THERE’s a light-hearted romantic comedy called 13 going on 30 that tells the story of a teenager who wishes to grow up and overcome her unpopular 13-year-old self. In true Hollywood style, her wish comes true when the next day she wakes up as a career-successful 30-year old in a fancy apartment filled with flashy clothes. However, adjusting to her new life proves a problem because she had simply grown up too fast.
Hyundai’s i30 is in a similar predicament. The previous model was a wallflower but the new generation is positioned as a stronger competitor in the C-segment, which is peppered with accomplished cars that have found favour with many South Africans. The Hyundai i30’s new-found maturity is reflected in pricing that no longer differentiates it as one of the most affordable models in its class.
A definite positive is the design. Dressed to impress, the i30 looks more chic than some of its rivals. The old model was resolutely bland in appearance. Hyundai has endowed the new model with the now-familiar hexagon-shaped grille, deep contours along the flanks and a rear-end that bears a resemblance to recent Alfa Romeo products. It’s a pretty car that shows how far Hyundai has come since the days when its cars inspired snores.
The cabin of the Hyundai i30 is similarly neat. Perceived quality is high but all testers noted that it just misses out on the premium feel of the Volkswagen Golf, Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Opel Astra. Chrome accents, classy instrumentation and soft-touch surfaces on the facia and door tops endow it with a sophisticated ambience, but some plastics lower down don’t have the same depth of finish.
To counter these issues, the i30 is stocked with an impressive array of comfort, convenience and safety features. These include height adjustment on the front seats, rake-and-reach adjustable steering, dual-zone climate control, park assist, cruise control, a Bluetooth-equipped audio system that can handle CDs, MP3s and USB and auxiliary sticks, six airbags, ABS with EBD, Isofix anchorages and ESP.
Another aspect that adds appeal to the package is high levels of practicality. With 290 dm³ of boot space, it can’t quite match the Civic, but it bests the Golf’s figure by a tidy 88 dm³, all the while managing to offer ample kneeroom in the second row of seats. It also boasts plenty of headroom for both front and rear passengers.
The i30 utilises the same engine that does duty in the highly rated Elantra 1,8 GLS. With 110 kW at 6 500 r/min and 178 N.m at 4 700 r/min, the powertrain is one of the more powerful in the C-segment, which left some testers dumbfounded because in most conditions, and especially in the higher gears, it feels lethargic.
Despite this, however, it performed well in our strenuous testing routine. In third gear, it climbed from 80 to 100 km/h in 3,57 seconds, and from zero to 100 km/h in 10,0 seconds.
Equally important in this segment (and a reason why a number of manufacturers are switching to fuel-efficient small-capacity turbopetrols) is economy. CAR’s fuel index predicts a combined average of 7,2 litres/100 km, but we achieved a disappointing 8,2 litres/100 km on our fuel route.
Adding to the i30’s woes is its recalcitrant six-speed gearbox. At low revs and in low gears (congested traffic conditions), our test unit jerked noticeably when the driver depressed the throttle, while changes were notchy.
Dynamically, the i30 has a potential ace up its sleeve. The FlexSteer steering system allows the driver to choose between three mappings for the electrically assisted setup: comfort, normal and sport. In the first mode, the steering is too light but it does make parking manoeuvres as pain-free as possible. Normal brings some weight, while sports adds further heft without heightening the sensation of feel.
However, we feel FlexSteer is nothing more than a gimmick. That said, left in normal mode, it’s the best steering system in any Hyundai/Kia product we have recently sampled. Otherwise, body roll is well contained and the i30 can be hustled at a fair pace.
Hyundai South Africa has somewhat bizarrely decided to launch a torsion beam-equipped version of the i30. Models built in Korea have this layout, while European i30s are built in the Czech Republic and feature multilink rear suspension. The previous Hyundai i30 had the latter option and the vehicle proved to be an accomplished all-rounder with a smooth ride. We were therefore circumspect about the new model’s ride quality, but we needn’t have worried. The dampers are adept at filtering the worst road scars.
Test Summary
The jump from adolescence to adulthood would never have been easy and, like the main character in 13 going on 30, the Hyundai i30 feels uncomfortable in its new skin (especially at this price). It has taken years for the popular C-stalwarts to get where they are and Hyundai should know that dressing up its i30 in fancy clothing and offering more toys won’t necessarily make it fit in with the cool crowd.
Simply put, it’s not yet at the level of the Golf, Focus et al, but matches them on price. We recommend that buyers look at either the i30 1,6 (R229 900) or the Elantra 1,8 GLS at R15 000 less.
