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Hyundai i30 hatchback (2011-2016)

"The Hyundai i30 was the 2012 Carbuyer Car of the Year, and remains a fine family car choice, with lots of kit and a great warranty at a top-value price."

Carbuyer Rating

3.8 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.9 out of 5

Read owner reviews

Pros

  • Great aftersales package
  • Good value for money
  • Generous equipment

Cons

  • Auto costly to run
  • Fussy interior design
  • Loses lots of value used

The Hyundai i30 won our Carbuyer Car of the Year award in 2012 and while that was a few years ago, a number of improvements have kept it competitive against its rivals.

But, if you don’t mind hanging on, there’s an all-new Hyundai i30 due in early 2017, which has already been revealed to the public at the Paris Motor Show and boasts improved build quality, technology and handling.

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Sticking with the current model, practicality has always been an i30 highlight and its 378-litre boot has a larger capacity than the boots of the Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra, although it’s not class-leading. Space inside is good, too, with adults able to travel in comfort in the front and rear seats and plenty of places available to put drinks, phones and wallets.

A wide range of petrol and diesel engines is offered, from 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrols with 99 or 118bhp, to 1.6-litre CRDi diesels with 109 or 134bhp. The less powerful diesel is particularly economical, returning up to 78.4mpg and emitting just 94g/km of CO2, making it exempt from road tax if registered before April 2017.

The i30 is starting to show its age in terms of ride comfort, sometimes feeling a little skittish over rough surfaces and leaning into sharp corners. It’s not quite up there with class leaders like the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Mazda 3 for driving enjoyment, but it feels safe and refined.

Trim levels are quite straightforward, with S, SE, SE Nav and Premium all offering air-conditioning, Bluetooth, a USB port and steering-wheel-mounted controls as standard. We’d avoid the basic S model, though, as it doesn’t even get alloy wheels or rear electric windows. SE adds the above, along with six speakers (instead of four), cruise control, a leather steering wheel and gearknob, rear parking sensors and variable steering weight.

Premium offers quite a big step up in feel, with leather seat facings, keyless entry and even features like a heated steering wheel. The fit and finish is good, representing a real improvement for Hyundai when it launched, even if it’s feeling a bit older now. There’s added reassurance thanks to Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty and the fact that the i30 scored the full five stars when crash-tested by Euro NCAP.

While there’s not long to wait for the all-new i30, the current version still represents a sensible buy, thanks to its reliability, economy and good value.

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Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

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