With a range that now spans the entry-level end of the pricing spectrum, right up to the performance bargain N variant, the Hyundai i30 is a worthy contender to established favourites like the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla. Trent Nikolic takes a look at the facelifted mid-grade Elite Hatch.
- Styling ensures it doesn’t look like an entry-grade model
- Cabin and luggage space are excellent
- Drive experience is excellent on any road
- Engine works hard if you decide to push on
- Fuel use can’t match the segment leaders
- No power outlets in the second row
Introduction
Hyundai has come a long way in Australia – in a relatively short time. And, the i30 is perhaps the purest example of that transition from challenger brand to regular contender. The brand that once might have been, now absolutely is. The i30 range starts from the base model with a before on-road costs price from $23,420, while the range tops out with the hot hatch wonder child N Premium at $49,000 before on-road costs in fully-loaded form.
Here, we’re testing the mid-grade 2021 Hyundai i30 Elite Hatch, which starts from $30,220 before on-road costs. It matches up neatly to segment heavy hitters the Toyota Corolla and Mazda 3, while also going line-ball with Ford Focus, Kia Cerato, Subaru Impreza and to a lesser extent Volkswagen Golf. There’s a lot to dissect in our domestic market if you’re looking for a new small car. Don’t forget that there’s now officially an i30 Sedan as well, in place of the previous Elantra, keeping Hyundai’s small-car range all under the same model name.
While the smarter money (especially in terms of space) might go the way of the sedan in the small-car segment, hatches still deliver on the style side of the argument and maintain favour with most Australian buyers. A facelift at the beginning of 2021 primed the i30 to continue taking the fight up to the best in the segment.
On the subject of styling, words like ‘strong’ and ‘bold’ most resonate with the revised front end, especially that it is seemingly an acquired taste. That’s despite the Drive team almost unilaterally agreeing that it cuts a sharp figure out in the traffic. Let us know what you think.
Up front there’s a new face made up of a new grille specifically, as well as a new DRL design and LED indicators. Attractive 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels also add to the appeal of the side profile. Still, you’re going to know that it’s an i30 when you see one on the street. It hasn’t changed that much.
| Key details | 2021 Hyundai i30 Elite Hatch |
| Price (MSRP) | $30,220 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Intense Blue |
| Options | Premium paint ($495) |
| Price as tested | $30,715 plus on-road costs |
| Rivals | Toyota Corolla | Mazda 3 | Kia Cerato |
Inside
We like the neat, understated execution of the dash design and the choice of materials used throughout the cabin. There’s a revised centre console, which also now features an electric parking brake, and plenty of useful, clever storage throughout. Large bottle holders and buckets in the doors, large bottle holders in the centre console, a storage bin with cover ahead of the shifter, and a decent console bin with padded lid all make for useable daily driver space. There’s also a regular glovebox – no-one puts gloves in them anymore do they? – and a sunglasses holder in the roof.
The leather-appointed (Hyundai describes it as a mix of real and faux leather) seat trim is comfortable, as is the physical sculpting of the seats. Importantly, the trim looks like it’s going to stand the test of family time too. What you do get inside the i30 is a sense of space and light that the segment leader Corolla can’t match. There’s a broad glasshouse, low hip point along the flanks of the hatch, and excellent visibility from every seat.
The second row is as comfortable as the front two seats, even when you have tall occupants up front, another area where the i30 sets a high bar. There’s enough headroom, knee room and shoulder room for adults to stay comfortable back there on long road trips. Small bottles will fit into the back doors, while there’s a drop-down armrest with cupholders as well. Rear passengers get air vents but no power outlets.
The boot offers up 395L of space – a figure that beats the Impreza, Mazda 3 and Corolla – stretching out to 1301L with the second row folded down. A full-size spare – alloy too if you don’t mind – is hidden beneath the floor, which is a must for rural buyers or those of you intending on taking longer road trips.
| 2021 Hyundai i30 Elite Hatch | |
| Seats | Five |
| Boot volume | 395L seats up / 1301L seats folded |
| Length | 4340mm |
| Width | 1795mm |
| Height | 1455mm |
| Wheelbase | 2650mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
The first thing you notice in the cabin is the whopping 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which sits proudly atop the centre of the dash. It’s visible in all light, too, doesn’t suffer from glare, and is easy to either control or glance at on the fly. There’s proprietary satellite navigation (with live traffic updates) that works quickly and accurately, as well as Bluetooth and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The driver gets a 7.0-inch main instrument display (as well as analogue fuel, temp and tacho gauges) and keyless go, while there’s also wireless smartphone charging and an upgraded seven-speaker Infinity audio system. DAB+ is also part of the system, and crucially the infotainment system, as per Hyundai’s recent offerings, is easy to understand and use.
Most of you will opt for the smartphone mirroring, but whichever system you prefer, the Hyundai i30 is an easy vehicle to get familiar with. While we do chop and change more than any average person will, it’s refreshing to use a system that is simple and responsive. The steering wheel controls are uncluttered and neatly arranged too. The highlight is the large central screen, though, which interfaces without glitches.
