Hyundai i30

Hyundai i30 at a glance

The i30 is a monocoque compact car with a transverse front engine and front-wheel drive. More Hyundai models are listed in our Hyundai catalogue.

Hyundai i30 generations

The first i30 was previewed by the Arnejs concept at the 2006 Paris show and went on sale in Europe and Australia in mid-2007; its estate became the Elantra Touring in North America. The second generation, designed and engineered in Rüsselsheim, added a 2.0 GDI and a 1.6 T-GDi hot hatch with 137 kW (186 PS), and was facelifted at the end of 2014. The third generation added the Fastback, shown at the 2017 Frankfurt show, and the high-performance i30 N, whose 2.0 turbo engine was shared with the Veloster N.

Third generation after the 2020 facelift

Exterior

The facelifted hatchback looks very similar to the estate shown earlier, but on closer inspection both the front and the rear have been revised. The front is dynamic and aggressive, with sporty headlights and a new grille that is narrower at the bottom and wider at the top, framed in chrome, with a mesh texture or an optional chrome finish. Depending on version, the headlights use halogen or LED technology, and all have additional indicator lighting. Dark backgrounds and black surrounds emphasise the headlight design. The revised bumper has a lower grille with black side inserts, round fog lights and LED daytime running lights, and the bonnet's raised edges look like aggressive "eyelashes".

The profile is distinctive, with raised lines above both wheel arches and a crease running from the front to the rear lights. Door handles are body-coloured or optionally chrome, there is chrome around the side windows, and the B-pillars are black. The mirrors are slightly smaller; even base versions have power adjustment, folding and heating, while higher versions add LED indicators. Basic cars have a solid roof with a shark-fin antenna, while premium versions offer a powered sunroof or a panoramic roof with a sliding front section. Wheels range from 15 to 17 inches, and ground clearance is a modest 140 mm according to published figures.

The rear changed considerably. The tailgate opens together with its window, making it easy to load bulky items. Elongated LED tail lights sit on a dark background, a small curved spoiler tops the tailgate, and the handle is hidden in a recess. The elegant rear bumper has a large black plastic insert, chrome exhaust trims and LED fog lights.

Interior

The cabin changed less and now follows Hyundai's corporate style, looking more businesslike, with improved ergonomics. The driver faces a comfortable three-spoke multifunction steering wheel and an optional 7-inch digital instrument display, and the seat offers good side support. Base versions have an 8-inch screen, while higher versions have a 10.25-inch touchscreen with the Bluelink connected services, which looks more like a tablet than a control unit. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and voice control are supported. Below the vents sit the airbag and seat-belt indicators and the climate controls, and a panel linking the dashboard and the tunnel holds Qi wireless charging, a 12-volt socket, a 3.5 mm audio jack and USB ports.

Next to the gear lever are buttons for the heated steering wheel and seats, the parking assistant and stability control, along with two cupholders and an electric parking brake. The large central armrest is a storage box in base versions and a cooled compartment in more expensive ones. Rear passengers have a socket, USB ports and air vents. The front seats suit people up to about 190 cm tall, with manual adjustment in base versions and power adjustment in higher trims, and upholstery ranges from cloth to leather and Alcantara. Three adults fit in the rear, though two are more comfortable. The hatchback's boot holds 378 litres, rising to 1,316 litres with the rear seats folded, according to published figures.

Engines and transmissions (2020 facelift)

The facelift dropped the 1.4 MPi and 1.4 T-GDi petrols and the 70 kW (95 PS) diesel. According to published figures, the 1.0 T-GDi uses about 5.2 l/100 km, reaches 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds and tops out at 188 km/h; the mild-hybrid system keeps the output the same while reducing consumption and emissions. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is optional, and mild-hybrid versions use a six-speed intelligent manual transmission (iMT). Diesel torque is higher with the dual-clutch gearbox. All versions are front-wheel drive.

Chassis

The third-generation i30 uses fully independent suspension, with MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear axle. All four brakes are discs, ventilated at the front. The sporty N Line versions, with the 118 kW (160 PS) petrol or 100 kW (136 PS) diesel, have their own suspension and steering settings for a livelier drive.

Safety and equipment

Safety equipment includes the updated SmartSense package with lane following assist, rear-collision protection, blind-spot monitoring and autonomous emergency braking that detects pedestrians and cyclists, as well as large front airbags, side and curtain airbags, ABS and ESC, hill-start assist, ISOFIX anchors, an immobiliser, automatic battery disconnection in a crash, driver attention monitoring, adaptive headlights with automatic high beam and a leading-vehicle departure alert. Even base versions offer a turbocharged engine, airbags, ABS and ESC, hill descent control, push-button start, driver monitoring, a rear camera with guidelines and 15-inch alloy wheels.

Strengths and weaknesses

Owners praise the i30's attractive styling, roomy cabin, punchy engines, build and material quality, good safety, performance and modern interior. Complaints include high consumption with the automatic, an interior that shows dirt, firm suspension, a lack of storage pockets in the boot, modest ground clearance and paint quality. Its prices compare favourably with the Golf and Corolla. Rivals include the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Opel Astra, Kia ProCeed, Skoda Octavia, Citroën C4, Peugeot 308 and Mazda3.