Hyundai i30 revealed

Looks pretty good - appreciate it's just a sketch, but the Koreans are getting pretty good at this designing lark. Looks like the offspring from a Fiat Punto meets 2011 Vauxhall Astra.

By TomTom on 10 August, 2011, 10:44am

Similar to new Kia cee'd

http://www.worldcarfans.com/111021030672/2012-kia-ceed-first-winter-testing-spy-pics

By cfhughes on 10 August, 2011, 11:18am

Some scoop a month before its debut

How comes cars like this are neglected by motoring journalists?

We hear news of other future models (such as the Golf, BMW 3 Series, Land Rover Evoque) years in advance of their release so why are good, reasonably priced, reliable cars like this ignored (when knowledgeable car people who realise a good ownership prospect are going to spend their money on them)?

I've been googling the next i30 for months and found very little information - but you could find a whole host of information on the next Golf just after the current model was launched (and not all made-up stuff either!). Disappointing.

By gavsmit on 10 August, 2011, 6:21pm

Lookin' Good

This is more like it. The current i30 always looked like the poor relation to the better looking Kia C'eed. Now we have a serious rival to the Astra, Focus, Golf etc on looks at least.

By erly5 on 10 August, 2011, 11:39pm

Reasonably priced

Nice design and with the length of the head lights we're just a few years away from a complete glass car.

But reasonably priced comes at a price. Most people in this country can't afford it and take out a loan. As Koreans don't buy foreign stuff UK and Europe loses out every time a Korean car is sold. I don't blame the buyer but in the end it is a vicious circle and ends at the problems we see at the moment in this country and around in Europe with unemployment.

I suggest to follow the Korean route which means halving the salaries of all people and reduce house sizes to half as well. Get the picture?

By mitecon on 11 August, 2011, 7:59am

It' really good-looking car. We can see Hyundai's progress in design. I do not know why Ford would not follow the same way with Focus. Take a look at the first Focus. It looked great, fresh & innovative. But now... Now it looks like Korean cars 10-15 years ago.
I hope that the Koreans will not be a trend-setters in car designing soon.

By chmiele2 on 11 August, 2011, 9:03am

Thumbs Up

Nice one again... Kepp the good work Korea.

By strela on 11 August, 2011, 12:27pm

Watch out Vauxhall

VX should be very worried about the Koreans.
They are now producing cars that are at least equal to, and in some cases superior to, their model range.
This car looks like an Astra.
Is probably better built than an Astra.
Possibly has more kit than an Astra.
And most likely be cheaper than an Astra.
We no longer look at the Koreans as building cars that are a "bit of a joke"
Vauxhall..... YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

By toycollector on 11 August, 2011, 6:20pm

Most Hyundai's are now built in Europe! so mitecon your argument does not stand! the only thing I will say though is there not as well built as the original Korean models, I had 2 new Tucsons and they were bullet proof! but they need to sort out there latest diesel engines - my IX20 (bought for economy reasons) sounds like an old Fordson tractor at low revs- NOT HAPPY! if they don't sort it out I will dump it in the entrance of there head office!

By SUCARBS on 11 August, 2011, 6:47pm

There's a lot more wrong with this country than buying Korean cars

@ mitecon - we had a car industry and it failed. Not because of a lack of home support (my Dad persevered way too much with a number of unreliable British Leyland models and I owned a Rover 114 for a while before it died), but because of poor cars and poor management. And as SUCARBS points out, these Hyundai's are made in Europe!

My comments above were based on what I think of a car from a manufacturer that seems to give more of a damn about its customers than most European makes.

If you want to turn this into a political rant rather than the mere appreciation of a new car, when was the last time you ever bought anything that didn't have a 'made in China' stamp on it? If we made something worth buying in this country, I'd buy it, but we don't. Get the picture?

By gavsmit on 11 August, 2011, 8:03pm

This is an excellent car

In the Middle East its called an Elantra and available only as a saloon. It's superb. The saloon actually looks better than this hatch too - much more sleek. Personally I dont undertsand Britains obsession with the hatchback.

Europe had better get ready for both Hyundai and Kia. The newer models are reliable and very well built. If this was wearing a more 'desirable' badge it would clean up the market overnight and motoring journalists would love it.

By jcrowley012 on 15 August, 2011, 3:55pm

Had the existing i30 as a hire car recently in France/Spain. It's no Focus in terms of space or ride, but it goes, stops and the a/c is brilliant.

By minicoopers69 on 17 August, 2011, 9:20am