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FOR BLUE, READ GREEN
Hyundai is going green with its i30 i-Blue. Steve Walker takes a look.

Hyundai’s i30 i-Blue is a green special that isn’t really very special at all. The manufacturer simply fits longer gear ratios to the standard i30 CRDi. The good news it that the i-Blue is priced at the same level as the standard car but can deliver real cost savings through its lower emissions and improved fuel economy.

Hyundai is following the rest of the automotive industry in its headlong rush toward a greener future. At least, that’s the message behind it’s i-Blue initiative which was dreamt up to form a promotional blanket around the cleanest, most fuel efficient vehicles in the manufacturer’s range. i-Blue means green and for buyers that means cash savings as well as the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from doing the right thing for the planet. But just how green is i-Blue? A look at the i30 i-Blue model should reveal all. First, a problem. Hyundai proudly announce that the 1.6-litre CRDi engine that’s offered in its i30 is so advanced that there’s no need to resort to the low rolling resistance tyres, stop start systems and aerodynamic modifications that rival manufacturers have utilised in order to dip their vehicles under the 120g/km emissions barrier. As a result, the i30 i-Blue does look affordable next to other efficiency-branded vehicles from rival manufacturers that employ such technology - but this also raises questions about the purpose of i-Blue. If this is an environmentally-driven programme to lower vehicle emissions and conserve fuel for the greater good, you’d have thought some relatively inexpensive aerodynamic modifications, low rolling resistance tyres and weight saving measures would have further improved the i30’s green credentials. But then that would have meant the kind of price increase that Hyundai is anxious to avoid. Just as well the basic i-30 is so clean then. The 1.6-litre CRDi engine in the i-Blue is a common-rail injection unit with 114bhp. There’s torque of 255Nm between 1,900rpm and 2,500rpm which gives the i30 a hefty pull through the mid range. Spark up the engine and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at its lack of diesel clatter at idle and on the move it stays relatively refined. The powerplant is available in the standard i30 in exactly the same guise but in the i-Blue model, it’s mated to a longer ratio gearbox. This allows the engine to work less hard to attain a given speed, improving economy and emissions as a consequence.

"Can the i-Blue save motorists money by helping them duck some tax and spend a little less at the filling station? Yes it can…"

