Hyundai slashes i30 pricing

Hyundai dealers had a massive month of i30 sales in October, when they registered almost 4000 examples of the small hatchback – nearly 1000 more than the number of Toyota Corollas and more than double the number of Mazda3s.

However, i30 sales slumped to about 2500 in November and, although Hyundai still lies within 2000 sales of Toyota in the small-car race with a month to go in 2017 (when you include the Elantra sedan), i30 sales are down almost 23 per cent year-to-date – despite the release of an all-new i30 in May.

Now Hyundai Australia has announced a new cut-price entry-level variant called the i30 Go, lowering the admission price by $960 – from $20,950 to $19,990 (plus on-road costs).

Like the previous entry-level i30 Active, the i30 Go is available with both a 120kW 2.0-litre GDi petrol engine (matched with either a six-speed manual or, for an extra $2300, six-speed automatic transmission) or a 100kW 1.6-litre CRDi turbo-diesel.

The latter is also priced $960 lower than the i30 CRDi Active, at $22,490 plus ORCs (six-speed manual) and $24,990 plus ORCs (seven-speed dual-clutch auto).

Of course, standard specifications have also been reduced for the i30 Go, which comes with 16-inch steel wheels with 10-spoke plastic covers instead of alloys and cloth upholstery instead of leather appointed seat trim.

Other subtractions for the i30 Go include satellite-navigation, DAB+ digital radio, SUNA live traffic updates, rear parking sensors, automatic wipers and one-touch turn signal.

Also missing are LED side repeater lamps built into the wing mirrors, centre console cup holders, cabin air filter, map lights, vanity mirror lights, rear armrest, power folding mirrors and three-stage automatic drive modes.

Apart from electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), the standard safety equipment list is identical and includes seven airbags, reversing camera, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and automatic headlights.

Advanced driver aids including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Change Assist (LCA) and Driver Attention Alert (DAA) remain standard only from Elite level.

The i30 Go debuts Hyundai’s new 8.0-inch tablet-style touch-screen display with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, and AUX and USB inputs with iPod compatibility.

Also standard is cruise control, steering wheel mounted audio, trip and cruise controls, a reach/rake-adjustable steering wheel, height-adjustable driver’s seat, power windows/mirrors and Hyundai AutoLink.

Buyers of all i30s also get Hyundai’s renowned aftersales coverage, including a five-year/unlimited-km warranty, 12 months complimentary roadside assist, 1500km complimentary first service and Lifetime Service Plan.

Hyundai i30 pricing (plus ORCs):
Go 2.0 GDi -- $19,990
Go 2.0 GDi (a) -- $22,290
Active 2.0 GDi -- $20,950
Active 2.0 GDi (a) -- $23,250
Go 1.6 CRDi -- $22,490
Go 1.6 CRDi (a) -- $24,990
Active 1.6 CRDi -- $23,450
Active 1.6 CRDi (a) -- $25,950
SR 1.6 T-GDi -- $25,950
SR 1.6 T-Gdi (a) -- $28,950
SR Premium 1.6 T-Gdi (a) -- $33,950
Elite 1.6 CRDi (a) -- $28,950
Premium 1.6 CRDi (a) -- $33,950

Options:
Metallic/mica paint -- $495
Beige interior (Elite/Premium) -- $295
Panoramic sunroof (SR/Elite) -- $2000