• Value for money. • Great for the practical stuff. • Above par ride.
• Steering is numb. • Plain interior.
The Hyundai i30 really doesn’t require any cobbled introductions as Australians are already quite fond of - or at least familiar with - it. The South Korean marque sells the most number of i30s here than in any other market, and it doesn't take too much squinting to figure out why.
In terms of raw value, you really do get more for less, and seemingly without the bitter sense of compromise. The Series II i30 had undergone a minor facelift in 2015, bringing a revised set of engines but did not diminish the car as a compelling package and a datum point for Hyundai.
It kept its position as a value champion with attractive driveaway pricing, extensive 5 year warranty, and a lifetime’s worth of cut-price servicing, all wrapped up in a car that’s well-styled, well-equipped, and well constructed with comparable quality to any European rival. It’s just as well that it was engineered in Germany.
Fending off advances from the likes of the Ford Focus, Peugeot 308, Mazda3, and Toyota Corolla, the i30’s breadth of strengths paired with its lower price played well to emphasise some chinks in the armour of rivals.
It’s remarkable to consider that the i30 in its current form (spread over the Active, Active X, SR, SR Premium, and Premium grades) has been in production since 2011 and is still bothering the marches of newer contenders through a steady stream of updates and leading value for money.
Exterior
“Despite the update the i30's looks are beginning to age now, especially when held up to the sleeker-styled Mazda3.” - CarsGuide
With little in terms of purely visual cues to trace, one would be forgiven for thinking its origins lied with some European marque - a sentiment amplified if the sampling started inside the car, actually.
The exterior design itself follows Hyundai’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ philosophy, giving it a throughly modern aesthetic that’s a definite departure from their previous efforts but without resorting to anything gaudy or even distasteful in order to stand out.
These result in the more swept back profile to the i30 and a rear hatch that’s even been likened to an Alfa Romeo, but kicks off with the now-common hexagonal grille as well as headlamps that are pulled rearward. Paired with the some sharp exterior contours that lend it depth, the i30’s energetic look means it’s a car that can roll with the younger set, a demographic Hyundai was clearly aiming at.
The basic shape is attractive enough for most buyers at this price, but laying down more coin for the SR, SR Premium or Premium grades will procure larger alloys instead of the steel wheels at the base level as well as niceties like LED running lamps, LED taillights, and automatic Xenon front illumination.
Engines and Drivetrain
“The six-speed auto rides the middle ground, with shifts that are generally smooth and predictable, working well with the engine. Only when you get more enthusiastic can the downshifts be a tad lazy in response to throttle inputs.” - Drive.com.au
Hyundai supplies the i30 with a decent spread of powertrains consisting of two petrol four pots and a final 1.6-litre turbodiesel option that will happily use its 300Nm of torque to surge past lagging traffic despite having just 100kW on paper while claiming to sip just 4.9-litres/100km in a controlled environment.
Working our way down we find the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol four banger that’s good for 124kW of urge and a respectable 201Nm of twist that’s arguably the most fitting partner of the three for the i30’s reasonably dynamic personality - that is, should you assume that it warrants such an enthused drive. There will be a hit on fuel economy, though, as it’s not the most frugal when pushed, especially in contrast to that 1.6-litre diesel. Hyundai claims a steady 7.7-litres/100km but brace for higher figures in the real world.
Last of all is the 1.8-litre atmospheric petrol engine that pulls along the the lower-specified i30s just fine, though it tends to struggles under harder acceleration. Power is obviously down over the higher displacement engine but it’s a surprisingly close comparison in everyday situations. Only side-by-side tests can reveal the gain of that 200cc as it’s quite hard to tell from roll-on performance.
Interior
“The i30’s cabin has been well thought-out,” - WhichCar
Hyundai has always danced to their own tune with regard to how they approach the look and feel of their cabins. Obviously, sitting in the mainstream, the i30 is designed to a price, and with this in mind the car as a whole can be considered in a more forgiving light.
It is a comfortable place to be, and the materials you’ll end up touching do feel reasonably good, if not entirely honest - many of the metal bits are faux and the leather is artificial. Plastics, however, are an area that Hyundai is getting better and better at, and the pervasive hard and hollow bits of older cars have been culled, and those remaining are acceptable given their location.
