It might seem all too easy to dismiss the new Hyundai i30 as a Kia Ceed in disguise that’s come late to an extremely crowded party – the never-ending small family hatchback rave in this case. But just because it has few crowd-pleasing new tricks to delight the regulars, it would be a mistake to write it off.
The two cars share the same platform and engines – Hyundai owns Kia – but the exterior, interior, ride and handling set-up are different. Yes there are similarities – such as the side window graphic and interior centre stack – but the i30’s quality and detail is a cut above, from its more shapely front and rear lights to the BMW-esque concave-shaped rear hatch. This is a Hyundai that wants to compete with the mainstream beyond value.
Blue-lit driver displays within a simple dashboard of decent black and dark grey plastics and chrome-effect detailing extend this quality feeling to inside, as do little things like the soft-touch rubber linings of the dash-top storage bin. It’s not a Lexus, but it’s far removed from the dull, cheap interior plastics, non-integrated stereos and indicator stalks on the ‘wrong side’ of Hyundais of old (the i30 is the first Hyundai car to conform to the European left-side indication tradition).
A long wheelbase helps make the interior spacious enough for six-foot adults to sit anywhere comfortably and boot space at 340-1250 litres is comparable with rivals like the Auris (354-777) and Focus (364-1177).
