Specifications:
Model:
Hyundai i30 1.6 CRDi.
Price:
UK price from £13 855 (about R219 000).
Engine:
1582cc, four cylinders, 16 valves, turbodiesel, 86kW at 4000rpm, 255Nm at 1900-2750rpm.
Transmission:
Five-speed gearbox, front-wheel drive.
Performance:
187km/h, 0-100km/h in 11.9sec, 4.9 litres/100km official average.
Those who have driven it agree: the Hyundai i30 is an excellent car - even if it is too expensive for the SA market, according to Hyundai SA, which has decided not to release the i30 range in South Africa until (or unless) exchange rates improve.
You could disapprove of the "i" prefix, regarding it as another example of basking in the reflected glory of Apple's snazzy, super-functional products, but the i30 deserves to bask.
It is a well-designed, high-quality car with a convincing sparkle of what German carmakers would probably call premium-ness - just like the smaller i10
Yes, these are Hyundais we're talking about. And, yes, the world has changed. These are cars going the way of Samsung and LG, aspirational brands that happen to be Korean rather than Korean brands bearing second-rate baggage. That notion is out of date.
So, here's a new version of the Ford Focus-rivalling i30. It's a station wagon but see it from the front three-quarter view and you might not spot the difference.
The hatch, launched in Europe almost exactly a year ago, has an extra rear side window behind the back door, its rear edge in a fashionable reverse slope, and the i30 Estate has the same feature in a similar shape.
But it's longer, and so is the back door ahead of it, because the station wagon, like Peugeot's 308 SW, has a 20mm longer wheelbase than the hatch. That creates extra rear legroom and makes the load bay bigger when the seats are folded down.
The Estate is quite different from the hatch when seen from the rear. It still has tall tail-lights but here they're even taller and more upright.
They flank a tailgate that's also more upright, which opens to reveal a lower loading sill - it's at floor-level, in proper station-wagon fashion, displacing the number plate from bumper to tail door.
What you don't get in the i30 Estate are sliding or removable rear seats, the option of extra seats in the load bay, or an opening rear window, all of which the Peugeot has.
The best the i30 can manage is a 12V power plug in the boot, a built-in cargo screen to keep highly-stacked loads where they should be, and roof rails.
I can see virtues in the simplicity, not least in the prices. This car's bigger virtues, though, are revealed in how it feels to drive. My test car had a 1.6 CRD turbodiesel engine that produces 86kW and 255Nm.
Marvellous little diesel engine
This is a marvellous little diesel engine, one of the best of its size for its combination of power and fuel efficiency. It's smooth, with the usual deep, metallic diesel note but no clattering or grumbling.
And it responds crisply to command, like a good petrol engine, while delivering the deep surge of effortless overtaking energy that is one of a good diesel's most appealing attributes.
It somehow shrugs off the i30's weight, making this station wagon feel lean, keen and eager. It has accurate, natural-feeling steering, a fluid way of stringing bends together, and light-footed handling of lumps and bumps.
Wow. Can this car do no wrong? I suppose I'm a little blown away by the way the i30 gets the important things right and doesn't get sidetracked by superficial attractions.
Soft-touch surfaces
Not that it's barren inside. There's a solid, slightly sumptuous quality to the interior, helped by the leather-faced Premium (that word again) trim of our test car, in which state it's still cheaper than the cheapest 308 SW or Ford Focus station wagon with comparable 1.6-litre diesel engines.
Plenty of surfaces are soft-touch, chrome accents add visual value, displays are lit in soft blue. This top model also has automatic aircon and 17" rims that manage not to spoil the ride comfort, despite their low-profile tyres.
Other trim levels are Comfort and Style; each has an electronic stability system and a built-in iPod/MP3 interface. There's also a 1.6-litre petrol engine though it seems pointless next to this diesel.
So that's the Hyundai i30 Estate. Seldom does a modern car have such clarity of personality and feel so innately right. If a compact MPV seems like overkill but you want to lug the odd load as well as the family then, given the Hyundai's remarkable value - including a five-year or 150 000km warranty - this is the obvious way to do it. - The Independent, London
THE RIVALS
Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi station wagon:
UK price £17 150 (about R271 000).
Recently given a facelift and probably the best car to drive in this class, although the i30 runs it very close. However, it's expensive for what it offers.
Kia C'eed 1.6 CRDi LS SW:
UK price £15 000 (about R237 000)
A close relative of the Hyundai, with similar driving qualities. More plasticky interior and brasher instrument graphics show why it's cheaper.
Peugeot 308 1.6 HDi SW:
UK price £16 595 (about R262 000)
Tilts at the MPV market with its removable seats and seven-seat option, shares its 82kW engine with Ford. Contrived styling, pleasing cabin.