MOTORS REVIEW: Hyundai i30

Trying to navigate the vast range and options lists published by Mercedes-Benz and BMW is like attempting to navigate the menu of a takeaway on Rawmarsh Hill… How do they cook all those dishes at a moment’s notice?

Hyundai’s push to fill niches delivered the recently-tested Ioniq and its status as the first car to offer hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV versions of the same model.

Now the i30, once a humble hatchback, has diversified.

Following on from the i30N hot hatch that we tested earlier in the year, I got behind the wheel of the i30 Fastback, which now lines up alongside a Tourer to deliver a raft of options for potential buyers.

The Fastback straddles the space between a hatchback and saloon, but is more closely aligned to the former, its large boot space of 450-litres — sitting between the hatchback’s 395-litres and estate’s 600-litres — contributes to a more sporty, rakish and some may say inherently premium appearance.

At £24,400 (roughly £1,000 more than the hatchback equivalent) it’s fair to say that I considered the Fastback good value for money in the Premium trim level tested here.

As ever, Hyundai does a better job of giving a nod to premium rivals in terms of its on-paper specification than the overall feel of its interior.

There are some neat design details and plenty of storage, but the materials employed by Hyundai belie that affordable price tag.

A plain disc of piano black plastic on top of the seven-speed dualclutch gearbox’s gear selector looks like an afterthought.

That said, the functionality and positive feel of all the key controls make the Fastback’s cabin a pleasingly intuitive and straightforward habitat.

An eight-inch touchscreen satnav infotainment system is managed through menus that are straightforward and easy to use on the move and the controls for the dual-zone climate control are in the form of wide toggle-like switches which are easy to hit on-the-move.

Standard kit on what is the Fastback’s mid-range offering is plentiful.

Keyless entry and starting, a reversing camera, cruise control and part faux leather seats which are heated in the front are all present.

Under the bonnet is a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine delivering 138bhp and 179lb.ft. of torque.

That’s enough power to get the Fastback to 62mph in 9.5 seconds and on to a 126mph top speed.

Hyundai claims average fuel economy of 50.4mpg and 129g/km CO2 emissions.

Honestly, I was a little underwhelmed by the engine and gearbox combination.

At low speeds Hyundai’s DCT ’box felt indecisive at times and the engine a little breathy.

Things improved when the pace rose, however, and the engine felt stronger with a few revs dialled-in.

One area where Hyundai has made strides in recent times — as noted in our glowing report on the new i30 N hot hatch, is in the handling department.

In the Fastback more attention has been paid to the quality of the ride, but there’s a pleasing balance between comfortable cruiser and fairly accurate B-road manners.

Those expecting that Fastback status to usher in some of the refinement of a saloon will be somewhat disappointed, though.

It might not have the silhouette of a hatchback, but the boot is still an integral part of the cabin and all-inall the road and wind noise present is far from best in class, falling short of a Renault Megane or Peugeot 3008.

For those wanting to break away from the crowd and turn the odd head, the i30 Fastback might be a good option.

For the bonus of added space and the same basic strengths, though, I’d be opting for the estate…

There’s so much choice at Hyundai now that a visit to the showroom could prompt a serious fit of head scratching.