Skip advert
Advertisement

Hyundai i30 estate

First report after 2,959 miles in our practical new Hyundai people carrier.

Pros
  • You get a lot for your money with a Hyundai. I’m also a fan of the electric folding door mirrors, which still work even when the engine has been switched off. Another plus point is the ample room in the rear for three teenage passengers – a must in my household.
Cons
  • The only glitch is with the seatbelt indicator – it’s great for checking if your rear passengers have buckled up. But when dropping off my daughter and some of her friends, the alarm sounds and light flashes even though I’m the only one left in the car.
Find your Hyundai i30
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

It was way back in the summer when I first heard the news that my next long-termer was to be a Hyundai i30 Estate.

Having read the glowing reports from our road testers, it sounded perfect. And with a new 58-reg car to be delivered on 1 September, I was excited.

Advertisement - Article continues below

What’s more, I was given the luxury of browsing through the brochure and picking the colour and spec of the model I wanted.

Hyundai has kept the options straightforward by giving buyers a choice of three trim levels: Comfort, Style and the top-of-the-range Premium. There are also five colours on offer. As picture editor, I knew I had to pick a shade that would photograph well – ruling out Continental Silver and black. Red would have looked great, but we already had a small family estate on the fleet in the same shade: the Peugeot 207 SW. As my last two long-term cars were both blue, I plumped for classy-looking Steel Grey.

But, as you can see from these pictures, that wasn’t to be! Demand for the metallic grey was too strong, and so to avoid delays in getting the i30 delivered, I accepted the blue.

Still, once September arrived, and the keys to my new i30 Estate had been handed over, I wasn’t too bothered. The vivid colour looks fantastic and I have the range-topping Premium model, complete with some generous standard kit.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

I30

2019 Hyundai

I30

41,777 milesAutomaticDiesel1.6L

Cash £10,197
View I30
I30

2020 Hyundai

I30

46,948 milesManualPetrol1.4L

Cash £9,296
View I30
I30

2015 Hyundai

I30

55,275 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £8,960
View I30
I30

2020 Hyundai

I30

12,935 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £10,499
View I30

mart 17-inch alloys and leather seats are great in a car of this class. The 1.6-litre diesel and five-speed manual gearbox have so far proved a strong combination, both in town and on the motorway. My only gripe concerns the car’s notchy gearchange – but maybe that will get easier over the coming months of use.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Having previously run two small MPVs, I was interested to see how the interior space in a compact family estate would compare. As the mother of a teenager, rear legroom is always important – and the Hyundai has proved a real winner in this department.

The load area also coped admirably when we loaded up for a car boot sale recently, with the handy adjustable net holding items securely in place.

Another popular feature is the standard-fit iPod/USB port – although it does mean there’s even more scope to argue over which tunes are played! So although it’s not the colour I wanted, the i30 has really won me over. I look forward to finding out how it performs through the winter.

Second Opinion

One of the i30’s first outings was as a video vehicle on our Performance Car of the Year photoshoot at the Anglesey Circuit in North Wales. This gave us a chance to run in the estate on the long drive up from London, while also getting to know it. Despite having only 113bhp, the diesel engine provides impressive refinement, as well as superb economy. The overall average of 43.5mpg makes the i30 one of the most frugal cars on our fleet.

Chris Thorp
Road test editor

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Hyundai I30

Hyundai I30

RRP £16,720Used from £9,700
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £1,864 off RRP*Used from £6,495
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £4,614 off RRP*Used from £9,346
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £5,049 off RRP*Used from £14,295
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Citroen C5 Aircross SUV undercuts the Volkswagen Tiguan by a huge £7k
Citroen C5 Aircross - front

New Citroen C5 Aircross SUV undercuts the Volkswagen Tiguan by a huge £7k

Citroen’s revamped flagship C5 Aircross SUV is available to order now with hybrid or electric power
News
28 Jul 2025
Hyundai reduces prices across its entire EV range
Hyundai Ioniq 5 - front cornering

Hyundai reduces prices across its entire EV range

Korean brand acts swiftly to cut prices on all its electric cars, amid confusion over Government’s grant scheme
News
25 Jul 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Polestar 4 is a head-turning EV for a super cool price
Polestar 4 - cornering, low shot

Car Deal of the Day: Polestar 4 is a head-turning EV for a super cool price

The ‘car with no rear window’ is looking seriously cheap on lease right now. It’s our Deal of the Day for July 28
News
28 Jul 2025