Hyundai i30: 3,257 miles

You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, they say – and that’s certainly been the case with my Hyundai i30.

In the past few weeks, I’ve struggled to get my hands on the keys. It’s been out and about with my colleagues – including taking a starring role in our recent Best Scrappage Scheme Buys road test special.

On the plus side, the i30 has now been returned with a logbook full of glowing reviews.

Our road testers get to drive a huge variety of cars – from bargain basement city runabouts to glamorous sports models – so it was good to hear how impressed they were with the i30. It proves that a spin in the hatch is enough to change people’s minds about Hyundai.

This hit home to me recently when I got behind the wheel of a couple of the car’s established class rivals. The exercise only increased my respect for the i30.

Climbing back into my hatch, I was immediately reminded of its nimble, nippy performance around town, but also its ability to transform into an effortless cruiser on a long journey.

The latter was put to the test on a recent family day out to the coast.

The i30 comfortably accommodated five occupants, including three teenagers in the back – two of whom are over six feet tall. Despite some boiling hot sunshine, the excellent air-con system kept everyone cool, while the built-in iPod connector ensured each of the youngsters could take a turn as DJ on the long journey.

The dock is handily located under the front armrest, allowing them to get to it easily and swap their music over at will.

So far, my only complaint about the cabin is the large expanse of dark plastic used on the dashboard. While there’s nothing wrong with the simple and logical layout, it just looks a little dull – and shows up dust!

I have no complaints about the smooth and punchy diesel engine, though. This unit has been tuned to be kind to the environment, and has returned a very respectable 42.5mpg.

That’s despite the fact that most of the 3,000 miles the i30 has covered have been in or around town. All the same, I’m hoping to improve on this figure, and keep trips to the fuel station to a minimum.

Overall, it’s hard not be impressed by the Hyundai’s hard-working, no-nonsense approach – this honesty is at the heart of its appeal.

Unlike some more expensive rivals, it doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a handsome, solid and dependable family hatch.

The only trouble I expect to have with the i30 over the coming months will be holding on to the keys.
 

Extra Info

Having driven the i30 to the photo shoot for our Scrappage Scheme road test special, I can see why Dawn has grown so fond of it. The hatch shows just how far Hyundai has come.

My long journey in the car was effortless, and I was impressed with the smooth yet punchy engine, as well as the comfortable ride.

In fact, my only complaint is that the seat doesn’t adjust quite low enough – and that spoils the driving position for a six-footer like me.

Owen Mildenhall
Senior road tester