Hyundai i30 Elite 2012 review

The badge on the i30's rear hatch opens to reveal a reversing camera. It's this nifty device that is drawing customers to the Korean brand's showrooms. They have seen it on the television commercial and that's the first thing they talk about when wandering into a dealership. 

It's not the mirrors which swing open when you approach the car, not the satellite-navigation nor the start-stop push button. Yes, it's that little H badge opening at the back that has people the most intrigued. 

The original European-designed i30 really put the marque on the map in Australia in 2007, winning over tens of thousands of car buyers and even fleets with its combination of style, practicality and value. 

Up went Hyundai's reputation a notch, putting the South Korean brand on level pegging as many of the well-established Japanese brands. Now, not only can it be fairly compared against Toyota Corolla and the Mazda3, but the Volkswagen Golf too. The i30 remains Hyundai's best seller, ahead of the cheaper i20 and the popular ix35 SUV.

 Surprisingly sales are down on last year, by 12 per cent for the month and 7 per cent for the year, probably a consequence of Hyundai pitching the car upmarket, packing it with gear and subsequently increasing the price too.

Value

The review car was the mid-range Elite model with six-speed automatic for a $29,990 drive-away price tag. Standard gear includes USB and auxiliary input, 7-inch touch screen satellite navigation, glovebox cooling, steering wheel audio controls, CD sound, cruise control, Bluetooth and remote keyless entry.

It also has front fog lamps, tilt and telescopic steering, push button start, automatic wipers and headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels and spare wheel, dual zone climate control airconditioning, trip computer, and power windows (all automatic up/down).

Design

There's European flair to its German-designed body, both front and rear with the adventurous chrome-bar grille and rear horizontal wraparound tail lights. Along the side are modern lines and scallops linking prominent wheel arches over stylish new alloy wheel designs to create a pleasing overall appearance that looks particularly good in dark colours. 

Euro-style door handles, integrated fog lamps front and rear, projector headlights, a sleek rear window spoiler and folding door mirrors provide an extra bit of premium to the Elite as driven. Inside there's typical Hyundai bling and blue theme but it's styled and presented well, nice to touch, feels quite solid and all the switches and buttons work and feel quality. 

The seats are supportive and comfortable, and getting the right position for the driver is made easier by having seat height adjustment as well as reach adjustment for the steering wheel. The funky wheel itself is comfortable and well-proportioned, with simple controls for the audio, phone, cruise control and trip computer functions.

The main audio control centre, of course, is through the touchscreen. Auxiliary, iPod and USB ports are conveniently located at the bottom of the centre stack, just above an open console where your iPod or smartphone can be stored and easily accessed.

Technology

The 1.8-litre petrol engine in the test Elite has slightly more power than the previous 2.0-litre unit but lacks a bit of low-down oomph. I stuffed up and forgot to reset the trip computer so started off with a reading of 12.9 litres/100km which was the consequence of suburban running. After an extended drive outside town, I had dragged that down to 9.5 -- which stayed that way for another day of town running. I believe the official combined figure of 6.5 litres/100km is perfectly achievable.

Safety

On the safety side there's Brake Assist System (BAS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), seven airbags and an automatic windscreen defogging function.

Driving

As you approach the i30 it greets you by swinging open the door mirrors and turning on the puddle lamps to illuminate beneath the door. A simple touch on the push button opens all the doors and an annoying Hyundai theme song chimes as you get comfortable in the seat (thank goodness you can turn it off). A touch of the start-stop button fires up the engine and you are ready for action after easily adjusting the steering wheel up and down and in and out as well as fastening the seat belt.

The i30 is a fairly lively unit and was getting smoother and better as the kilometres piled on. There's a bit more wind and road noise than I was expecting despite an engine which is smooth and quiet most of the time. The road noise is exacerbated by the frequent use of coarse bitumen on our roads. The steering is a bit lifeless and pushing the car harder on the range roads and across the undulating and sharp Walkamin-Dimbulah road revealed a tendency to understeer a bit. But the ride is comfortable and there's adequate grip.

Passengers in the rear seat get plenty of knee and head room, although access is compromised for larger people by the slope of the window line. There is a good-size boot, enhanced by a standard cargo net to stop smaller items sliding about. It's stylish and drives well and gets plusses for the interior presentation, ride quality, five-year warranty, full-size spare, parking sensors and camera and adjustable power steering.

The electric steering needs improving as does the wind and road noise, the handling could be sharper and it lacks low-down engine. But Hyundai are fast and smart learners and the latest i30 is proof ofthat.

Verdict

At less than $30K on road, the Elite is even better equipped than you might expect for a Korean brand. The i30 represents great value as well as more than just a driving conveyance. P.S. Don't forget to check out the flip-up H badge at the back.