Holden Cruze Sportwagon v Hyundai i30 Tourer 2013 Comparison

As recently as two decades ago, the small wagon sector surrendered its standing to the increasingly better packaged hatchback, and eventually, the ubiquitous compact SUV. But as compact SUVs grew larger, and more expensive, and hatchbacks became passé, the small wagon began to make something of a comeback in Australian driveways.

It’s a good thing, really. The small wagon offers the pragmatism and pricing that many similarly-sized hatch and sedan variants can’t hope to match. And now, with a number of small wagons adopting frugal low-capacity turbo-diesel engines, the proposition has become even more appealing.

Here, we test two such small wagons head-to-head to see which offers the best value for money. Both offer similar amenity levels, and comparable specifications, but only one blends these desirable attributes with the quality and dynamism modern buyers should expect from their new little lugger.

The Hyundai i30 Tourer scored 15.35 out of 16 in the 64km/h frontal offset crash and 15.35 out of 16 in the side impact crash test. It gained a further two points in the optional pole test and three additional points for the fitment of a seatbelt reminder device. In total, the i30 Tourer was awarded 35.69 from a possible 37 points for a five-star rating.

Standard safety equipment for the i30 Tourer includes front, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags, stability control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, three-point seatbelts in all seating positions and front seatbelt pretensioners.
Holden Cruze Sportwagon (Five-star ANCAP)

The Holden Cruze Sportwagon scored 15.04 out of 16 in the 64km/h frontal offset crash and 16 out of 16 in the side impact crash test. It gained a further two points in the optional pole test and two additional points for the fitment of a seatbelt reminder device. In total, the Cruze Sportwagon was awarded 35.04 from a possible 37 points for a five-star rating.

Standard safety equipment for the Cruze Sportwagon includes front, side and curtain airbags, stability control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, traction control, thee-point seatbelts in all seating positions and front seatbelt pretensioners.

What we liked:
>> Steering weight and feedback
>> Competent packaging
>> Well priced

"Catering to a traditionally conservative market segment, the Holden Cruze comes up a little banal."

On the Road
While the Cruze’s Urethane steering wheel didn’t exactly feel nice in hand, the weight and feedback on offer is just right for the small wagon’s application. The steering loads with appropriate linearity in bends and is reasonably direct in its action.

Unfortunately, the action of the transmission is not as direct. The six-speed automatic fluctuates upon selection (especially between second and third gear) and takes time to respond to kick-down. The ratios themselves are well spaced but in demanding circumstances serve the Cruze better when selected manually.

The Cruze’s larger 2.0-litre engine is noticeably stronger than that of the i30 (120kW/360Nm vs. 94kW/260Nm), however the turbo lag is also more pronounced when accelerating from standstill and during low-speed roll-on throttle applications. The engine is quite willing through its middle reaches making the Cruze more comfortable when overtaking or conquering large hills.

Ride and handling sees the Cruze fair quite well, though the heavier front-end did tend to promote understeer when pushed. The Cruze could not match Hyundai’s cornering speed but was comparable in terms of ride comfort. The level of tyre howl and subsequent stability control intervention seemed exaggerated for the pace of manoeuvres attempted, the (Kumho) tyres also disappointing under heavy braking, despite the efforts of a well-metered pedal and well-calibrated anti-lock brakes.

Fuel economy on test was very poor, the Cruze returning 12.0L/100km (according to the on-board trip computer), 4.9L more than the i30 and 5.3L more than the claimed combined cycle average. Both vehicles completed a 100km urban drive loop on test, partaking in built-up inner-city traffic and some brief freeway stints.

Pricing starts at $25,790 for the CD 1.8 petrol, $29,790 for the CD 2.0 diesel and $29,040 for the CDX 1.8 petrol. The Sportwagon commands around a $2000 premium over its sedan and hatch siblings. The Cruze CD we tested was also finished with metallic paint ($550). The Cruze CD comes with a three-year/100,000km warranty.

The Cruze CD comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, Bluetooth with voice recognition, cruise control, automatic headlights, rear parking sensors, six airbags, power windows and mirrors, CD/MP3 with six speakers, silver roof rails, remote keyless entry, cloth seats and a multifunction steering wheel that controls Bluetooth, cruise control and the audio system.

The Cruze presents a solid package that is commensurate with its price tag, but how does it measure-up against the competition at hand?

