Hyundai i30

When you look at the restyled Hyundai i30, you’ll notice that it looks “fresher”, without immediately noticing the changed details. In other words, the facelift is fully successful. What is it that we get with the facelift? The first things you can notice are the new radiator grill and slightly redesigned bumpers. Through further analysis, the new styling of the fog lights and stylish side skirts catch the eye. Some would say that the changes are insignificant and that what we have is just a “make up”. Hand on heart, that someone would be right, but the from the commercial point of view, the facelift is more than welcome to make Hyundai i30 kept the pace with the competition and maintain its high position in the market.

When talking about the interior, the changes are more evident at first glance. This primarily refers to the instrument panel and white lighting, which is much better than the former blue one that was hard to see in bright daylight and was irritating during long night rides. The passenger compartment is full of space and improved quality, but what future owners will be pleased with is the visibility and driving position. Sitting position is pretty high, but not uncomfortable. Lumbar support can be adjusted which is the benefit of Imagine equipment package. However, it would be better that Hyundai offered a greater range of seat height regulation. This vehicle is designed primarily for passengers’ and driver’s comfort and “douceur”, without excessive sports “aspirations”. Hyundai i30 FL is a family car in the first place. That is its basic purpose, and in that realm, it is an excellent choice.

The 1.4 l engine with 109 hp is doing its job well. Sometimes you will even forget that the engine is engaged, for example, waiting at traffic lights. Although the maximum torque of 137 Nm is available at 5,000 rpm, the elasticity is really satisfactory, and although the engine delivers its 109 “ponies” at 6,200 rpm, this engine does not “like” high revs. It is more for soft, comfortable ride, which does not mean that the car lacks the dynamics though.

The engine is paired with a five-speed manual transmission, and that results in somewhat more pronounced noise on a highway, especially when you want to drive a little faster. So, from our point of view, a six-speed unit would alleviate this problem and be a better option. In addition, fuel consumption would also be lower, although it’s quite OK nevertheless, because in urban driving conditions is reduced to about 8.0 l. Although not a “racer”, the Hyundai i30 with 1.4 l engine accelerates to 100 km/h in acceptable 11.6 seconds, with the maximum speed of 187 km/h.

Imagine trim package really brings a lot, and with no doubt, it is worth paying some extra money, if you have it, of course. What really should be set aside are ABS + ABD, cruise control, airbags and curtains, as well as progressive servo assistance steering wheel. Therefore, it is no wonder that the Hyundai i30 FL received five stars in Euro NCAP test. What will make the younger owners happy is the audio device with MP3 player with extra tweeters and four standard units, which results in sound quality beyond expectations.

Finally, we come to the price of 12,990 euros (VAT included). There is no dilemma, it is not surprising that Hyundai i30 is the bestseller in the C segment in Serbia, and has reached a global sales figure of 500,000 units since 2007 when it has been launched.