Hyundai doesn’t really go for flair with their interiors, but in that simplicity and restraint they’ve found a way to manage expectations so that every iterative improvement is noticeable and appreciated. It has a consistently agreeable design with good build quality and ergonomics, which is what most buyers value most.
In the second row, three passengers can sit comfortably abreast thanks to its flat floor and level bench design. They’ll get a decent amount of head and legroom too, even with the panoramic sunroof fitted to the SR Premium and range-topping Premium.
The boot offers an adequately voluminous 378-litres spread over a nice and square area for easy sorting of cargo. Fold the 60:40 splitter rear seats down, though, and you’ll get 1,316-litres at your disposal.
Behind The Wheel
“It’s comfortable and confident on the road, and feels like it’s tailor made for trekking around the city though it’s certainly not out of its comfort zone on the highway.” - CarAdvice
There’s not much to expect from the i30’s dynamics but in spite of the lack effort placed specifically to improve its fun factor, the car handles relatively well in the real world. Sure, there’s understeer if pushed too far and refinement has some way to go, but this is to be expected.
It does have an assuredly linear behaviour that’s easy to predict and isn’t likely to break away from you all of a sudden. Steering responsiveness is lacking but luckily it’s quite a light rack, especially with its FlexiSteer system set to its lowest resistance level.
Overall, an easy car to get in and drive with good visibility that’s only let down only by the narrow view out the rear window. Thankfully there’s a rear camera to aid in reversing manoeuvres.
Yes, the SR’s tweaked suspension does feel more sorted, at the slight expense of some comfort. Luckily, the red-accented and nicely padded sports seats are plusher. Body control is above average when chucked into a corner, though it’s not enough to label the i30 a fun hatch in the traditional sense.
Safety & Technology
“Five-year warranty brings peace of mind, but the i30 is generally reliable so you shouldn't need it.” - AutoExpress
ANCAP has awarded the Hyundai i30 its maximum 5-star safety rating, with each car coming with quite a full complement of safety gear. As standard there are 6 airbags, a reversing camera, emergency brake assist, and electronic stability control.
Though it is an expected omission on lower-tier variants, even the more expensive i30s miss out on the increasingly important autonomous emergency braking (AEB).
Hyundai pounced on the heavier reliance and focus these days on infotainment and here is where other automakers can try to emulate. All i30s come with a centrally-mounted 7.0-inch touchscreen with support for Bluetooth and iPod media playback. Curiously, the more expensive SR Premium and Premium lose support for Apple CarPlay but do include in-built satellite navigation.
Speaking of which, they also receive automatic headlamps, dual zone climate control, as well as heated and ventilated seats.
Verdict
For all its faults, the Hyundai i30 is still a very likeable car that does the basics very well indeed, and also does so a bit more stylishly the other cars in this price bracket. Over its predecessor it feels better to both drive and sit in, both attributes which are should be improved further with the 3rd generation car due later in 2017.
Another area where the Korean marque is clearly investing in is making their cars more engaging to drive. This is semi-evident in the i30 SR, though perhaps they’d need more of a ground-up approach to enjoy tangible results.
As an all-rounder, though, whichever grade of i30 you may choose, this is a strong contender and may even offer the most car for your Dollar out any other right now, also considering the 5-year warranty and capped-price servicing. Nothing really stands out as great or terrible here, rather it’s uniformly good.
CarAdvice - 8/10 - “With an impressive amount of space, above average warranty, touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, reversing camera, cruise control and more, it’s no wonder the Hyundai i30 Active has become so popular and omnipresent on Australia’s roads.”
WhichCar - 3.5/5 - The Hyundai i30 is quiet and comfortable, with lots of equipment and a five-year warranty. A diesel engine that is very easy on fuel is an option even on less costly models. Sportier SR versions are more engaging to drive, while the longer i30 Tourer has SUV-like cargo capacity.
AutoExpress - 3/5 - “Sharp looks, a classy interior and reasonable dynamics mean the Hyundai i30 is a strong contender in the hatchback class.”
CarsGuide - 4/5 - “…thanks to its devotion to safety, value, technology, styling and tailor tuning the cars to Australian roads and the i30 is the little hero of this evolution. This car deserves the popularity it's experiencing.”
Drive.com.au - 6.5/10 - “…generously appointed, spacious body and competent driving dynamics. The long warranty is a plus, too. But its value is less tantalising as you step higher up the model range, especially against some standout rivals.”
