• The Ioniq 9 will be the big attraction at the Hyundai booth this year.

• The newest EV from Hyundai will be a good test to the Kia EV9.

In just over a week, the Montreal International Auto Show will open its doors for the 80th time in its history. It’s clear that the return of ten brands will be a welcome addition to this annual gathering, but the new products presented at the different manufacturers’ booths will also be at the heart of the attractions this year.

This is the case for Hyundai, which will showcase for the first time its all-new three-row electric SUV, the 2026 Ioniq 9. A distant cousin of the Kia EV9, the Ioniq 9 is preparing to invade the market with the same goal as its Korean counterpart. The new vehicle will be available from next spring in three versions.

The entry-level model (Rear-wheel drive) will be exclusively rear-wheel drive with a single 160 kW (or 214 hp) engine. The second level (Extended Range All-Wheel Drive) will benefit from an additional 70 kW motor at the front, bringing the total to 230 kW (or 308 hp). Finally, the all-wheel-drive Performance version will be equipped with a pair of electric motors, each rated at 160 kW, bringing total power to 320 kW (429 hp).

It should also be noted that the SUV will be equipped with a 110.3 kWh high-voltage battery pack, which should in principle propel it ahead of its range rival, the EV9, which “makes do” with a 99.8 kWh battery. We’ll know soon enough whether Hyundai has given the Ioniq 9 the edge in this aspect essential to the model’s success.

When it comes to practicality, the 2026 Ioniq 9 will benefit from its 1,323 liters of stowage space and even an 80-litre front trunk on two-wheel drive models.

A Million Kilometers in a 2008 Elantra

But that’s not all, as the Korean brand will also be taking advantage of its visit to Montreal to showcase a project based on a 2008 Hyundai Elantra sedan that has covered more than a million kilometers. The car was first purchased by the Canadian division and then underwent a meticulous restoration to give it a second life.

This ambitious project was spearheaded by the team behind TVA’s Roulez au Suivant tv show, hosted by Antoine Joubert, who even took the sedan to an N-level, as if the performance division had wanted to transform the Elantra into a racier car back then. And although the car will be on display on the floor of the Palais des Congrès from January 17 to 26, its new owner has no intention of turning it into a show car. In other words, it will continue to rack up the miles after the 2025 show.