- The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq hybrid and plug-in hybrid will end production in July, as first reported by Motor1.
- Hyundai's decision to drop both variants comes after the company dropped the Ioniq Electric last year.
- The original Ioniq trio debuted for the 2017 model year, and their death clears the way for new all-electric models.
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq hybrid and plug-in hybrid are set to end production in July at the company's Ulsan plant in South Korea, as first reported by Motor1. The news stems from an announcement today on Hyundai's European media site that bids farewell to the first-generation Ioniq. The Ioniq has also disappeared from Hyundai's U.S. consumer site, although a Hyundai North America spokesperson would not confirm the news to C/D.
The Ioniq's demise isn't totally surprising considering that Hyundai phased out the Ioniq Electric after the 2021 model year. It also makes sense as the Korean automaker plans to launch 11 new electric models by 2030, some of which fit under the Ioniq name that now refers to the company's EV subbrand. The recently released Ioniq 5, essentially the spiritual successor to the original Ioniq hatchback, came first, and Ioniq 6 sedan and Ioniq 7 SUV models are forthcoming.
Back when it launched in the U.S. for the 2017 model year, the Ioniq was unique because it was the first time Hyundai had developed a car to accommodate three different powertrains—a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, and an EV. The Ioniq may have only lasted one generation, but it managed to beat the Toyota Prius' mpg ratings and proved to be a compelling alternative.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.