The i30’s manual five-speed gearchange is a little clunky to use and there’s a fair amount of wind and tyre noise at motorway speeds but other than that, it generates a very favourable report card. The steering is very good, body control through corners is exemplary and the pedals are nicely weighted. Hyundai’s engineers appear to have surpassed themselves. The i30 has been designed specifically for the European market and benchmarked against class leaders like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Like those two cars but unlike many of the other established names in the sector, the i30 has fully-independent suspension all round or at least a version of it. In fact, the rear suspension is a kind of independently suspended torsion beam, a kind of halfway house solution between proper independently sprung models and those that settle for an old fashioned torsion beam. If there’s one area where the i30 comes up conspicuously short of the top family hatchbacks, it’s styling. The car is neat and inoffensive on the eye but there’s little to excite about its shape or detailing. A certain measured blandness never hindered the MK2 Ford Focus or the most recent Toyota Corolla however, and inside the i30 fares better. It’s still hardly what you would call avant garde design-wise but the quality of the materials and the construction is convincing. Nice touches include blue illumination for the dials that also extends to steering wheel controls and ignition key slot so you won’t be fumbling around at night. Dim the illumination and the wheel-mounted controls dim too, which is very slick. Space is plentiful for the rear seat occupants and the huge boot suggested by the car’s bulging rear end is only a mild disappointment. It’s a good size for the class rather than enormous, with 340 litres available. Fold the rear bench and this rises to 1,250 litres. At £13,155, Hyundai is pricing this i30 at identical levels to its entry level Comfort model with the same 1.6 CRDi engine. This gives the car a significant advantage over other efficiency-brand family hatchbacks which can cost around £1,000 more than the equivalent conventional car. Such a price differential takes quite a while to recoup in fuel and taxation savings but with the i-Blue, buyers will be in the black straight away. Every Hyundai i30 comes well-appointed with air conditioning, alloy wheels and integrated steering wheel audio controls as standard. You’ll also find a single CD stereo with six speakers and MP3 compatibility as well as USB/iPod and auxiliary connections in the centre console. By the standards of the wider family hatchback class, it’s a decent haul and proof that there’s still life in the old policy of offering lots of equipment for the money that Hyundai relied upon before its products were quite so competitive. So to the nitty-gritty of the i30 i-Blue - economy and emissions. To start, let’s just confirm that the standard i30 1.6 CRDi can return a very creditable 60.1mpg with CO2 emissions of 125g/km. With its longer gear ratios, the i-Blue manages to deliver 119g/km which puts it under the all important cut-off point for a number of emissions-based taxation schemes. This drop has been achieved with the sole addition of a new gearbox which does beg the question, how low could Hyundai go with a full set of efficiency modifications? Depreciation has been a dirty word at Hyundai in the past put the improvements in quality and desirability the i30 makes should go a little way towards addressing this. There’s also talk of the latest efficiency branded models such as the i-Blue holding their value a little better as used car buyers try to cut their outgoings. Hyundai came from a solid starting point with its i30 i-Blue, its 1.6-litre CRDi engine was already one of the cleanest around and the simple addition of a longer ratio gearbox has cut the i-Blue’s emissions to a level that will yield significant taxation advantages for buyers. There’s little doubt that Hyundai could have done more to further lower the car’s emissions but by keeping things simple, the marque has kept the i-Blue’s asking price at a modest level, making it one of the most cost-effective green-specials around. Is the Hyundai i-Blue the green crusader that the marketing department might have us believe it is? No. It’s a diesel i30 with longer gear ratios. Can the i-Blue save motorists money in these cash-strapped times by helping them duck some tax and spend a little less at the filling station? Yes it can. The jury may be out on the ethics but you can’t really argue with the i30 i-Blue’s value proposition and who can really blame a car maker for trying to sell cars?

Facts At A Glance CAR: Hyundai i30 i-Blue PRICES: £13,155 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 5 CO2 EMISSIONS: 119g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.6s / Max Speed 117mph [est] FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 49.6mpg / (extra urban) 68.9mpg / (combined) 60.1mpg [est] STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags / ABS with EBD, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4245/1775/1480mm

HY KOREA GOALS
Hyundai hopes its i30 can push up and out of the budget hatchback sector to challenge the mainstream brands. It might just manage it. Steve Walker reports

The launch period for a new car must be a nerve-wracking time for the manufacturer. After years of painstaking development and testing conducted within the cosy confines of the organisation, all that remains is to load up the transporters, throw open the showroom doors and see what happens. When there’s millions, if not billions, in development budget riding on a product, the prospect of it standing or falling on the poison pens of a contrary press corps or the fickle whims of the motoring public must really concentrate the mind. Except, not in the case of Hyundai’s i30.

The i30 is Hyundai’s version of the Cee’d which is sold by its subsidiary company Kia and was given a head start of six months or so on the UK market. The Cee’d received a glowing response from all quarters, setting standards in quality and sophistication never before approached by a Korean marque in the European marketplace. There was the slight caveat inserted by some that the Cee’d was good ‘for a south east Asian product’ but I’d say it was good full stop. And so is the i30. The existence of its Cee’d forerunner removed some of the uncertainty from the i30’s entry into the marketplace but now it’s here the car must do battle with the established big guns of the family hatch sector for the affections of UK car buyers and just being good may not be good enough. A full complement of engines is offered with the i30 and that includes a pair of CRTD common-rail diesels with variable geometry turbocharging for improved refinement. The entry-point into i30 ownership is the 1.4-litre petrol with a not inconsequential 107bhp and then you have the 120bhp 1.6. The diesels are 1.6 and 2.0 in capacity with outputs of 113 and 138bhp respectively. Go for the smaller diesel and there’s the option of an i-Blue version, which, thanks to longer gear ratios, can dip under the all-important 120g/km CO2 emissions barrier. The engine range itself is a wide one then, even if none of the units on offer are particularly heart stopping in their performance. The big diesel’s 304Nm maximum torque helps it to a 0-60mph time of 10.3s and it will roll on to a 127mph top speed. All models get 5-speed manual transmission except the 2.0-litre which has a 6-speed box and a four-speed automatic is available with the 1.6-litre petrol.