Safety and Technology
The Hyundai i30 gets a full five-star ANCAP safety rating as per its test in 2017, and is extensively loaded with as much safety equipment as we expect from this segment. Seven airbags are standard, as well as a rear-view camera, tyre pressure monitoring and parking sensors. SmartSense is also standard across the i30 range now regardless of model grade.
With that you get autonomous emergency braking (the system is radar-based and works right up to motorway speed with both pedestrian and cyclist detection), lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warning.
Also standard for the Elite model grade is blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a clever safe-exit warning that notifies you not to open the door if something is approaching. Family buyers will note the two ISOFIX mounting points, as well as three top tethers.
| 2021 Hyundai i30 Elite Hatch | |
| ANCAP rating | Five-star (tested 2017) |
| Safety report | Link to ANCAP |
Value for Money
Beyond the sharp asking price, the i30 remains a solid ownership proposition as you get into the actual experience of running one day-to-day. There’s a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, still two years behind the standard-setting Kia, and a capped-price servicing scheme.
Over that same five-year period, services are capped and required every 12 months or 15,000km. You can pre-pay for servicing that covers three years, four years or five years, and those plans cost $783, $1143 and $1404 respectively.
Fuel use can’t match the miserly class-leading Corolla Hybrid, of course, and against the ADR combined claim of 7.4L/100km, we used an indicated 8.9L/100km. Hyundai claims a specific urban figure of 10.1L/100km, and our split of more urban than highway on test shows that the engine is actually quite efficient in the real world.
| At a glance | 2021 Hyundai i30 Elite Hatch |
| Warranty | Five years / unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months / 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $783 (3 years) | $1404 (5 years) |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.4L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 8.9L/100km |
| Fuel type | 91-octane petrol (E10 compatible) |
| Fuel tank size | 50L |
Driving
Punchier alternatives exist to the 2.0-litre, naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine powering the Hyundai i30 Elite – even within the i30 stable in the form of the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder available in N Line models. However, despite more power being well, more, the 2.0-litre engine gets the job done around town with a minimum of fuss. Producing 120kW and 203Nm, it doesn’t feel exasperated or short of breath unless you really lean on it heavily.
The i30 Elite is front-wheel drive and the six-speed torque converter automatic is an excellent gearbox that is well suited to the power and torque generation of the engine. Where I think the i30 Elite excels is in the way it delivers exactly what the target buyer will want. That is, effortless and refined around-town running. If you judge a car by whether it does what it claims on the box, the i30 Elite’s fit-for-purpose rating is impressive.
You do need to call on the engine to get to work if you want to really punch into a gap or leave the lights with some urgency, but it doesn’t behave in such a way that it seemingly resents you for taxing it in that manner. Even then, the engine note and gearshifts remain smooth and unobtrusive. Sure, there are driving modes available, and you can manually shift the lever (no paddle shifters, though), but we didn’t feel the excellent auto needed any coaxing.
There is some noise that enters the cabin, which is more evident when you roll onto a section of coarse-chip bitumen. Specifically tyre and wind noise at highway speed, and while it’s not headache-inducing by any means, it does detract from what is an otherwise serene package. We liked the steering that, if you’re testing an i30 back-to-back with some competition, feels a little meatier and firm, but it rewards in terms of feedback and assurance.
The quality of the ride – especially the bump absorption – is an interesting argument to have. I love it, in that it’s a little firmer than you expect, but still capable of ironing out even nastier hits on poor surfaces. However, some of you, and some buyers specifically, might have expected a more cosseting ride package. However, the counter to that is the sporting way that the Elite tackles a twisty road – certainly more composed and capable than you might expect too.
If you had to sum up the driving abilities of the i30 Elite in a word, you’d probably go with inoffensive. And that’s not a cheap shot at its abilities either. It really is a quality way to get around, composed, effortless and capable. There are hatches in this segment that score higher in certain areas than the Hyundai i30, but it’s hard to argue with its all-round ability and finesse when you’re behind the wheel.
| Key details | 2021 Hyundai i30 Elite Hatch |
| Engine | 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol |
| Power | 120kW @ 6200rpm |
| Torque | 203Nm @ 4700rpm |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Six-speed torque convertor automatic |
| Power to weight ratio | 86.8kW/t |
| Weight | 1382kg (kerb) |
| Tow rating | 1300kg braked, 600kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 10.6m |
Conclusion
In theory, a facelift should make a good thing even better. Certainly in the automotive world, not so much on humans where a facelift often leaves the recipient looking like they’ve taken a hit from a stun gun. In the case of the Hyundai i30 Hatch, a facelift has freshened up and sharpened up an already attractive package without detracting from the original appeal.
The i30 remains a good thing to drive, with a solid balance of comfort and ability. It’s spacious, comfortable and practical. While it makes a lot of sense as the city runaround for a one-car family, it’s just as useful as a second car. While there’s a lot to like about the sharpest-priced i30 from a pure value perspective, or the range-topping N for its performance prowess, the mid-grade Elite is a smart way to spend your money.
The Toyota Corolla remains the best in segment overall, but can’t match the i30 for interior space. If you’re looking for a small hatch, the i30 deserves to be on the shopping list.
The post 2021 Hyundai i30 Elite Hatch review appeared first on Drive.
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