Hyundai i30 Range
The launch period for a new car must be a nerve-wracking time for the manufacturer. After years of painstaking development and testing conducted within the cosy confines of the organisation, all that remains is to load up the transporters, throw open the showroom doors and see what happens. When theres millions, if not billions, in development budget riding on a product, the prospect of it standing or falling on the poison pens of a contrary press corps or the fickle whims of the motoring public must really concentrate the mind. Except, not in the case of Hyundais i30.
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| Comfort | |
| Depreciation |  |
| Economy | |
| Equipment |  |
| Handling | |
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| Performance | |
| Styling | |
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The existence of its Ceed forerunner removed some of the uncertainty from the i30s entry into the marketplace but now its here the car must do battle with the established big guns of the family hatch sector for the affections of UK car buyers and just being good may not be good enough. A full complement of engines is offered with the i30 and that includes a pair of CRTD common-rail diesels with variable geometry turbocharging for improved refinement. The entry-point into i30 ownership is the 1.4-litre petrol with a not inconsequential 107bhp and then you have the 120bhp 1.
6. The diesels are 1.6 and 2.0 in capacity with outputs of 113 and 138bhp respectively.
Its a good spread of options though none are particularly heart stopping in their performance. The big diesels 304Nm maximum torque helps it to a 0-60mph time of 10.3s and it will roll on to a 127mph top speed. All models get 5-speed manual transmission except the 2.
0-litre which has a 6-speed box and a four-speed automatic is available with the 1.6-litre petrol. As well as ABS braking with brakeforce distribution, all i30 models feature ESP stability control which is a laudable inclusion and emblematic of Hyundais intention for the car to compete in the upper reaches of the family hatchback segment. Further safety provision comes in the form of twin front and side airbags plus full length curtain airbags.
"The i30 has been designed specifically for the European market and benchmarked against class leaders"
The i30 has been designed specifically for the European market and benchmarked against class leaders like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Like those two cars but unlike many of the other established names in the sector, the i30 has fully-independent suspension all round or at least a version of it. In fact, the rear suspension is a kind of independently suspended torsion beam, a kind of halfway house solution between proper independently sprung models and those that settle for an old fashioned torsion beam. Independent springs give a suppler ride and more composed handling but the torsion beam is a more compact arrangement so it helps with packaging issues and interior space.
The i30s set-up is a compromise between the two. Hyundai has ascended the ranks of the UK car market with a succession of models based on the familiar high specification, low price mantra. The i30s intended move into the family hatch mainstream has seen things change somewhat. Affordability will still form a big part of the i30s appeal but with values starting at £10,995 and rising to £16,595, its not cheap in the way its Accent predecessor was.
Three trim levels are available - Comfort, Style and Premium - and these are fairly self explanatory in that Comfort keeps it simple, Style adds a vaguely sporty element and Premium shovels on more luxurious features. Road burning performance isnt the strong suit of the i30s engine range but these units are well capable of administering a mild kicking if challenged on grounds of economy. Official figures reveal a 46.5mpg showing for the 1.
4-litre with the 1.6 a mile per gallon thirstier. The 1.6-litre diesel returns an impressive 60.
1mpg and the 2.0-litre, a less eye-catching 51.4mpg. On emissions, the smaller oil-burner is once again the best of the bunch with 125g/km of CO2 produced and that could set the seal on this model as the pick of the engine range.
Depreciation has been a dirty word at Hyundai in the past put the improvements in quality and desirability the i30 makes should go a little way towards addressing this. If this was a budget hatchback in the mould of Hyundais previous offerings in this sector, it would probably be marked down as a good-looking vehicle but Hyundai have pitched the i30 into the mainstream and it should be judged by those standards. It is, therefore, a tad dull to look at but its genuinely difficult to strongly criticise the car on any other criteria. The i30 was designed specifically to raise the profile of Hyundai in the big European markets and its a significant step in the right direction.
Hyundai may lack the brand profile to compete with more established names head on but with a few more products of the i30s calibre, its upward progression could be swift.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Hyundai i30 range
PRICES: £10,995-£16,595 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-8
CO2 EMISSIONS: 125-191g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.6 petrol] 0-60mph 11.1s / Max Speed 119mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.6 petrol] (combined) 45.5mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags / ABS with EBD, ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4245/1775/1480mm