"The i30 has been designed specifically for the European market and benchmarked against class leaders…"

As well as ABS braking with brakeforce distribution, all i30 models feature ESP stability control which is a laudable inclusion and emblematic of Hyundai’s intention for the car to compete in the upper reaches of the family hatchback segment. Further safety provision comes in the form of twin front and side airbags plus full length curtain airbags. The i30 has been designed specifically for the European market and benchmarked against class leaders like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Like those two cars but unlike many of the other established names in the sector, the i30 has fully-independent suspension all round or at least a version of it. In fact, the rear suspension is a kind of independently suspended torsion beam, a kind of halfway house solution between proper independently sprung models and those that settle for an old fashioned torsion beam. Independent springs give a suppler ride and more composed handling but the torsion beam is a more compact arrangement so it helps with packaging issues and interior space. The i30’s set-up is a compromise between the two. Hyundai has ascended the ranks of the UK car market with a succession of models based on the familiar ‘high specification, low price’ mantra. The i30’s intended move into the family hatch mainstream has seen things change somewhat. Affordability will still form a big part of the i30’s appeal but with values starting at £11,155 for the five-door hatch and rising to £16,755, it’s not cheap in the way its Accent predecessor was. Three trim levels are available - Comfort, Style and Premium - and these are fairly self explanatory in that Comfort keeps it simple, Style adds a vaguely sporty element and Premium shovels on more luxurious features. Buyers can also select the estate version with its larger carrying capacity. Road burning performance isn’t the strong suit of the i30’s engine range but these units are well capable of administering a mild kicking if challenged on grounds of economy. Official figures reveal a 46.5mpg showing for the 1.4-litre with the 1.6 a mile per gallon thirstier. The 1.6-litre diesel returns an impressive 60.1mpg and the 2.0-litre, a less eye-catching 51.4mpg. On emissions, the smaller oil-burner is once again the best of the bunch with 125g/km of CO2 produced and that could set the seal on this model as the pick of the engine range. Depreciation has been a dirty word at Hyundai in the past put the improvements in quality and desirability the i30 makes should go a little way towards addressing this. If this was a budget hatchback in the mould of Hyundai’s previous offerings in this sector, it would probably be marked down as a good-looking vehicle but Hyundai have pitched the i30 into the mainstream and it should be judged by those standards. It is, therefore, a tad dull to look at but it’s genuinely difficult to strongly criticise the car on any other criteria. The i30 was designed specifically to raise the profile of Hyundai in the big European markets and it’s a significant step in the right direction. Hyundai may lack the brand profile to compete with more established names head on but with a few more products of the i30’s calibre, its upward progression could be swift.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Hyundai i30 range PRICES: £11,155-£16,755 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-8 CO2 EMISSIONS: 119-191g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.6 petrol] 0-60mph 11.1s / Max Speed 119mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.6 petrol] (combined) 45.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags / ABS with EBD, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4245/1775/1480mm

AYES TO THE RIGHT
Once in every few years a Korean car arrives that further closes the gap between South East Asia and the best of Europe. The Hyundai i30 is the latest such car and it’s at its best in CRDi diesel form. Andy Enright reports

"It offers a lot of metal for the money." There in one simple, slightly hackneyed phrase, is the historical justification for buying a Korean car. Put rather more cynically, quantity over quality. Well forget about all of that. The Hyundai i30 just changed the ground rules. It’s still competitively priced but its manufacturer has realised that there’s only so far a stack ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap mentality will get you. Building brand equity is a tough job and probably the best way to do so is by building consistently excellent products.

