Hyundai i30 Tourer v Volkswagen Golf Wagon 2014 Comparison

Volkswagen's new Golf Wagon has already made a positive impression on the market. But has it got what it takes to beat our carry-over small wagon champ, the Hyundai i30 Tourer? Both tested in base, petrol form they appear to be an even match. But at the hands of our expert judges, the differences in character prove that one certainly has more to offer than the other, especially where practicality and driveability are concerned.

When we last compared small wagons toe-to-toe, it was the Hyundai i30 Tourer that scored an easy victory over the Holden Cruze Sportwagon. The carry-over champ was considered a relevant rival to Volkswagen's recently released Golf Wagon, a match-up we decided was worth taking a closer look at through a one-on-one comparo.

Our two little luggers were tested in their most basic format, meaning entry-spec Active grade for the i30 Tourer and 90TSI guise for the Golf Wagon.

The testing of entry-level variants did, however, give us the opportunity to look more closely at each model without the razzle dazzle of technology to cloud perceptions. That said, each of the vehicles were quite well-equipped for the money, with most of the mod cons included as standard.

Standard equipment on the Hyundai i30 Tourer Active (from $27,240 plus on-road costs) included cloth manually-adjustable seats, power windows and mirrors, a manually-controlled HVAC system, full-function trip computer with external temperature gauge (but no digital speedo), cruise control, rear parking sensors, 16-inch alloy wheels (with full-size matching spare), front and rear foglights, and daytime running lights.

An optional steel cargo barrier ($750 excluding GST) was also fitted to our Hyundai test vehicle.

The six-speaker audio system is accessed via a high-mounted touchscreen with reasonable-sized landing buttons, and includes AM/FM radio, Bluetooth telephony and audio streaming, as well as USB and 3.5mm auxiliary audio connectivity.

Over at the Volkswagen camp, the Golf Wagon 90TSI (from $25,540 plus ORCs) is equally well equipped, and adds an electric park brake with brake-hold function, a digital speedo as part of the trip computer, an idle stop-start system to save fuel and a dual-clutch (automatic) transmission.

However, the Golf doesn't come with rear-parking sensors, and like the i30 misses out on a reversing camera (though these are available as part of the optional $3750 Comfortline package). It also features smaller 15-inch alloy wheels and a space saver spare wheel.

The Golf's audio system, like the i30, is heard through six speakers, and similarly features Bluetooth audio streaming and telephony, USB and 3.5 auxiliary inputs. However, the best news is that, unlike the i30, the Golf's connectivity panel is secured behind a closing lid in the front of the centre console, which is great for keeping your iPod out of sight from prying eyes.

Seating comfort, entry and egress and even the ergonomics were lineball. It's a fair nod to Hyundai that the layout of its small wagon has the ability to match that of its German rival, and even where decor and material quality was concerned, you wouldn't say you were missing out by ‘buying Korean'.

That said, we did find the middle rear seat better cushioned in the i30, although rear seat passengers miss out on face-level ventilation outlets, included as standard in the Golf.

Where pragmatism is concerned, it's the Golf that gains the edge. It boasts more cargo space (605 litres versus 528) with the seats in place; offers more generous under-floor stowage (thanks in no small part to the tiny space-saver spare wheel), as well as rear-of-house seat-fold functionality for the 60/40 split-fold bench, and two additional hard tie-down points for securing heavy items.

Additional carrying capacity is offered on the roof of both vehicles but while the Golf appears to have a sturdier rail set-up, it was the i30 that offered more flexible cross-bar placement with four positions available per side.

Both the Hyundai and the Volkswagen were otherwise well-equipped for load carrying duties with shopping hooks, a cargo light, retractable cargo blind and multiple location points for the installation of cargo barriers. However, the i30 was the only vehicle to feature a 12V outlet in the cargo area.

Both tailgates were easy to reach, and easy to close. Like the doors, they closed with a solid thunk and quality across both vehicles was noted as exceptional. If there was a downside, and we're being picky here, the Hyundai's paint appeared more thickly applied, giving the Creamy White finish a slight ‘orange peel' appearance on close inspection.

