Hyundai Concept THREE paves way for Ioniq compact hatch

The latest member of Hyundai's Ioniq EV family has been teased again, with the Korean brand releasing fresh sketches of its new Hyundai Concept THREE hatch ahead of its unwrapping ceremony at the Munich motor show on September 8. And the production version of the Ioniq 3 is widely expected to be on sale by 2027.

The latest design sketches of the Hyundai Concept THREE prove that the Korean brand will not be content to play it safe with its Renault 5 E-Tech or Volkswagen ID.2 rival, with the small hatch looking more like a pint-sized rally car than a grocery-getter.

Expect both the concept and the real production Ioniq 3 to tone down the drawing's bold look, but for the show car to keep its huge wheels and massive rear ducktail.

It's not clear if the concept is a two-door, but the Ioniq 3 will almost certainly sprout a pair of rear doors to boost practicality.

The baby Ioniq model will feature a full width light bar up front, while the rear end will mimic the latest facelifted Ioniq 6 sedan.

Thought to have been developed alongside the all-new Kia EV2, the Ioniq 3 will be based on the same 400V version of the e-GMP platform used in the Kia EV2 and larger EV3, however,  flagship versions of the Ioniq are expected to combine a 150kW e-motor and a 58.3kWh battery that could see it cover more than 430km on a single charge - but all will be revealed following its unveiling.

While there's undoubtedly an appetite for a cheaper Ioniq model Down Under, its fate here remains uncertain, especially if the Ioniq 3 takes the shape of a small hatch, rather than the preferred SUV body style favoured by Australians.

The biggest issue is the new Hyundai EV might be burdened with high pricing linked to transport costs and high tariffs if it is built in a European factory.

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