The exterior is well proportioned and the build feels solid; there’s a reassuring thud of the door as it closes. The colour-coded door handles and wing mirrors blend seamlessly into the Cruze’s exterior, but almost to its detriment -- the exterior lacks interest. The test vehicle also suffered from a poor choice of paint colour, with the prominent black plastic highlights simply disappearing against the grey exterior.

Step inside and you’re presented with a spacious cabin that offers good levels of comfort, even for taller passengers. The interior finishes include plastic, in many forms, and is paired with fabric inlays throughout the door inserts and dash. Splashes of chrome bring some interest to the equation, however we question how well the interior fabric will stand the test of time, particularly in a family-car setting. The driver and passenger seat backs are also full fabric, with fabric seat-back pockets; they will suffer harsh conditions (think food and dirty little feet) and, we suspect, wear badly with kids in the back seat.

The centre console is well executed with clean, angular lines and neat button and dial arrangements, but it’s a little sparse and lacks good storage options. Perched on top of the control panel is a graphic display screen that lacks any visual appeal; it’s reminiscent of a 1980s clock radio. What the console really needs is the 7.0-inch colour LCD touch-screen -- which is only available in the sedan and hatch SRi-V models.

Driver and front passengers enjoy firm and nicely bolstered fabric seats. Overall ergonomics are good and space is generous. Second-row occupants have good space and comfort too; three adults can be seated comfortably -- but the rear seat is slab-like and lacks support. Three child-seat anchor points are always appreciated.

The 60:40 split-fold seats flip forward easily to reveal and nice flat load space, with capacity of 500-litres to 1478-litres when the seats are folded flat.

There are several storage options in the front of the cabin, including a top of dash box, but still not enough for the amount of detritus most families lug around. It feels like the centre stack design aesthetic outweighed the sensible allocation of storage space.

The Cruze’s cabin remains quiet on the road, with minimal engine or road noise to be heard. Forward and side vision in the Cruze is good, but rearward vision suffers from large rear pillars and a sloping roofline. Without the aid of a rear-view camera, you need to reverse with cautious.

While the Holden Cruze CD pulls together a competent package, it neither looks nor feels particularly special -- inside or out. It feels like Holden could have taken this segment offering to a new level, but has fallen short.

A pleasant  blue/cyan illumination from the instrument panel and dot-matrix centre screen are easy on the eye, though the read-outs of the information display and audio unit feel old-hat when compared to that of the Hyundai, but are easy enough to navigate. By contrast, we note that even the base-grade i30 has a 5.0-inch touchscreen audio unit.

The centre-stack switchgear, too, is a little fiddly in stark contrast to large wiper/indicator stalks whose operation feels plasticky. The scroll function of the trip computer is misplaced and awkward in its interface while the push/scroll feature of the audio controls would occasionally cross function, meaning you’d lose your place when changing channels and swap band or audio source instead.

Operation of the HVAC system is straightforward with the system offering ample front -seat ventilation and effective demisting. The fan is, however, quite loud on its top four settings (it has six in total) and, like the i30, there are no ventilation outlets to the rear seats.

What we liked:
>> Smooth-shifting transmission
>> Larger cargo compartment
>> Athletic handling

"Fittingly, the i30’s more modern lines and cleaner layout play host to a higher level of technology that is also better integrated and more user-friendly. Despite this, it was not without fault."

Body control is definitely tighter which makes the i30 more agile when cornering. Despite this, the ride is comfortable with choppy corners unable to shake the small wagon’s intended path. The Hankook tyres are quieter than those of the Cruze, adding to a more enjoyable cabin ambience.

Whether cruising or pottering around town, the i30’s transmission was well behaved. The six-speed unit remained decisive with well-spaced ratios and clean shifts adding to a more-refined feel. The transmission also sought to improve the lower performance of the 1.6-litre diesel engine (94kW/260Nm vs. 120kW/360Nm), though overtaking and roll-on acceleration proved less enthusiastic than Cruze, even if initial turbo lag was not as pronounced.

Fuel economy on test was commensurate with the claimed combined cycle figure, the i30 sipping 7.1L/100km (according to the on-board trip computer). That’s 1.3 litres more than the official figure and an impressive 4.9 litres less than the Holden Cruze. Both vehicles completed a 100km urban drive loop on test, partaking in built-up inner-city traffic and some brief freeway stints.

Pedal feel was comparable to that of the Cruze, however, the travel of both pedals was noticeably shorter. Braking performance was also rated as sharper by both of our judges with more initial bite and marginally better levels of assistance.

