Hyundai i40 saloon: first pics and details

familyface

Are Hyundai doing an 'Audi' by making all their cars look the same? these are fab looking cars and will sell like hot cakes, but come on hyundai a bit of individuality wouldn't go amiss, it looks like an ix20 head on

By squarehead on 12 May, 2011, 5:26am

Corporate Face

Yes does look a lot like the ix20 head on, Hyundai though does seem to have guts, that new coupe, and the Juke rivalling concept certainly proves they have flair, let's hope they don't follow Audi as an example.

By JFalck on 12 May, 2011, 8:07am

A stylish Hyundai..At last!

At last Hyundai are moving away from their awful Americanised styling and producing stylish European inspired cars.
I wouldn't be ashamed of being seen in this car, and i drive a 3series.

By toycollector on 12 May, 2011, 9:23am

Nice

No I wouldn't be ashamed of being seen in this either 'toycollector' - indeed i would rather be seen in this than an overpriced and overrated German saloon like the 3 series!

By cousins11 on 12 May, 2011, 12:47pm

It's Nice in the flesh too...

We've had it for about 18mths in NZ, it's a nice car, has pretty much most of what you'd be needing...the figures above aren't correct though (surprised they just haven't checked out Hyunday.co.nz for all correct figures etc.).

It's pretty much Passat(ish)/Golf in terms of handling and feedback (i.e. competent, plush, managed...though ultimately not that enthralling) but not the match for the Mondeo.

Lovely looking in the flesh, white and black work really well for the shape but the other colours leave the lines a bit flat. Gees, for the money you guys in Europe get it for, I'm sure this thing will get eaten up...we pay over k (nz) for a well spec'd model, which is essentially like paying about 30k stirling back home (and we're closer to Korea!!).

By jon_abbate on 12 May, 2011, 2:31pm

I call Shenanigans!

Except for the Hyundai specific grille, all recent Hyundai designs are blatant copies of recent Ford design, right down to the "Z" swosh on the front fender. I can think of worse design language to copy, but this is hardly the "original styling" that Hyundai wants to tout in its advertising.

By X5SoB on 12 May, 2011, 2:48pm

Hot Car, bring it over to the US

I love the way this car looks, bring it to the US, it makes the new sonata look mean and old, as the i40 has neatly proportioned styling and fluidic good looks.

By Vauxhallstinks on 12 May, 2011, 2:55pm

To toycollector:

Fords are an American design, BTW. And, BMWs are the design standard by which other cars are judged, particularly the 3-series(take that! cousins11).

By X5SoB on 12 May, 2011, 2:57pm

Americanized??

@Toycollector...the older styles were hardly Americanized. We thought they were terrible as well. I think Hyundai/Kia went through a period of native design much like Japan did when it started to export cars to the rest of the world. Those early Datsun/Nissan and Toyotas were beaten with an ugly stick.

By thewizardofaz on 12 May, 2011, 3:39pm

I think the best compliment I can pay Hyundai regarding the i40 is this: I can easily imagine the BMW propeller and trademark kidney grill adorning this car. Well done Hyundai, this is an excellent effort.

By sgtgrash on 13 May, 2011, 10:30am

WTF?

Looks like a mondeo from some angles, from the front it looks like it takes on the headlamp look of the 5-series and then comes the korean what the hell happened inside the headlamps look...

I would much prefer the last photo which may be the US version???

By giorikas81 on 13 May, 2011, 3:56pm

Looking good!

Looks good, probably even better in the metal.. but that face.. pure new Citroen C4?

By michealfarrell on 15 May, 2011, 9:26pm

Specs incorrect

@jon_abbate - You state that the figures and specs aren't correct, maybe they aren't for the NZ market model, but the above mentioned Specs and figures aren't for that market, they are for the UK, so until Hyundai officially announce it for the UK (along with all the blurb) we have no way of knowing how correct Auto Express have been

By farrendahl on 19 May, 2011, 9:58am

Squandered Opportunity

What happened to the South African spec "C-Class" lookalike that left us all gawping open-mouthed last year?

Let me guess...some 'xspurt' must've convinced Hyundai more Mondeos are sold than Mercs. By the way, in case you don't know this one...

X = an unknown quantity Spurt = a drip under pressure

By itspointlessvoting on 19 May, 2011, 10:55am