2017 Hyundai I30 vs 2018

What's the difference?

The new i30 demonstrates how far Hyundai has come in a relatively short space of time. The maturity of its design and quality of its execution are already putting pressure on well-established names in the small hatch class. Loaded with standard safety tech, stacked with standard features, and supported by competitive ownership benefits, the Premium is an impressive package.

The third-generation i30 was a hugely impressive car when it launched last year and continues to impress now. The added halo if the i30 N has rapidly solidifed Hyundai's reputation as a quality car maker.

With the Smart Sense pack fitted, either as an option on lower-spec cars or as standard from the SR up, the i30 is well in front of its rivals as a total package, even if it misses out on some details.

If you had to pick the best of the range, it would have to be the SR, with its bigger wheels and sportier tune, the 1.6 turbo and a cabin full of gadgets (while retaining the better cloth trim), it's sharply-priced and better again than just about anything in the segment or at this price point. It is, quite simply, a car that will make everyone happy.

And if it's outright performance you're after, you can't go past the i30 N.

One of Hyundai Motor Group’s smartest ever moves was head-hunting its current chief designer (and Kia president) Peter Schreyer from Volkswagen in 2006.

His influence has been profound, helping Hyundai leap to the upper echelon when it comes to crisp design and restrained styling.

Schreyer calls the brand’s overarching exterior theme ‘Fluidic Sculpture’, and on the i30, the transition between long, confident lines and softer curves, within a classic hatch profile, is subtle and carefully controlled. It's already making the previous iteration look tired and dowdy.

Sharply raked LED headlights, with a vertical strip of LED daytime running lights below, link the new i30 to its predecessors, while a new ‘cascading grille’ (complete with chrome surround) aligns it with other models in the current range.

There’s more than a whiff of Golf around the rear-end - from the distinctive shape of the tail-light cluster to the broad C-pillar. A swap of the Hyundai ‘lazy H’ badge for a VW roundel wouldn’t cause a seismic shock.

Inside, the i30 Premium lives up to its name, with a neatly composed dash and console layout, wrapped with (mainly) soft-touch materials. The look wouldn’t be out of place in a car costing half as much again.

An 8.0-inch colour multimedia touchscreen stands proud of a gently sloping split-level dash, with ventilation controls confined to a separate pod lower down.

The ‘leather-appointed’ seats look great, with our test example moving away from the dour and predictable grey colour palette applied to so many mass-market hatches. Sure, light trim colours aren’t the most practical, but Hyundai has hedged its bets with hard-wearing, dark materials applied to more vulnerable scuff panels on the doors and seat bases.

The i30's basic shape is very clean and far more grown up than the previous generation. While that car had all sorts of interesting surfaces and big headlights, this newer look is more restrained. The segment is starting to converge on a more conservative, pan-European look, with even the new Focus calming down. The i30 puts me in mind of the Peugeot 308, with elements of the VW Golf.

As you move up the range, you'll see chrome, which suggests more gadgets inside. On the SR sports pack, a mild body kit includes a rear spoiler and side skirts but stops short of a rear diffuser. Even the performance version, the N, is reasonably subtle, so the philosophy is common across the entire range, and it looks the business.

Speaking of the N, it's reasonably easy to spot with its big 19-inch wheels, red flashes here and there, N badging and grille and, if you're listening, a poppy-bangy exhaust note from its chunky twin exhausts.

Interior photos show a light and airy space, with all that glass letting in the light. The light leather option on the Premium was bright, even on an overcast day. It's a well-constructed and designed space, with sensible choices all through the cabin and Hyundai's habit of nailing the driving position continues. Some of the materials are a bit ho-hum and in the Go and Active, the plastic steering wheel is pretty dire, but the quality look and feel of the switchgear and the tangible quality feel of including a big screen makes up for that.

At 4.3 metres long, 1.8 metres wide, and 1.45 metres high, the i30 sits squarely within the small hatch size window.

Accommodation for the driver and front passenger is generous, with plenty of useful storage space on offer, including two cupholders in the centre console, a lidded bin between the seats, door pockets able to accept large bottles, and a decent glove box.

