Take this Hyundai on tour
appeal to the family on a tight budget. All this is backed up by a generous five year warranty with unlimited mileage.
I borrowed the Premium version, which comes with loads of goodies such as leather seat facings, heated front seats, dual climate control, rear privacy glass and panoramic glass sliding sunroof.
All this comes with a price tag of £27,415 but if you are happy with a few less trimmings, the basic version costs little more than £20k and still includes in its spec halogen headlights, Bluetooth connectivity and air con.
Power is a 1,685cc, four-cylinder turbodiesel that pushes out a respectable 134bhp, allowing reasonable economy of an official 47.1mpg which corresponds with 159g/km.
Acceleration is a tad less lusty than you might expect, with 62mph coming up in just under 12 seconds, a top speed of 118mph and a six-speed manual gearbox fitted as standard.
While there’s little attempt to make the i40 drive like a sports car, its handling is neat and tidy with remarkably little roll during cornering. The steering is light and quite high-geared even if it lacks the degree of ‘driver-feel’ of the Mondeo.
Noise levels are relatively low, but you are aware that there’s a diesel unit under the bonnet. Most drivers will achieve around the 40mpg-mark. My own average of 42mpg reflected some fast motorway running and plenty of town driving. The gear change is light and slick, with well-spaced ratios.
Whether it’s called an estate car or a Tourer, it must be capable of swallowing up piles of luggage, and the i40 does just that. With rear seats in place there’s still room for 553 litres of cargo and fold them down and this expands to a massive 1,719 litres. There’s even a space for valuables beneath the boot flooring.
The cabin is pleasantly designed thanks to the use of high quality plastics and contemporary style.
Despite the sloping roofline, headroom in the back remains ample for a six-footer. Considering the design is now four years old, it remains fresh and contemporary. On the safety front, all i40s come with hill-start assist, antilock brakes, seven airbags and electronic stability programme.
Packed with equipment, economical to run and supported by an excellent warranty, the good-looking Tourer has a lot to offer both private and business users.