Hyundai unveils new i30

Classy upmarket styling, a substantially new platform, stiffer body, a full range of punchier more efficient engines and Hyundai's next-generation infotainment system.

It looks like the Korean car-maker has pulled out all the stops to ensure the third-generation i30 remains one of Australia's favourite cars.

Unveiled late last night at a global reveal in Frankfurt, the new i30 sticks to the short, tried-and-tested five-year model life Hyundai has used to keep its Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 rival competitive.

On sale in Australia from the second quarter of 2017, the MkIII i30 is new from the ground up.

Based on a heavily reworked version of Hyundai's global small car platform, the new i30 is lighter and stiffer than the car it replaces.

Although the Korean car-maker hasn't released the numbers to back this up, it does say the new model uses twice as much high-strength steel as the last car, boosting body rigidity by 22 per cent. Hyundai also says the new i30's body-in-white weight reduces by 28kg.

Styling of the new i30 has been influenced by the larger Tucson but also gains the firm's new 'cascading grille' that will appear on future Hyundai models.

As well as the new grille, the small hatch gains vertical LED running lamps that sit at the corners of the bumper, side-by-side with a pair of neat air curtains that are operational. The vents allow air in to help reduce air turbulence within the front wheel-arches.

There's more active aero hidden behind that new grille, with a new active air flap that closes to optimise aero on the move and reduce drag at speed.

The previous car's proportions and short front and rear overhangs also carry over, but in the metal the new car does feel classier and more upmarket.

Fractionally longer and wider than the current model, the new i30 measures in at 4340mm long, 1795mm wide and and 1455mm high, with a wheelbase of 2650mm.

Under the skin, we're yet to learn how much bigger the third-gen model is over the model it replaces, but Hyundai does claim decent boot space of 395 litres seats up.

For the new i30, base models make do with the same, relatively unsophisticated rear torsion beam suspension set-up of the current car, but the good news is that, for the 2017, the new i30 also comes with multi-link rear suspension if you opt for the SR.

Speaking of which, the line-up is still to be confirmed but is thought to consist of the Active, SR, SR Premium and Premium.

For the new model the SR becomes more of a warm hatch than ever before as it paves the way of the flagship i30 'N' hot hatch that will finally see Hyundai go head-to-head with Volkswagen's Golf GTI for hot hatch supremacy.

Like before, front-wheel drive remains the only option for i30 buyers and powertrain options (both engine and transmissions) will be limited compared to the cars European markets get, mainly because the cars we get come direct from South Korea.

For now, Australian buyers will miss out on Europe's 1.4-litre turbo engine, but it might arrive later if Hyundai Australia can make a business case for it.

The base 1.8-litre petrol will also be dropped with the new model, replaced by a new normally aspirated 2.0-litre from the SR that should put out 124kW/201Nm and come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Upgrade to the aforementioned SR and things get much more interesting. Not only do you get independent rear suspension, but the underpowered 2.0-litre is dropped for a new 1.6-litre turbo four that could generate as much as 150kW.

The SR will also be available with either a six-speed manual or the firm's seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. As well as the punchy petrol engine, the old car's frugal 100kW/300Nm 1.6-litre diesel will carry over with the seven-speed dual-clutch 'box.

The good news continues with the way the i30 will drive. Not only is the steering 10 per cent quicker, like the last model we'll get a specific local Aussie tune on all versions, which along with the adoption of multi-link rear suspension on the SR, should put the i30 among the best in its class for handling.

As motoring.com.au has already reported, Hyundai has driven the new i30 thousands of kilometress Down Under during hot-weather testing, which not only pushed engine cooling to the limit but also saw the climate control and chassis systems in a fleet of up to 30 i30s tested in extreme Outback conditions.

Inside, the classiness of the exterior is reflected in the cabin. There's lots of chrome, soft-touch plastics and a new 'floating' 8.0-inch infotainment system that incorporates the sat-nav, media and new connectivity features.

The new interior is brighter with the option of a large panoramic glass roof that tilts and slides open.

Expect nothing less than the highest crash safety marks in Euro NCAP. Like the last i30, all models will come with seven airbags, including knee bags, but bringing the safety kit tally up-to-date is autonomous emergency braking with collision warning, active cruise control, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and lane keep assist. There's even a new driver attention alert.

It's too early for even indicative pricing, says Hyundai Australia, but it's almost certain the new i30 will be among the best, if not the best, in its class when it comes to standard equipment and value, which could give it a decided egde against the likes of the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla when it comes to showroom appeal.

Factor in cut-throat, zero-haggle pricing, Hyundai's five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty and its popular lifetime maintenance program, and it's likely Australia will remain the world's biggest market for the i30.