An extra, covered oddments space in front of the gearshift houses a 12-volt outlet, auxiliary line-in socket, and a USB port, as well as a (qi standard) wireless charging bay for mobile devices.

But a shift to the back seat means breathing in. Sitting behind the driver’s seat, set to this 183cm tester’s position, headroom is just okay and legroom is marginal.

Once installed, rear seaters have access to a pair of cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, small bins in the doors, and mesh nets on the front seatbacks. Controllable air vents for the rear get a big tick.

With the 60/40 split folding rear seat upright, available cargo volume is 395 litres (VDA), with a clever dual-position floor offering the choice of maximum load space (lower height), or the ability to create a flat floor with the rear seats folded (raised height).

With the floor in the lower position there’s enough space to stash the CarsGuide pram, or a large (105-litre) and medium (68-litre) hard-shell suitcase, as well as some soft bags.

Four tie-down shackles, and a standard luggage net are a nice touch, as are storage bins behind the rear wheel tubs, and hanging hooks to keep small shopping bags under control.

With the back seats flipped forward the available load area increases to 1301 litres (VDA). The whole area is nicely trimmed, well lit, and the spare sitting underneath is a full-size alloy.

And if you really want to put this hatch to work, it’s able to tow a 1300kg braked trailer and 600kg unbraked.

The i30's footprint contains a car with good interior dimensions. Passengers front and rear have plenty of headroom. Those in the back will fit easily if they're under 185cm, although the centre rear passenger might not be so happy if they're that tall.

Storage space varies between the models. Owners of the entry-level Go can expect just two cupholders but four bottle holders. There are also two bag hooks in the 395 litre boot and four tie-down hooks. The boot space dimensions are near the top of the class, easily wiping out the Mazda3 and Golf hatches' much smaller boots.

Step up to the Active and you get another two cupholders for a total of four.

Drop the 60/40 split-fold seats and the luggage capacity jumps to 1301 litres, meaning objects of a decent size will fit from your flat-pack furniture adventures. The Elite, Premium and SR Premium also pick up a luggage net.

Its external dimensions are reasonably compact and the turning circle is 10.6m. Ground clearance is 140mm when unladen.

There are six distinct trim levels in the i30 range. Our price guide is purely based on rrp - how much you pay will depend on drive-away deals and the cost of any options and accessories.

Our model comparison takes you through each of the specifications to help you find which one suits you best.

The price list opens with the bargain basement Go. The manual petrol kicks off at $19,990m with the twin-clutch auto diesel weighing in at $24,990, via a manual diesel and petrol auto. 

Standard features include 16-inch steel rims, air-conditioning, reverse camera, cloth trim, remote central locking, cruise control, trip computer, auto headlights, power windows front and rear, heated powered door mirrors (auto only) and a full-size spare tyre.

The sound system is the same in every i30. With six speakers, AM/FM radio, Bluetooth and USB at a minimum, the system is controlled via a dash-mounted 8.0-inch touch screen. iPhone and Android users will be pleased to know all i30s have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so if there's no GPS, you can use your phone for satellite navigation. There is no CD player or DVD player in any of the cars.

Tailored floor mats are available as part of the $320 interior-accessory pack which also includes a dash mat and fabric rear bumper protector.

Move on to the Active and you can get a 2.0-litre petrol manual ($20,950), auto ($23,250), diesel manual ($23,450) and twin clutch ($25,950). In addition to the Go's spec, you get 16-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, LED daytime running lights, navigation system, park assist (a graphical display in the dash), folding heated mirrors and a full-size alloy spare.

The infotainment system also gains DAB radio.

The first of what you might call the sport editions is the SR manual and auto, starting at $25,590 for the six-speed manual and $28,950 for the seven-speed 'DCT' dual-clutch auto. Sporting the 1.6-litre turbo petrol, the SR has 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, the advanced safety features of the Smart Sense pack including lane assist, active cruise control, a bit of chrome here and there and sports pedals, 

Next up is the Elite for between $27,790 and $30,490. Added to the Active's spec are fake-leather seats, steering wheel and gear shifter and keyless entry via smart key technology. The Elite also has 17-inch alloy wheels.

