Hyundai i30 2013 Review

What we liked:
>> Pragmatic interior design
>> Progressive styling
>> Assured handling

Not so much:
>> Steering feel
>> Thrummy engine
>> Braking performance

Fortunately, given this lack of steering feel, regardless of where you have the switch set, the Hyundai proved an assured handler. With high levels of grip and a predictable, sure-footed feel, the i30 showed it could be driven quickly and safely, tucking its nose into corners with the sort of enthusiasm that should help banish long-standing criticisms that the South Korean car maker doesn’t ‘get’ handling.

Equally impressive was the i30’s performance in the lane change, where it followed the chosen line faithfully, its rear end staying glued to the tarmac and refusing to come unstuck.

Performance from the i30’s 1.8-litre four-cylinder felt energetic but delivered only a mid-field finish in the 0-100km/h sprint.

The engine revved eagerly up until about 5000rpm, at which point it got a bit ‘thrummy’, but it worked impressively well throughout with the well-calibrated six-speed automatic.

Stopping performance wasn’t quite as impressive, falling to mid field but the i30 clawed back some points with fuel consumption that just snuck into the top half of the category.

FIT, FINISH AND FINESSE
The i30 has improved significantly. The fascia is tight with few gaps and rubber seals used where appropriate to limit air turbulence. The panel gaps, while larger than some, are impeccably consistent, as is the quality of the paint finish. A shame then, that the rough-cast brake calipers look cheap and nasty.

Neat door jambs and a positive door action are welcome, as is the clean fuel cap inner. The boot lid also rises under its own steam and inside the luggage space is neatly finished and features a light and 12V power outlet. A shame then also, that the carpet is thinner than most and the boot latch exposed.

Rear seat entry and egress is better than average, but not brilliant. The faux metal, cloth and chrome flourishes across the door cards help break the monotony.
Seat fabrics are a little coarse but the contrasting stitching looks the part. Again, the i30 lacks rear-seat ventilation outlets.

One highlight of the i30’s cabin was its generous level of oddment storage and generally clever packaging. The clean, modern lines and high-quality appearance give the cabin a real lift. It’s close in overall execution to Volkswagen’s Golf and Ford’s Focus – high praise indeed.

With excellent ergonomics throughout and a high level of user-friendliness, the i30 was let down by windscreen reflections.
The engine bay is very presentable and makes generous use of black plastic to hide aesthetically unpleasant items.

Cabin noise ranked slightly better than the Mazda3 at 83dBA.

SUITABLE INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY
The i30 exhibited the most progressively styled interior, with lots of trendy curves and impressive integration of the controls and touch-screen system. Sex appeal is what you get here – more than any other car on test. It made the Subaru Impreza look very dated in comparison.

The Hyundai hatch also has a quality feel – one that almost matches the Golf. It lost marks when we tried to use the Bluetooth audio streaming, which just wouldn't work (with our Apple iPhone 5 test unit). Pairing the phone was easy, but this isn't the first Hyundai we've had telephony issues with.

The i30’s stereo is good with no full volume distortion to speak of, while the HVAC and stereo controls are easy to use at a glance. It's a real tech hero too, with a proximity key fob for keyless entry and engine start, dual-zone climate control, a good reversing camera, electric folding mirrors, automatic headlights and wipers.

Funky-looking instrument dials are bisected by a colour trip computer.

Arguably one of the best-looking cars inside and out, the Hyundai i30 lost points during the safety technology tests, particularly where the electronic stability control system was concerned. It was the second-worst system after the Nissan Pulsar, taking a lot of provocation to intervene, and then doing so for only short bursts. Even then it failed to properly settle the chassis on a few occasions.

Everything else was hard to fault though, particularly ergonomics and control integration such as the electric windows and mirrors.

VALUE FOR MONEY
Ticking the box to include the six-speed automatic transmission added $2000 to the price of Hyundai’s i30 Elite hatch, bringing it to $26,490 (plus on-road costs) and thus making it second-priciest car on test.

For the money, the i30 Elite delivered a high level of specification with sat-nav, keyless entry and go, reversing camera, dual-zone climate control and peppy engine/driveline combination.

It rode on 16-inch alloys (with a full-size spare).

Significantly, metallic paint is a no-cost option on i30; something only the Mazda Mazda3, Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla can also claim.

Hyundai’s class-leading iCare aftersales program offers extensive added value, with three years of capped price servicing. With 12-month/15,000km service intervals for the i30, each of these services will cost $219. Couple that with a leading five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, complimentary 1500km first service, three years of sat-nav map updates, and up to seven years roadside assist (the first year complimentary; the rest extendable at each service) and you have a winning value formula.

With a median privately sold price of $16,950 for a similarly-specified MY10 i30 SLX, the Redbook data indicates the i30 retained 65 per cent of its new car price.

EXECUTION OF INTENDED PURPOSE
The Hyundai i30 is no longer the cheap and cheerful entrant. It’s a well-respected and desirable offering that continues to climb the ranks, outperforming some ‘established’ brands on test.

Driver and front passenger have comfortable seats with three-way manual adjustment. They deliver a positive feeling of support.

Cabin ergonomics score near top marks and are on par with other top performers, beaten by a narrow margin by the much larger Kia Cerato. Like the other top performers in this category, you feel instantly comfortable and confident behind the wheel of the i30.

The Hyundai i30 has excellent in-cabin storage – the best on test. There is a multitude of good-sized storage options for phones, drinks, coins, etc and all easily accessible by the driver and front passenger.

Second row passengers will be comfortable, but rather close when three up. There are two cupholders in the centre armrest and two back-of-seat nets for storage. Second row head, leg and foot room are all good.

Like many others on test, the i30’s 60:40 split-fold function requires a two-step process to achieve a truly flat load space.

Despite its small windows, the i30 offers good visibility.