At first, the i30 and the Golf were hard to separate on the road. Performance was similar, whether cruising the freeways or running around the city, excusing a little step-off lag from the combination of turbocharger and dual-clutch transmission in the Volkswagen.

Where this combination did prove more viable was through the undulating hills of our country-road test loop. Here, the i30's normally-aspirated (direct injection) 1.6-litre four-cylinder required larger throttle openings to achieve the same results as the Golf's turbocharged 1.4-litre unit.

On paper, they also appeared quite close, both in terms of output and fuel economy. But it was the Volkswagen's more accessible torque and seven-speed transmission that provided more relaxed performance in challenging environs.

The Golf Wagon 90TSI delivers 90kW at 6000rpm, just under the Hyundai i30's 98kW at 6300rpm. But the real difference was low-end torque. The Golf's 200Nm is produced effortlessly between 1400 and 4000rpm whereas the i30's 163Nm at a lofty 4850rpm meant it worked harder to achieve lesser results.

The fractionally lighter Golf (1312kg versus 1394), was also considerably quicker both from standstill, and on-the-go.

Tested on the same stretch of road, the Golf Wagon shot to 60km/h in four seconds and to 100km/h in 8.5. The considerably slower i30 Tourer managed 5.6 seconds and 12.1 seconds for the same intervals.

The Volkswagen was also better at overtaking, with the 80-100km/h dash taking 2.4 seconds in the Golf compared to 3.5 in the i30 (see break-out box below for more performance data).

However, the Volkswagen's sharper performance didn't come at the expense of efficiency. With more gears to choose from (seven plays six), a more modern transmission, and more accessible low-end torque, the German wagon used less fuel on our test route. A 200km circuit of city, freeway and country back roads, saw the Golf average 7.5L/100km against the i30's 9.1.

As well as performing better under acceleration, the Golf was more nimble on challenging roads. The suspension acted more quickly to quell unsettling lumps and bumps, and supported cleaner, faster lines through bends, and better feedback through the steering.

Hyundai three-mode electric arrangement (switchable via the steering wheel through Comfort, Normal and Sport settings) is a novel system that allows more personalisation. However, the Golf still managed to deliver better feel and accuracy without this feature, and was easier to place on roads that seemed to challenge the Hyundai's limits.

The Volkswagen also stopped quicker than the Hyundai, taking 15.8 metres to pull-up from 60km/h against the i30's 16.7 metres.

Despite running lower profile rubber on larger diameter alloy wheels (the i30 rode on 16-inch alloys and 205/55-series tyres against the Volkswagen's 15-inch and 195/65-series combination), the Hyundai was slightly louder on coarse chip surfaces, recording 82dBA at 80km/h against the Volkswagen's 80dBA.

By now it's obvious the Golf is in the lead – though I bet you're thinking the i30 will catch up with superior ownership costs. Funnily enough, that's not the case, with the i30 (at $27,240 plus ORCs) appreciably dearer than the Golf (at $25,540 plus ORCs). But there's a little more to it...

The Hyundai gains points by offering a five-year / unlimited kilometre warranty and 12 months free roadside assistance. Golf owners have to make do with a three-year / unlimited kilometre warrnaty, though roadside assistance is thrown-in.

However, while both offer capped-price servicing, it's the Volkswagen that reclaims ground with a 72-month / 90,000km (whichever comes first) deal against Hyundai's 40-month and 50,000km contract (again, whichever comes first).

Yes, the Hyundai is cheaper to service ($219 versus $292 at the first interval), but the peace of mind of the VW's longer servicing deal is arguably worth the difference. Incidentally, both i30 Tourer and Golf Wagon feature 12-month / 15,000km service intervals.

Come resale time, the Hyundai claws back a slight advantage (the two years' extra warranty no doubt helping), with redbook.com.au valuing a three-year old i30 wagon at 50 per cent of its new-car value against 46.4 per cent for a similarly specified, three-year old Golf wagon.

So it seems the champ has been knocked off its perch. The Golf Wagon is clearly ahead in every category and, as a bonus, has a rewarding driving character almost unexpected of small wagon. More practical, more flexible and ultimately more drivable, the Volkswagen is a surprisingly cost effective option for anyone chasing extra practicality without SUV bulk.