The i30 is but one step in a very long path towards what Hyundai hopes will be a place at the very top table of car makers. When it was first revealed at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, most thought of this car as a rebadged and soon to be overpriced version of the Kia cee’d and missed its true significance. Spark up the Hyundai i30 CRDi diesel and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at its lack of diesel clatter at idle. There are two versions of the 1.6 engine, the mainstream one generating 114bhp from its 1.6-litres and a green special with 90bhp that’s designed to sidestep congestion charging. Then you have a 128bhp 2.0-litre diesel to top off the range. The higher power 1.6-litre diesel I tried is a very well-mannered unit with no nasty lag and lunge effects, instead delivering a linear stream of power. The manual five-speed gearchange is a little clunky and there’s a fair amount of wind and tyre noise at motorway speeds but other than that, it generates a very favourable report card. The steering is very good, body control through corners is exemplary and the pedals are nicely weighted.

"The i30 is a landmark car for Hyundai"

Two bodystyles are available – five-door hatch and Estate, the station wagon doing without the top 2.0-litre CRDi diesel engine. As well as ABS braking with brakeforce distribution, all i30 models feature ESP stability control which is a laudable inclusion and emblematic of Hyundai’s intention for the car to compete in the upper reaches of the family hatchback segment. Further safety provision comes in the form of twin front and side airbags plus full length curtain airbags. If there’s one area where the i30 comes up conspicuously short of the top family hatchbacks, it’s styling. The car is neat and inoffensive on the eye but there’s little to excite about its shape or detailing. A certain measured blandness never hindered the MK2 Ford Focus or the most recent Toyota Corolla however, and inside the i30 fares better. It’s still hardly what you would call avant garde design-wise but the quality of the materials and the construction is convincing. Nice touches include blue illumination for the dials that also extends to steering wheel controls and ignition key slot so you won’t be fumbling around at night. Dim the illumination and the wheel-mounted controls dim too, which is very slick. Space is plentiful for the rear seat occupants and the huge boot suggested by the car’s bulging rear end is only a mild disappointment. It’s a good size for the class rather than enormous, with 340 litres available. Fold the rear bench and this rises to 1,250 litres. The i30 has been designed specifically for the European market and benchmarked against class leaders like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Like those two cars but unlike many of the other established names in the sector, the i30 has fully-independent suspension all round or at least a version of it. In fact, the rear suspension is a kind of independently suspended torsion beam, a kind of halfway house solution between proper independently sprung models and those that settle for an old fashioned torsion beam. The diesel engined range comprises most of the i30 line-up with trim levels starting with Comfort and rising through Style to Premium. Both Comfort and Premium models can also be had with an automatic gearbox which adds £1,000 onto prices while Estate variants cost £700 extra. Go for the full-power 1.6-litre CRDi engine and hatchback prices kick off at £12,995 with the range topping out at £16,595 for the 2.0-litre CRDi Premium. Even the entry-level Comfort trim isn’t too badly appointed with air conditioning, alloy wheels and integrated steering wheel audio controls as standard. You’ll also find a single CD stereo with six speakers and MP3 compatibility as well as USB/iPod and auxiliary connections in the centre console. Spend a little more on the Style variant, and you can expect to see a sportier focus with the addition of safety features that includes Hyundai’s Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The top end Premium model adds reversing sensors and climate controlled air conditioning. The Hyundai i30 diesel is a winner when it comes to cost of ownership, the 114bhp 1.6-litre unit managing 60.1 mpg on the combined cycle with the 2.0-litre faring only slightly worse at 51.4mpg. Carbon dioxide emissions for these two engines are rated at 125 and 191g/km respectively but Hyundai has rather cannily introduced a 90bhp version of the 1.6-litre diesel that emits 119g/km. This dips below the all important 120g/km barrier and has the potential to save owners considerable amounts in taxation and congestion charges. The burgeoning reputation for quality that Hyundai is developing, and which the i30 is an integral aspect of, will doubtless boost residual values far in excess of that which the old Accent ever enjoyed but that process will take time and early adopters will need to bear that in mind. The i30 is a landmark car for Hyundai in the same way the old Coupe and the second generation Santa Fe have proved. Each has progressed common perceptions of the Korean company and with every incremental ratcheting up of its brand equity, Hyundai gets closer to its goal. Drive an i30 back to back with the European rivals – cars like the Renault Megane, Ford Focus, Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra - and you’d have to say that on talent alone it’s near the head of that pack, especially in CRDi diesel form. It’s left behind the sort of budget fare we’ve come to expect from Chevrolet and Chrysler and move into a new realm of sophistication. It doesn’t receive a wholly favourable scorecard though. The manual gearchanges are clunky, refinement at speed isn’t as good as the best Europeans and there remain some residual concerns, despite obfuscating the respective trim and engine choices, about whether the i30 is better value than its Kia cee’d sister car. These sticking points aside, it’s a formidable achievement and one that looks set to sell extremely well.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Hyundai i30 CRDi range PRICES: £12,995-£16,595 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 5-6 CO2 EMISSIONS: 125-145g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0 CRDi] 0-60mph 10s / Max Speed 127mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 CRDi] (urban) 39.8mpg / (extra urban) 62.8mpg / (combined) 51.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags / ABS with EBD, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [5dr hatch] Length/Width/Height 4245/1775/1480mm

