2026 Hyundai ELEXIO Elite Review

Hyundai has been missing a piece in its EV lineup for a while. The KONA Electric is small. The IONIQ 5 is large, retro-cool and priced at a premium. The ELEXIO drops right between them, aimed squarely at the family that wants the space and the range but does not want the IONIQ price tag.

After a day in the Elite spec, the verdict is that Hyundai has filled the gap properly.

What you are actually getting

Single front-mounted motor making 160 kW and 310 Nm. WLTP range of 562 km on the Base and 546 km on the Elite (the Elite carries more weight in features). Five-star ANCAP rating. A 504 L boot. And the new 27 inch Connect-C infotainment screen across the dash, which is the nicest screen in any Hyundai built so far.

DC charging tops out at 150 kW, which gets you from 10 to 80 per cent in about 38 minutes on a fast enough charger. That is competitive, not class-leading. The IONIQ 5 still has the 800-volt party trick. The ELEXIO does not.

Driving the Elite

Around town the ELEXIO is quiet. Hyundai has done the road-noise homework that the early EV6 and IONIQ 5 cars were criticised for. The single-motor setup is brisk enough off the line without feeling silly: there is no need for a dual-motor on a family SUV, and Hyundai knows it.

The ride is firmer than the IONIQ 5 but better resolved than the KONA Electric. On the open road it tracks straight and the regenerative braking has four selectable levels including a proper one-pedal mode that holds the car to a stop.

The Digital Key 2 (NFC) is one of those small features that quietly changes your week. Tap your phone, get in, drive. No key, no fishing through a bag.

The cabin

The 27 inch screen runs all the way from in front of the driver to past the middle of the dash. Crisp, fast, and finally with proper physical climate controls underneath, so you can adjust the temperature without burying yourself in menus.

Elite trim brings leather-appointed seats, a six-speaker system, and the bigger driver assistance package. The seats are comfortable for a long highway leg and the second row genuinely fits three adults across, with proper ISOFIX points if it is fitting a child seat instead.

Cartell Assessment

The ELEXIO is the most sensible electric Hyundai you can buy. The KONA Electric is for one or two people. The IONIQ 5 is for the buyer who wants the design statement and is willing to pay for it. The ELEXIO is the one that goes in the family driveway and just works: enough range for a Sydney to Canberra round trip without thinking, enough boot for a Bunnings run, and enough screen real estate to keep the kids busy on a road trip.

At $59,990 drive-away for the Elite, Hyundai has priced the ELEXIO well below the IONIQ 5 and right alongside the Kia EV5 and BYD Sealion 7. That puts it firmly on the family EV shortlist.

AU Outlook

The ELEXIO Elite lands at $59,990 drive-away, with the standard ELEXIO sitting at $58,990 manufacturer's list price (it arrived in Q2 last year). Premium paint is $750, Dove Grey interior on the Elite adds $295. Hyundai's 7-year unlimited-kilometre warranty applies, with 8 years on the high-voltage battery, which is properly competitive cover for an EV. At Elite money, the ELEXIO undercuts every IONIQ 5 by a meaningful margin and lands square on the Kia EV5 and BYD Sealion 7. That makes it the default mid-size family EV recommendation for the back half of 2026.