Toyota GR86 vs Hyundai IONIQ 6

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai IONIQ 6 Discontinued model
Toyota GR86 in South Africa

Toyota GR86

2.4 Automatic Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 799,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 173 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 10.9 km/l
VS
Hyundai IONIQ 6 in South Africa

Hyundai IONIQ 6

77kWh AWD Executive Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Discontinued model
ZAR 1,048,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 239 kW 🔧 605 Nm
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Toyota GR86 vs Hyundai IONIQ 6: the short answer

IONIQ 6 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over GR86.

Recorded price context GR86: current from ZAR 749,900 · IONIQ 6: last listed from ZAR 799,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification GR86 IONIQ 6
Maximum Power GR86173 kW @ 7000 rpm IONIQ 6239 kW
Maximum Torque GR86250 Nm @ 3700 rpm IONIQ 6605 Nm
Engine Size GR862387 cc IONIQ 6Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy GR8610.9 km/l IONIQ 6Not Applicable
Ground Clearance GR86130 mm IONIQ 6140 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

GR86

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: General Use
Specification evidence leader

IONIQ 6

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

GR86

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

IONIQ 6

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec GR86 IONIQ 6
Model Introduced Year 2022 2023
Generation Second generation GR86 with improved 2.4L engine First generation Ioniq 6 on Hyundai's E-GMP skateboard platform; streamliner body achieves 0.21 Cd drag coefficient — class-leading aerodynamics
Facelift History Second generation introduced in 2022 with more power Launched in SA in 2023; the first electric sedan from Hyundai in the local market; based on the E-GMP platform shared with the Ioniq 5
Facelift Launched Since 2022 2023
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style Sedan Sedan
Color Note White, Red, Black, Grey, Blue Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status active discontinued
Segment Sedan Sedan
Tare Mass Kg 1270 kg 2155 kg
Vehicle Type Sedan Sedan
Spec GR86 IONIQ 6
Length 4265 mm 4855 mm
Width 1775 mm 1880 mm
Height 1310 mm 1495 mm
Wheelbase 2575 mm 2950 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 130 mm 140 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 77.4 l
Boot/Cargo Space 237 l 401 l
Kerb Weight 1270 kg 2155 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1660 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 390 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 1600 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 4 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 998 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 958 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1050 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 891 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This GR86 and IONIQ 6 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: GR86 67 vs IONIQ 6 100.

Efficiency index: GR86 45 vs IONIQ 6 90.

Safety-equipment index: GR86 96 vs IONIQ 6 98.

Practicality index: GR86 46 vs IONIQ 6 61.

Ownership-cover index: GR86 43 vs IONIQ 6 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

IONIQ 6 leads by 23 points

IONIQ 6 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over GR86.

Evidence leader 84 /100
Lead 23 points
Data 75% source coverage
84
#1 Evidence leader

IONIQ 6

75% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 61
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 98
Practicality 61
Ownership 65
Leads by 23 points
61
#2

GR86

87% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 96 Check Ownership 43
Performance 67
Efficiency 45
Safety 96
Practicality 46
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance IONIQ 6 +33 Efficiency IONIQ 6 +45 Safety IONIQ 6 +2 Practicality IONIQ 6 +15 Ownership IONIQ 6 +22

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

IONIQ 6

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 65/100

GR86

Performance 67/100
Efficiency 45/100
Safety 96/100
Practicality 46/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai IONIQ 6 leads the specification evidence index with 84 pts vs 61 pts for GR86

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, IONIQ 6 leads. However, GR86 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

GR86 vs IONIQ 6 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.