To use the clichéd but nonetheless true analogy, the second-generation i30 is Hyundai‘s ‘difficult second album’.
Expectation has been raised by the first i30 in 2007 that helped the brand as a whole reach the mainstream. Now the changes are more subtle, the jumps smaller. The new i30 is a little wider (+5mm) but the wheels are further out to the edges of the arches, the roof lowered and the windscreen pushed forward and down. All tweaks make the new i30 more planted and athletic [1], and should improve the handling (we’ll see). The design details are bolder and more coherent too, especially around the front end where the grille’s bars and the more elaborate inner lines within the headlamps appear to connect beneath the outer bodywork [2]. It’s an upmarket touch.
Inside, the look and feel has improved again with high-quality and superbly fitted switchgear that bears close scrutiny [3]. Space has been boosted, too, with great rear head and knee room and the seats-up boot area increased from 340 to 378 litres. New engines across the range ratchet down CO2 and improve official mpg, and in the case of our Active 1.6 CRDi 110 Blue Drive manual, equate to a highly tax-competitive 97g/km and 76.3mpg, leaving no VED to pay. However, that diesel engine is a hefty £2395 more than the nearest power and trim petrol version (the 100hp 1.4 Active) so we’ll have to see whether this makes sense for our purposes.
Spec in Active trim is fine – with brake assist, hill control and rear parking sensors included – plus infotainment items such as Bluetooth and MP3 device connectivity.
The only added option is metallic paint at £445 but this pushes the P11D price to over £18,000 – and that seems like a lot of money for a small family hatchback from Hyundai without equipment such as automatic wipers or lights. Hopefully, getting up close and personal with the new i30 over the next six months will reveal all.
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