Hyundai i30 review
The Hyundai i30 is in direct competition with the likes of the Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus. Prices for this car start from £14,300 and go up to £22,415, which puts the i30 somewhere in the middle. The question is, is the Hyundai i30 a serious contender for your money, considering the Astra and Focus are such good cars?
Review
As noted, prices for the i30 start from £14,300 and go up to £22,415. The version I recommend is actually the range topper, the Hyundai i30 1.6 CRDi Premium 5dr. This car costs more than a basic spec Audi A3 or BMW 1-Series, but it’s easy to see why when you look at the long list of standard equipment.
Standard equipment includes climate control, cruise control, electric heated mirrors, leather heated power seats, Bluetooth, iPod / MP3 connectivity, satellite navigation, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and automatic headlights and wipers. To get an Audi A3 or BMW 1-Series with this level of equipment, you will be asked to fork up more than £29,000.
So, the i30 Premium might be the most expensive i30 on the forecourt, but it’s the best value for money.
It’s great to drive too. The leather upholstery in the car gifts the interior with lots of quality, and the driving position is excellent. Turn the key, and the 1.6-litre CDTi engine fires into life with quite a subdued hum for a diesel.
The six-speed manual gearbox is well spaced and the steering is light and precise. Couple this with the good all-round visibility, and the i30 is a relaxing machine to cruise in. At motorway speeds and around town, it’s also quiet, and the only time this car ever feels slightly unsettled is when you throw it around corners at silly speeds.
Economy in this car is solid too. Hyundai says that with conservative driving, you will be able to achieve 68.9 miles per gallon combined with a CO2 rating of 108 g /km, which translates to £20 annual road tax.
The boot is also a rival for any Volkswagen Golf – it has a 378-litre boot that can be extended to a whopping 1,336-litres by folding down the rear seats.
The only real down side to the i30 at this price is quality. Sure, you get generous equipment and leather upholstery, but some of the materials used in the cabin are hit and miss. It lacks the unison of an Audi A3 but on balance, this is to be expected really.
Overall
The Hyundai i30 available from Hyundai Edinburgh East (click here) is a fantastic car. All versions of the i30 are good, but if you want the sweetest car, you should definitely go for the range-topper. Not only is this car extremely well equipped, but it’s also a joy to drive and be a passenger in. This version will also benefit from good residuals, if you choose to buy it outright.
For families, the i30 is an excellent car overall. Check out the Tourer version if you need extra space.
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