What is the Hyundai i30 of the second generation after the facelift? Last year, 7,900 were sold, making it the fifth best-selling car in our country. With a station wagon body, diesel engine, manual gearbox and Weekend trim, this car seems to be the ideal car for a family, but is it really?
Exterior:
The front part is dominated by a distinctive hexagonal mask with chrome strips on the lower side of the slats, in the lower part there are daytime running lights combined with fog lamps, and the good news is that they are already in the basic equipment. From the profile, the smooth transition of the windshield with a slight slope to the hood, which also slopes along its entire length, is impressive. Chrome moldings on the windows match the dark paintwork and are part of the Weekend equipment. The front and rear headlights, or rather their sharp protrusions, are connected by a line running along the entire side of the car, then on the fifth door, the line is formed by the edge of the number plate lighting. I am not afraid to describe the design of the 30s after the facelift as successful.
Interior:
At first glance, the interior impresses with the dark color of the ceiling, which makes the car very dark inside, it is also available in beige, which brightens the interior more. The plastics are softened, well aligned and there is no squeaking anywhere. There are plenty of check-out spaces, the air-conditioned box next to the passenger is worth mentioning. The air conditioning is two-zone and has an air ionization function. There are quite a few buttons on the center panel, but they are large enough and after a while of use it is not a problem to control important functions blindly.
The heated leather steering wheel is adjustable in height and width, and like the seats, it has nice blue and white stitching. On the steering wheel you will find radio control, hands-free control, cruise control, on-board computer as well as switching the efficiency of the power steering. The front seats, which are also heated, have significant lateral guidance and even though I'm quite thin, they hold well when cornering. The only pity is the absence of seat tilt adjustment. The seats are padded at the back, which is especially appreciated by parents of smaller children. There is enough space for legs and head on the rear seats, the seat is 1.4 meters wide. The seats are divided in a ratio of 40:60, the seat is folded down first and then the backrests, which creates a flat surface with a length of 185 cm.
The luggage compartment has a volume of 528 and 1642 liters respectively when the rear seats are folded down, the loading edge is at a height of 60 cm, there are divided compartments under the raised floor, under which the spare wheel is also hidden, the mandatory equipment is cleverly hidden in a separate compartment by the fifth door, access it is comfortable even with a "stuffed trunk".
Engine and transmission:
The 1.6 diesel has Common-Rail injection and four valves per cylinder. It is available in two versions with 81 or 100 kW. The tested car had a weaker version of the 1.6, but even that had enough power for normal driving. Thanks to the maximum torque of 280 Nm from 1500 to 2500 rpm and the six-speed gearbox, there was little reason to rev the engine above 3000 rpm. When driving at a speed of 90 km in the 6th gear, the engine turns approximately 1600 revolutions, at 130 km/h about 2300 revolutions. The engine is well insulated. Like most new cars, it is equipped with a start-stop system. It works quickly, but unfortunately it is not possible to deactivate it permanently by the user.
Chassis and ride:
The front axle is McPherson, the rear is multi-element and, unlike the competition, you can get it even in the car with the lowest possible equipment. The car copes well with bumps and cat heads. It only has problems with short transverse bumps. Lateral tilts are good for a family station wagon, and you can drive surprisingly nimbly in corners. Now we come to the feature that I regret the most about an otherwise great family station wagon, and that is the steering – the efficiency of the electric servo can be adjusted to three modes: comfort, normal and sport, but none of them offer feedback.
Safety:
For a family car, safety is the most important thing, Hyundai managed to achieve 90% in the protection of children and adults.
Results in Euro NCAP:
Adults: 90%
Children: 90%
Pedestrians: 67%
Safety systems: 86%
Conclusion:
Pros:
+ security
+ fuel consumption
+ large luggage compartment
+ favorable price
+ rich equipment
+ five-year warranty without mileage restrictions
Cons:
– poorer visibility through the A pillar
– booster without feedback
If you're looking for a family car, you can't go wrong with the i30. It is a big car for reasonable money and with a good level of safety. The CRDI diesel engine is excellent and in combination with the six-speed gearbox can drive both briskly and economically. The 5-year, unlimited mileage warranty is nice.
Basic price: CZK 334,990
Price of the tested model: CZK 503,890 (surcharges for: Weekend equipment: 85,000, engine: 70,000 and paint: 13,900)
