Tech the family in style with i30

hyundai tops rivals with latest gadgetry

TECHNOLOGY is making its way faster than ever from luxury cars down to much cheaper models that you and I can afford. The first mass produced cars to be fitted with anti-lock brakes as standard were the Mercedes-benz S-class and the BMW 7-Series in the mid 1970s (apart from the 60s British Jensen Interceptor). It took a couple of decades for the system to find its way into Ford Fiestas. To prove my point, this week’s road test subject, the new Hyundai i30, is fitted with a lane keep assist system that tweaks the steering to keep you nicely centred in your carriageway. It’s fitted as standard to the SE Nav spec model that we’re testing. Plenty of standard kit has always been Hyundai’s ace card and major selling point. Other cars in its class, the VW Golf in particular, will give you more soft touch materials on the dashboard but Hyundai will fill that dashboard with more whizz bangs for your cash. For example, all i30s, regardless of trim, come with digital radio, which you don’t get on some cars costing three times as much. Our SE Nav comes with Applecar play and its Android equivalent, both of which hooked up to my mobile phone without any swearing required. This all-new i30 features more high-strength steel in its body so it’s a bit lighter than before and has more passenger space. It’s a good-looking hatchback, and while Skoda’s Octavia offers more space, including luggage capacity,

the Ford Focus and VW Golf are no bigger. Our test i30 is fitted with Hyundai’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 118bhp. It’s a peppy little engine with a nice character but with five adults and their luggage aboard would really be raising a sweat. Hyundai claims an official 56.5mpg but we only just managed to break into the 40s, and that was a surprise. The i30 has a gear shift indicator that shows you when to shift. Follow its advice and no doubt you could get a few extra mpg but it makes the car feel sluggish. I ignored it and let the engine rev a bit more. Not so good for fuel economy but it made the car feel a bit nippier than it actually is. There’s a 1.4-litre engine that is a better option if you’re going to drive your i30 heavily loaded on a regular basis. Hyundai has fitted slightly more ‘sporty’ suspension which, together with its stiffer body, should make the car more fun to drive. Owners of the current i30 will not notice much of a change. The car is comfortable on bumpy roads, has accurate steering that has the right amount of assistance but in no way does it feel sporty to drive. No matter, sportiness is not really what you’re after in a family hatchback. Simplicity and ease are a Hyundai strong point and the new car is no different. There aren’t too many knobs or buttons and everything is straightforward to use. Volkswagen might give you more soft furnishings but the i30 is well up to modern standards and seems to be well put together. Hyundai is working on a hot version of the i30 called the i30n. That car presents the Korean company with a serious challenge because there are some very experienced top-class players in the hot hatch market. Down at the simple family transport level, Hyundai, by sticking to its gameplan of good value for money with plenty of equipment included as standard, always provides value. The new i30 SE Nav is a perfect example of Hyundai doing what it does best.

Plenty of standard kit has long been the big selling point