The Premium Auto jumps to $32,790 for the auto petrol and $35,490 for the DCT diesel. This machine picks up further styling changes - including a lot of chrome detailing - front parking sensors, electric driver's seat, auto LED headlights, sunroof and electrochromatic rear vision mirror.

The SR Premium auto goes back up to 18-inch alloys and again runs the 1.6-litre turbo petrol. The price is identical to the Premium diesel at $33,950 and is basically the same spec.

The final step is an important one - the i30 N. The N brand is Hyundai's performance arm and this is the first fully fledged performance car from Hyundai. The N has most of the same goodies as the SR Premium but rolls on 19-inch alloys, has bigger performance brakes, its own specification of Pirelli P-Zero tyres, an extra selectable drive mode known as N, dual-mode exhaust, sports front seats, mechanical limited slip diff, torque vectoring, auto rev matching and active dampers. 

The N starts at $39,990 and you can add a 'Luxury Pack' for $3000, or a Luxury Pack with panoramic sunroof for $5000, both of which include keyless entry, auto wipers, electric heated fronts seats and front parking sensors.

Colours include 'Phantom Black', 'Intense Blue', 'Marina Blue', 'Iron Grey', 'Fiery Red', 'Platinum Silver', and 'Polar White'. All but the white attract an extra $495 cost. SR-badged cars score 'Sparkling Metal', 'Lava Orange' and 'Phoenix Orange' as extra colour options. The N also has its own colour schemes - 'Performance Blue', 'Clean Slate', 'Engine Red' and 'Micron Grey'. Brown is, sadly, off the menu.

Also off the menu are a self-parking function, bull bar, heated steering wheel, subwoofer, nudge bar, roof rails, design pack, xenon light bar or a launch edition (you're probably a bit late anyway).

Dealer accessories include things like tinted windows, roof racks, a cargo barrier, towbar and a cargo liner. No doubt they'll also try to saddle you with rust and paint protection.

The i30 Premium’s ‘U2’ engine has nothing to do with a moderately successful Irish pop band. It’s Hyundai’s 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel, built around a cast iron block, with an alloy head, chain driven double overhead cams, 16-valves, common rail direct injection, and a variable geometry turbo.

In Australian spec it produces 100kW at 4000rpm, and a handy 300Nm from 1750-2500rpm.

Drive goes to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, featuring ‘Drive Mode Select’ offering ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’ settings.

As the name implies, Normal mode is calibrated for typical urban and highway driving, Eco programs early up-shifts to optimise fuel economy, and Sport reduces steering assistance while delaying up-shifts.

Engine specs vary across the range but all i30s are front-wheel drive.

The Go, Active Elite and Premium come with Hyundai's 2.0 GDi developing 120kW and 203Nm, driving the front wheels through either a six-speed manual or traditional automatic transmission. The 0-100km/h acceleration time for the Go and Active is around nine seconds.

The 1.6 CRDi diesel engine is available in the Go, Active, Elite and Premium with either a six-speed manual (Go and Active) or seven-speed twin-clutch automatic (all variants). The 1.6-litre turbo diesel produces an even 100kW and delivers 280Nm in the manual and 300Nm in the twin clutch. Performance figures appear leisurely - the race to 100km/h is a calm 10.2 seconds. Clearly it has less horspower and more weight, but once you're up and running, the in-gear acceleration is impressive. Emissions are kept in check with a diesel particulate filter.

The 1.6 turbo petrol is the same engine size as the diesel, spinning up 150kW and 265Nm. That engine is available in the SR and SR Premium along with a six-speed manual or the seven-speed DCT. The sprint to 100 is said to be around eight seconds, but independent testing has clocked it closer to seven.

The N's engine is a firecracker 2.0-litre turbo producing 202kW/353Nm, with 378Nm when the overboost function kicks in. That means a 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds, although it felt slightly quicker to me. In true Australian style, we don't get the lower-powered version of the N because we don't buy entry-level cars any more.

Across the rest of the range, the petrol vs diesel argument is fairly straightforward - the diesel is a happy, frugal cruiser while the petrols are a bit more rev-happy, particularly the turbo.

Oil capacity and type varies between the engines and it's all in the owner's manual if you need a top-up on the run. There are no 4x4/AWD/rear-wheel drive, LPG or plug-in hybrid versions.

Towing capacity for the 2.0-litre petrol is 600kg unbraked and 1300kg braked.

Hyundai claims the 130 Premium consumes 4.7L/100km on the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) fuel economy cycle, emitting 124g/km of CO2 in the process.

According to the on-board trip computer, we recorded 5.8L/100km over roughly 300km of city, suburban and freeway driving, which translates the fuel tank’s 50-litre capacity into a range in excess of 800km.

Fuel mileage depends on the capacity and gearbox and varies between the different combinations.

As always, the official fuel-economy figures are only a guide, but Hyundai's numbers seem closer to reality than other manufacturers, at least in my experience.

The 2.0-litre's petrol consumption is listed at 7.3L/100km for the manual and 7.4 for the six-speed automatic. My most recent experience with an automatic Active resulted in a figure of 8.2L/100km in mostly suburban running.

The 1.6 CRDi's diesel fuel consumption is listed at 4.5L/100km for the manual and 4.7L/100km for the seven speed.

Moving on to the 1.6 petrol, the combined cycle is listed at 7.5L/100km for the manual and the seven-speed DCT dual-clutch auto. 

The N's 2.0-litre turbo has a claimed combined figure of 8.0L/100km and it's worth noting that it requires 95 RON fuel. If you drive it like I did, you'll find that the 50-litre tank is a little on the small side.

Fuel-tank size is 50 litres, whether diesel or petrol.

Despite an extensive local chassis tuning program, it only takes a few hundred metres (over a typically ordinary urban surface) in the i30 to confirm it ain’t no Golf in terms of ride quality and overall compliance.

That doesn’t mean the i30’s bad. The Premium misses out on the SR’s multi-link rear end (having to make do with a torsion beam set-up), but it’s fine. Fact is, though, Volkswagen applies mysterious suspension voodoo to make the Golf 7.5 ride like a mini Bentley Mulsanne, so the class benchmark is some way off.

That said, the front seats back up their polished looks with excellent comfort and support, and an assortment of Cleary kids remained agreeably complaint free in the back.

A peak torque figure of 300Nm is plenty for a car weighing in at 1339kg, especially when that maximum number arrives at 1750rpm, and stays put until 2500rpm.

That’s the sweet spot for urban warfare, and throttle response from the turbo-diesel is satisfyingly strong and linear. The small capacity engine is impressively quiet and refined, too.

The dual-clutch auto is a fuss-free, slick-changing unit, with the top four ratios overdriven to optimise fuel efficiency. We didn’t notice a heap of difference between Normal and Eco modes, although Sport certainly holds on to gears longer on the way up, and grabs lower ratios earlier on the way back down.

No paddle shifters on the wheel (as found in the SR), but crisp sequential ‘manual’ changes are available via the centre stick.

The electrically assisted rack and pinion steering delivers good feel, and the (225/45 x 17) Hankook Ventus Prime2 rubber is quiet yet grippy in quick cornering.

Braking is by decent-sized discs front (vented 280mm) and rear (solid 284mm), delivering progressive and consistent stopping power.

One annoying snag is underwhelming resolution from the reversing camera at night. It could be dodgy if there are kids around.

One of the areas in which the i30 stands out is its dynamics, whether the bottom-of-the-range Go or the SR Premium warm hatch or the N. While you're probably bored witless of motoring journos mentioning Hyundai's crack team of local engineers, much of the praise must go to them for making the i30 the best in the segment and a standout car in its own right.

Front susenpsion is by MacPherson struts and the rear is a choice of a sophisticated multi-link setup (SR and SR Premium) or torsion beams (everything else). The torsion-beam cars are very well planted and mostly fitted with eco-style tyres. That means a pretty good ride and little in the way of road noise.

When you go for the warm SR hatch with its sportier tune and multi-link rear suspension, you really do notice the difference. While the other cars are excellent as they are, the SR's tune is a bit firmer but also lots of fun to drive.

The electric power steering is weighted just so, even  when you switch out of the laughable Eco mode, which ruins the throttle response (who really uses that, anyone?).

At speed, the i30 is quiet and composed, the multimedia system barely ticking over to cover what little noise invades the cabin. It's equally at home in the city and on the open road, with the diesel making long highway drags even longer with its impressive fuel economy.

On the downside, the diesel does feel a little heavy and firm around town,so unless you're super-keen for an oil burner, the cheaper petrols are the go.

If you were to score the driving experience solely on the i30 N, the 8/10 would become a nine. Hyundai has entered a space previously unknown to the Korean carmaker by racing headlong into the hearts and minds of Golf GTi wannabes. Except, it isn't a wannabe, it's a genuine GTi-beater - cheaper, more powerful, better-equipped and even more fun to drive. The N sends a loud message that Hyundai is after VW's mantle.

Again, Hyundai's local team took a super-hard riding, Nurburgring suspension spec and made it suitable for our rubbish roads. While still no magic carpet, the N is more than liveable in Comfort mode but supremely capable in N mode. It's completely unflappable down a mountain road on a cold morning and able to do things the Veloster SR Turbo - the closest thing Hyundai previously had to a hot hatch - could only dream of. It's fast, it's fun and, like the rest of its range, it leads its market segment.

The basic safety package on the Go and Active inludes seven airbags, stability and traction controls, ABS, brake assist, hill-start assist and brake-force distribiution.

As part of the 'Smart Sense' pack (auto and DCT cars only, $1150 extra), Go and Active owners pick up forward AEB, forward collision warning, blind-spot detection, lane-change assist, lane-keeping assist, rear cross traffic alert and active cruise. These features are standard on Eite, Premium, SR, SR Premium and N.

Two ISOFIX points take car of the baby car seat or you can use one of the three top-tether child seat anchor points.

All i30s carry a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, even without the advanced safety features. It's annoying that the basic safety package on the Go and Active doesn't have AEB, though, while natural sales rival the Mazda3 has both forward and rear AEB.

Hyundai provides a five year/unlimited km warranty, with the ‘Hyundai Roadside Support Plan’ including 24/7 complimentary assistance for 12 months, and up to 10 years total (if you service the vehicle at an authorised Hyundai dealership). If you stick to dealer servicing, you’ll also pick up a 10-year sat nav update plan.

The ‘iCare Essential’ program provides indicative scheduled servicing costs going out to 27 years/405,000km, and details everything that’s to be inspected, checked or replaced.

An initial one month/1500km check is free, with recommended maintenance for the warranty period lining up as follows - 12 months/15,000km - $299, 24 months/30,000km - $299, 36 months/45,000km - $299, 48 months/60,000km - $409, 60 months/75,000km - $209.

Hyundai offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which used to be the benchmark but is now slowly becoming the standard across the industry. The five-year warranty is accompanied by roadside assist for the first year. Capped-price servicing applies for the life of the vehicle and if you return to Hyundai for a service, you get another 12 months of roadside assist for flat battery or tyre incidents.

Resale value appears strong, as it has been for each version of the i30.

I'm often asked if the i30 engines use a timing belt or chain. All of Hyundai's engines use their own silent timing chain system, with the happy upside of lower service costs and no issues with snapping belts. The i30's reliability rating is impressive as a result.

As the car is still fairly new, no obvious six-speed automatic gearbox problems or seven-speed auto tranmission problems seem to have appeared. Gearbox issues have never really been a big problem with Hyundai and common diesel problems have long since been banished to history.

A quick search for any other common faults yielded nothing in the way of persistent problems or complaints.