Stability control intervention occurred with appropriate vigour, though we should point out that the i30 was able to carry higher corner speeds and swerve with more confidence before any electronic intervention was required.

Pricing starts at $22,990 for the 1.6 petrol manual, and tops out at $31,190 for the 1.6 diesel automatic. The i30 Tourer also commands around a $2000 price hike over the i30 hatch. The i30 Elite Tourer comes in at $1400 more than the Cruze CD Sportwagon, adding $495 extra for metallic paint. The i30’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty trumps that of the Cruze.

So what do you get? The i30 Tourer comes standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors and rear-view camera, automatic headlights, seven airbags, cruise control, power windows and mirrors, CD/iPod/USB connectivity, Bluetooth telephony, a 7.0-inch touch-screen with satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, glove box cooling, remote keyless entry, and push-button start.

As you would expect, the range topping i30 Elite Tourer packs more than the Cruze CD Sportwagon as standard, but how does it compete upon closer inspection?

Inside, the i30 continues to impress. Nicely contoured seats are comfortable and visually interesting, with dual-tone cloth and contrasting stitch-work.

The Hyundai i30 features piano black, textured plastics and nice mouldings that envelope the centre console. The driver and passenger seat backs are moulded plastic with storage nets, which will cope well with second row wear and tear.

The centre stack looks modern and is visually interesting. It’s also home to the 7.0-inch touch screen that hosts the satellite navigation and infotainment functions. Even the entry-level Activ gets a 5.0-inch touch screen as standard.

Albeit by a slim margin in every instance, the i30 definitely has the upper-hand here.

The i30 also features a 60:40 split-fold seat configuration, however, it’s a two-step process to get there; flip the bench seat forward, then lay the seat back down. Storage capacity starts at 528-litres and grows to 1642-litres with the seats folded flat.

Ergonomics inside the i30 are a touch better than the Cruze, particularly with regard to the centre console arrangement and the door armrests, which sit at a better height. The i30 offers excellent in cabin storage, particularly for driver and front passenger. There are a variety of large storage holes that are easy to access. Good use has been made of every bit of space.

The i30s cabin remains quiet on the road, with minimal engine or road noise to be heard.

Rearward vision in the i30 is marginally better than the Holden Cruze. Our test vehicle also had a reversing camera fitted, so it was not a fair fight in this regard.

The preset screen of the audio system displayed those stations pre-selected by our test crew, but upon selecting these, a different frequency would display and play. It’s a minor glitch in the scheme of things, but not the first time we’ve noted such a technical failure from Hyundai’s otherwise stylish touch-screen system.

Otherwise the system worked well. The satellite navigation was straight-forward and we had no issue connecting an iPhone 5 to the Bluetooth system. A 3.5mm and USB connection proved handy, as did two 12V outlets.

The dual-zone climate control system proved infallible and was quieter than the Cruze, too. The system boasted soft and fast settings in auto mode, placing it on par with many European prestige marques’ systems.

Folding mirrors and auto wipers upped the level of kit found on Cruze CD, though to be fair, the i30 Elite on test is better compared to the Cruze CDX grade, though this means missing out on turbo-diesel power.

We also found the trip computer to be more detailed and simpler to navigate, an ethos that was also true of the infotainment system. Larger buttons also made placement easier when on the move, meaning our eyes spent less time off the road ahead.

THE VERDICT
While on paper there was little to differentiate the Cruze and the i30, we found, as always, that the devil was in the detail.

Fuel economy was a real eye-opener on test with the Cruze nearly doubling its combined cycle figure. The added power was welcome, sure, but the i30 was that not far off the pace. It also felt more refined, and adhered more closely to the claims of its manufacturer when fuel consumption was concerned.

Accommodation and carrying capacity were close, with a slight edge on the latter awarded to the i30. It’s a shame, then, the Hyundai’s two-stage rear seat folding was out shadowed by the Holden’s simpler one-touch arrangement.

Hyundai’s lengthier warranty programme, better value for money proposition and higher level of technology were also strong drawcards; while stylistically, the i30 also drew favour for its modern design aesthetic.

Our judges also noted the interior was more pleasant, quieter and more comfortable; and despite being a more highly-spec’ed car, the broad spectrum approach to driveline and specification from Hyundai meant you were better able to mix and match the i30 to your requirements -- and budget.