Hyundai i30 sedan 2020 Review

Making the newest iteration of a car bigger and better than its predecessor is an age-old automotive pastime. Can it help arrest our fascination with SUVs?

That’s the pitch with the new 2020 Hyundai i30 sedan, which arrives in Australian showrooms this month not only bearing a new name, but all-new origins.

The new i30 sedan is built on Hyundai/Kia’s K3 platform and has a longer wheelbase, wider stance and lower roofline than the outgoing Elantra offered locally since 2016.

At present, small passenger sedans are about as popular as public transport in Oz. Even amid our SUV fascination, Hyundai hopes a bigger footprint, edgy styling and a swag of cool tech can set the i30 sedan apart.

Let’s see how it fares.

Like the recently updated Hyundai i30 hatch, the i30 sedan goes up in price for 2020 and also gets some new model names.

The previous seven-model Hyundai Elantra line-up kicked off with the $21,690 (plus on-road costs) Go base model and stretched to $34,580 for the Sport Premium flagship.

The six-model Hyundai i30 sedan line-up now starts with the $24,790 Active, progresses through the Elite and sporty N Line grades and tops out with the $37,290 N Line Premium. Whereas Active and Elite variants go on sale this week, Hyundai Australia says the N Line and N Line Premium will go on sale “late 2020”.

Our separate pricing story has the full rundown, but the i30 sedan pricing structure marks a circa-$1300 premium over the equivalent i30 hatchback.

The equipment suite is respectable, however. Active grade standard specification includes a leather-appointed interior, a 10.25-inch centre infotainment screen, a rear camera and rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloys, wireless (Qi standard) smartphone charging and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection.

The Elite model driven here adds a second 10.25-inch satellite navigation system, dual-zone climate control, Bose eight-speaker premium sound, DAB+ digital radio and remote start capability on the key fob.

Elsewhere, Hyundai is pushing safety upgrades for the i30 sedan, which includes camera and sensor-based autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection and a junction turning function.

Other key safety features include six airbags, driver assistance warning, lane keep assist, lane follow assist and adaptive cruise control (auto only).

Models higher in the food chain boast additional features including blind spot collision avoidance and rear cross traffic alert.

However, as carsales has reported separately, the i30 sedan is a rare mainstream small car going on sale without a rating from the independent crash testing authority ANCAP. Because the vehicle does not have a centre airbag, Hyundai’s official line is it would probably achieve four rather than the maximum five ANCAP stars.

That might sound superficial to some potential buyers, but the lack of a full five-star rating could ultimately limit the i30 sedan’s fleet appeal and remove it from the short-list of many private buyers.

The i30 sedan comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and 15,000km/12-month service intervals. Service plan costs for the first five services are $1359 for the 2.0-litre and $1525 for the 1.6-litre turbo.

Beneath its bold new exterior, the all-new Hyundai i30 sedan measures 4650mm long, up 30mm on the previous model and stretching much further from end to end than the hatch (4340mm).

It also rests on a longer wheelbase – 2720mm compared to the previous 2700mm and the hatch’s 2650mm – and boasts improved front and rear legroom (at 1074/954mm) and luggage space (474L) over its predecessor and its five-door stablemate.

It’s a different story under the bonnet, where the i30 sedan line-up includes the same choice of 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engines in the two lower grades, albeit boosted from 112kW/192Nm to 120kW/203Nm, and an unchanged 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder in the N Line and N Line Premium.

The Active gets the choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic for $2000 more. The N Line comes with either the manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch auto, also worth an extra $2000.

The Elite and N Line Premium come only with the six-speed auto and seven-speed DCT respectively.

Hyundai is claiming a 7.0L/100km fuel consumption rate for the i30 sedan 2.0 auto, compared to 7.5L/100km for its predecessor. The car-maker says improved aerodynamics contribute to this.

Further down the line, the i30 sedan is set to offer hybrid power for the first time, with an anticipated drivetrain borrowed from the IONIQ.

Whereas Active and Elite grades ride on a basic torsion beam rear axle suspension, the N Line and N Line Premium grades use to a sportier multilink independent rear configuration.

All i30 sedans receive Australian suspension tuning, as has become normal for Hyundai.

The car-maker claims noise, vibration and harshness performance is improved via redesigned doors, enhanced door-glass sealing, optimised sound-absorbing and insulating materials, and increased suspension component rigidity.

Forget cheap and cheerful sedan – there’s a decidedly sophisticated and contemporary vibe to the cabin finish and fit-out of the new Hyundai i30 sedan. There rightly should be, too, given the price.

This is especially the case in the mid-level Elite variant we spent most time in this week, with its dual 10.25-inch touch-screens and soft-contact touchpoints.

Granted, there are elements which reflect the car’s sub-$30K price point, such as the occasional scratchy plastic, no rear power outlets or the boot arms that impede cargo space.

But all things considered, it gets the basics right with rear air vents standard on all variants, fast-stowing split-fold rear seats and strong spatial proportions front and rear.

On the road, it’s a similar story. The i30 sedan has a surprising degree of finesse thanks to direct and accurate steering and decent body control through changes in direction. Equally, it benefits from a larger on-road footprint via surefooted, mature dynamics.

Even with the more basic torsion beam rear axle, the Active and Elite grades offer an admirable mix of comfort and sportiness. On country B-roads, they reflect pitter-patter imperfections accordingly and resist the temptation to crash or jar over harsher obstacles.

Longer washouts are a tad more noticeable, with a tendency for the body to continue rebounding after the event.

The entry grades can be forgiven for their tyre and road noise levels, which aren’t great but feel more or less par for the course at this end of the market.

We expect the slicker N Line and N Line Premium grades to offer a slightly more sophisticated driving experience when they arrive around December.

Similarly, the 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine in the i30 Active and Elite grades acquits itself quite well in daily conveyance. The four-cylinder makes useable power and works well with the six-speed automatic transmission on test, with gentle, well-timed upshifts and clean downshifts under braking.

In the upper echelons of the rev range, the four-pot climbs an octane or two yet resists the temptation to become thrashy and intrusive inside the cabin.

The entry engine’s redeeming feature is that of efficiency, achieving its official 7.0L/100km claim on test across a 250km mix of conditions.

Given small sedans are already a tough sell in Australia, you wonder how much of an impact the new Hyundai i30 sedan will make.

The price of the entry model has climbed by more than $3000, yet Hyundai officials concede it will draw the lion’s share of volume.

At the other end of the scale, the flagship N Line Premium at more than $37K is stepping awfully close in positioning to the prodigious i30 N hatchback, which makes a much more compelling argument for choosing a traditional small car over an SUV – particularly if dynamism is important.

An anticipated hybrid variant will no doubt boost its stocks, but until then, the i30 sedan is set to reside the same realm as a lot of small passenger cars at the moment.

Good, without being truly great.

How much does the 2020 Hyundai i30 Elite sedan cost?
Price: $30,790 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 120kW/203Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 159g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested