a streamline sedan with futuristic styling. The curved look might not be to everyone’s liking, but this sedan has plenty of presence. This electric car has been named the World Car of the Year, following in the wheel tracks of the Ioniq 5 in that regard. There are rear- and AWD models, the line up ranging in price from $80k up to $125k. The base model has a 53kWh battery, a 111kW/350Nm single motor on the rear and, with efficiency stated at 13.9kWh/100km (thank those aeros), it has a 429km range (WLTP).

The top spec Limited has a dual motor set up with a total of 239kW and 605Nm of torque. Range is a stated 519km with efficiency pegged at 16.9kWh/100km.

It’s a large car, with generous seating space in the rear and wide spacious cabin up front. The styling of the rear end however conspires against boot space, which is tight for such a big car.

It is a very refined car to drive; smooth, quiet and powerful. The power delivery is not too intense, it rolls on progressively and it’s there in abundance when it’s required. And delivered instantly of course. It’s an easy car to mooch about in, the ride is agreeable, the damping resolute over both big bumps and small, and it’s quiet.

https://www.hyundai.co.nz/electric-vehicles/ioniq-6/overview#specifications

https://www.autocar.co.nz/2023-hyundai-ioniq-6-limited-awd-review/

While BYD has done rather well in the market selling just a single model, it now has an expanded range of three vehicles, including the new Seal. This is one slick looking sedan, styled by the former head of Audi Group design, Wolfgang Egger. It comes with rather sharp pricing too, the entry point being $62,990 giving you a 61kWh battery with a driving range of 460km. That’s a rear drive model with a motor producing 150kW of power and 310Nm of torque,

The $72,990 Premium gives more power and range from a bigger battery and more powerful motor, while the $83,990 Performance has a dual motor set up with 390kW of power and 670Nm of torque. This model delivers a 0 to 100km/h time of 3.8 seconds and a range of 520km.

While the Model Y is now the preferred Tesla for Kiwi buyers, the Model 3 has just been renewed, the first major update for the car since its arrival. More than fifty per cent of the car is said to be new, despite not looking much different from the old one. The front and rear have been tidied up, but it’s in the cabin you notice more of the changes. There are now even fewer buttons and switches, the screen doing more of the tasks including selecting gears. Tesla continues to impress with its efficiency, the $67,900 rear drive model delivering up to 513km of range.