SEOUL HEIR TO THE ESTATE?
Hyundai’s i30 hatch has already stamped its mark on the family hatch sector. Now it’s the estate’s turn to worry rival manufacturers. Andy Enright reports

If you need a practical and well built car that’s manageably sized and won’t break the bank, Hyundai have something that is well worth a look. The i30 estate may not be the most charismatic choice in the sector but it might just be the most sensible. It scores strongly for solid build quality and no-nonsense utility.

Hyundai knew what sort of reception its i30 hatchback was going to get at its introduction in mid ’07 because pretty much the same car had been launched a couple of months previously, badged as the cee’d by sister company Kia. By the time Hyundai came to announce the i30 Estate version in early ’08 (with the cee’d SW launched in late ’07), it was clear that history was going to repeat itself again. That lack of any kind of element of surprise was about the only consolation the rest of the car industry could take from viewing the i30 in any of its forms. It was soon clear that the i30 was - and still is - a formidable product, sold at an aggressive price and offered with a wider engine range than its cee’d cousin. In short, the finest family hatch yet to come out of Korea. As for the Estate, well it’s clear that there have been no half measures taken in its development. Rather curiously, the 1.6-litre 16v direct injection common-rail diesel engine is the flagship powerplant, the estate range doing without the 2.0-litre CRDi 130bhp engine you can specify in the hatch version. Still, packing 115bhp, this 1.6 is a decent unit, getting to 60mph in 11.5 seconds and then on to a top speed of 116mph. Alternatively, there’s a 122bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine that will probably net the biggest sales figures. This requires a bit of right boot to access all of its available performance though, with peak power arriving at a rather raucous 6,200rpm and peak torque of 154Nm not making itself felt until the tacho needle hits 4,200rpm. This means that the engine doesn’t feel notably punchy off the line in the same way as the excellent diesel does but if you’re prepared to keep it on the boil, it can cross country at a respectable clip. As well as ABS braking with brakeforce distribution, all i30 models feature ESP stability control which is a laudable inclusion and emblematic of Hyundai’s intention for the car to compete in the upper reaches of its segment. Further safety provision comes in the form of twin front and side airbags plus full length curtain airbags.

"Hyundai’s ambition with the i30 Estate is such that it requires a change in mindset to assess the vehicle…."

