No half measures with this new hatch
We drive the most luxurious version of Hyundai’s new i30 hatch, writes Rob Maetzig.
Do you know what a demitasse is? It’s one of those small cups that are used to drink espresso coffee. The word is French for ‘‘half cup’’.
We’ve just been driving Hyundai’s latest i30 hatch, and our Elite Limited model was painted a fairly unusual dark brown hue called Demitasse Brown.
But unlike the word used to describe its colour, there are no half-measures with this new car. At the top Elite Limited level it carries just about everything, including a bunch of active safety technologies that at this stage aren’t available in any of the lesser versions of the new i30.
The car is an outstanding example of what is happening with our five-door hatchbacks, which are traditionally among New Zealand’s most popular cars.
With a growing number of such vehicles, while you can still purchase various entry and standard models that cater for fleet customers, there are also now very highly-specified versions that are designed to appeal to private buyers. They’re not cheap, but they’ve got everything aboard them, and in some cases they offer superior performance as well.
Outstanding examples include the Holden Astra RS-V, Honda Civic NT Turbo, Toyota Corolla Levin ZR, Mazda3 SP25, and the Volkswagen Golf TSi R-Line.
Now there’s the Hyundai i30 Elite Limited to add to the list. The car retails for $43,990, which is $8000 more expensive than the entry 2.0 GDI. But there are major differences between the two – the Limited has a different powertrain, different suspension, much higher standard specification, and a more comprehensive active safety package. And it’s a really good car – the top model in what is an impressive i30 selection.
The i30 has been progressively improving since the firstgeneration version was launched 10 years ago, and this new thirdgeneration range easily rates not only as the best i30 yet, but also among the very best of New Zealand’s entire five-door family hatch selection.
Even in its most basic form, this new hatchback is a fine vehicle because it is so easy to drive. It’s bigger than the model it replaces, which means there is more interior room, and the design of the interior has been freshened so it is comfortable, with a particularly good driver environment.
At the Elite Limited level the car boasts front seats that are heated, ventilated, electrically adjustable 10 ways, and upholstered in a sports leather trim that includes maroon piping that matches the colour of various highlights on the dashboard. It looks rather nice – although the seatbelts are also maroon, which does put a strange little touch to that interior.
Other features specific to the Elite Limited include a panoramic sunroof and 18-inch alloys, in addition to a high level of standard i30 specification that includes satellite navigation and an 8-inch touch-screen that sits prominently on top of the dash area and offers a wide range of infotainment options.
Perhaps the Elite Limited’s most significant difference is that it is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine mated to a flash seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, while the remainder of the i30 range has 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre normally aspirated engine power and standard six-speed autos.
The turbo engine is a little beauty. Essentially the same unit as that under the bonnet of the Veloster coupe and soon the Kona small SUV, for the i30 it develops 150 kilowatts of power and 265 Newton metres of torque, with that pulling power available from just 1500rpm right through to 4500rpm.
Combine that with the sevenspeed auto, which can be operated manually using paddles on the steering wheel, and it can offer solid performance – particularly when a Sport drive mode is selected, which changes the engine response, delays up-shifts, and changes the weighting of the power steering.
Handling is very good too, helped no end by the fact the Elite Limited has a multi-link rear suspension while the remainder of the i30 range makes do with a torsion beam rear setup. And course there are the 18-inch wheels and tyres while the others have 16s and 17s.
From the safety perspective, while all the new i30s get seven airbags, blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert, the Elite Limited also boasts all the new-age active safety stuff – autonomous emergency braking, driver attention alert, lane-keep assist, and smart cruise control.
Truth be told, Hyundai is a bit naughty for not having this aboard all the new i30s. At the vehicle’s launch the company said it simply wasn’t available, but the reality is that the world’s official crashtesting regimes are now becoming so strict that in the future if this sort of stuff isn’t aboard all vehicles, then they won’t get the appropriate safety classifications.
So with that as background, you can expect that it won’t be long before all members of the new i30 family boast all of the active safety. Meanwhile, it is restricted to the Elite Limited version – which makes that model all the more appealing.
And talking about appealing, the good news about this car is that if its performance qualities don’t quite satisfy – and it can best be described as a ‘‘warm’’ hatch rather than a hot one – then a true performance model is not far away.
It’s the i30 N, which is expected to arrive in New Zealand early next year. Now that will really add to the Hyundai i30 range. Can’t wait.