2020 Hyundai Ioniq shows off fresh styling, upgraded interior

Hyundai of Europe revealed a refreshed 2020 Hyundai Ioniq hybrid and plug-in hybrid. Being refreshes, the changes are mild, but mostly welcome. Starting on the outside, the Ioniq's plain slatted grille gives way to a more conventional-looking metallic finish mesh grille. The detailing on the mesh makes the car look more premium than the outgoing model. New jewel-like LED headlights and triangular taillights are available, too, the latter of which matches the angular new Elantra nicely.

While very functional, the old Ioniq's interior was plasticky and uninspired. The new model's is vastly improved with a completely new dashboard. Air vents now blend into horizontal trim pieces, making the whole dash look lower and wider. The center stack has a more futuristic look with light blue back lighting on a glossy surface, and it blends into the infotainment screen. That screen can now be as big as 10.25 inches. The instrument panel cowl blends into the dash better, too, and it appears the instrument panel itself has been redesigned. Finally, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist and driver attention warning are standard features now.

This updated Ioniq has only been shown by Hyundai Europe, but we fully expect these changes to appear on American Ioniqs in the near future. We've reached out to Hyundai's American branch to confirm and haven't received a reply at the time of writing. Also interesting is that only the hybrid and PHEV have been shown, with the updated electric Ioniq being shown later. We've heard rumors that the Ioniq Electric's updated model will have greater range. It might even get the more potent motor and battery from the Kona Electric and Niro EV. This seems especially likely since the Niro and Ioniq have quite a bit in common when it comes to underpinnings and powertrains. A team from Hyundai even proved the Kona motor fits in an Ioniq with a track version of Ioniq.