Launched: Hyundai i30 SR
Wheels Magazine 
December, 2007
There's no doubt that, for many people, a major chunk of the new-car buying process occurs at a subconscious level. Those first few seconds after sliding into the seat form an indelible impression. Initial cabin ambience and the feel of the materials underhand all sneak into the brain. And the same process applies to on-road behaviour: that first snick into gear and flare of revs sinks subliminally in the frontal lobe.
Now this, you'll agree, isn't an area in which Hyundai traditionally excels. But slide into the i30's driver's seat and you're immersed in soft-touch materials and contemporary design. Which is just as well, because Hyundai's latest hatch is squarely aimed at penetrating the European market and squashing some widely held preconceptions in Oz, too.
You may not be surprised to learn that the i30 is essentially a re-bodied Elantra: from the willing (if noisy) 105kW/186Nm, twin-cam four-cylinder, to the strut-front, multi-link rear suspension. What you will be surprised by is the leap forward in dynamics brought on by revised spring and damper rates. Engineers also calibrated the i30 for our local conditions, and the net result is a car far superior to the donor Elantra.
While no match for Mazda's 3, the SR turns in crisply and makes a good fist of holding the intended line, despite provocation. Naturally, understeer prevails if the right foot gets optimistic, but body control is commendable and the i30 has the dynamic skill set to keep the class leaders in sight.
Urban ride quality treads the same path: a comforting degree of compliance without quite achieving the cossetting progress of VW's Golf, although keep in mind the German hatch asks an extra $3500 in 2.0-litre petrol guise.
So, does going all Euro mean Hyundai has traded in its traditional value-for-money ethos? Actually, no. The top-spec SR - yours for $26,490 - includes a chilled glovebox, six-speaker, six-stacker sound system, trip computer, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, 17-inch alloys and cruise control. Then there's standard traction control, ESP and six airbags. The i30 still speaks Korean.
Can the i30 really match the class leaders? The short answer is not quite, but Europe and Japan should be getting nervous right about now.
| HYUNDAI i30 SR |
| |
| Engine: |
1975cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v |
| Max Power: |
105kW @ 6000rpm |
| Max Torque: |
186Nm @ 4600rpm |
| Transmission: |
5-speed manual |
| 0-100km/h: |
9.5sec (estimated) |
| Price: |
$26,490 |
| On sale: |
Now |
| For: |
Cabin ambience and NVH levels a major set up |
| Against: |
Styling is too derivative; engine lacks torque |
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