With most small estate cars, the designer has been given the unenviable brief of working with the existing ‘hard points’ of the hatchback model, merely grafting a conservatory onto the back and hoping that it looks halfway cohesive. That’s not the case with the Hyundai i30 Estate. For a start, the platform the Estate sits on is different to that of the hatchback, with a massive 235mm worked into the wheelbase, giving greater legroom in the rear and freeing up plenty of luggage space, giving 534 litres with the rear seats in position. Fold down the 60:40-split rear seats and this expands to a hefty 1,664 litres. The styling is neat, if a little inoffensive, the window line sweeping up to mirror that of the hatchback. There can’t be too many cars that can disguise their load lugging abilities quite as well as the i30 Estate and there’s a little subterfuge inside, should you need it. You’ll be able to keep your valuables out of the way of prying eyes in an under floor compartment and there are other features such as roof rails, a cargo security screen and a rear power outlet. Hyundai quickly realised that it couldn’t achieve its global ambitions by maintaining a pile ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap philosophy and has instead adopted a strategy with rather more potential for building the brand. The aggressive pricing remains, but now quality has improved drastically and Hyundai is trying to differentiate itself in terms of equipment levels. All three of the i30 Estate’s trim levels - Comfort, Style and Premium – are very well finished. Even the entry-level model gets 15" alloys, front fog lights and body-colouring for the bumpers door handles and mirrors. This means that no i30 is going to leave the showroom looking like it’s just been winched up from the bargain basement, a factor that can only enhance the car’s public perception. Electric windows are fitted all round, there’s air-conditioning and remote central locking is also standard, along with an MP3-compatible CD stereo. The Style adds bigger alloys and mixed leather trim for the interior. The Premium lives up to its name with the standard spec plus yet bigger alloys, full leather, climate control, parking sensors, heated seats and rain-sensing wipers. Hyundai add around £700 over the price of an equivalent hatch for the privilege of estate ownership, with prices starting at £12,995. Road burning performance isn’t the strong suit of the i30’s engine range but these units are well capable of administering a mild kicking if challenged on grounds of economy. Official figures reveal a combined figure of around 45.6mpg for the 1.6-litre petrol unit. The 1.6-litre diesel returns around 60mpg on the same terms. On emissions, the 1.6 CRDi oil-burner is predictably the best of the bunch with as far as CO2 is concerned (125g/km as opposed to 152g/km) but if you’re after a vehicle that dips under the crucial 120g/km figure, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Depreciation has been a dirty word at Hyundai in the past put the improvements in quality and desirability the i30 makes should make large steps towards addressing this. Hyundai and Kia seem to be doing their best to initiate some kind of warranty war, with the UK car market as the main theatre of conflict. The major players have yet to take the bait but the i30’s five-year unlimited mileage package with 10-year anti-perforation cover must be a source of some annoyance to the major brands when the best you’ll get from them is three years protection. In fairness, a lengthy warranty is no good to anyone if you’re constantly having to make claims on it but the peace of mind that accompanies the i30’s extended deal is not to be underestimated. If the car proves to be reliable as well, the Koreans could really be onto a winner. Over to you JD Power. Hyundai’s ambition with the i30 Estate is such that it requires a change in mindset to assess the vehicle. In years gone by, we would have been dumbstruck by this car’s styling, its engineering and its finish, largely because it was a cheapie and wasn’t expected to be particularly special. In pitching the i30 against talented mainstream contenders like the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra, however, the marking scheme just got a whole lot tougher. By and large the i30 Estate succeeds. It’s big enough and capable enough at the right price to win enough orders. Where the car falls a little flat is in terms of personality, interior design and the sophistication and cleanliness of its powerplants. Remember that these judgements are against the very best in the class, and when price and equipment levels are taken into account, the i30 Estate states its case quite eloquently. Hyundai remains a work in progress but at this rate, the sky’s the limit for the Korean giant.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Hyundai i30 Estate range PRICES: £12,995-£16,295 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 5-6 CO2 EMISSIONS: 125-152g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.6 petrol] 0-60mph 11.1s / Max Speed 119mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.6 petrol] (urban) 35.3mpg / (extra urban) 54.3mpg / (combined) 45.6mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags / ABS with EBD, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4475/1775/1530mm