Hyundai i30 2025 review
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00:00The Hyundai i30 hatchback used to be one of Australia's best priced and best value cars,
00:04but these days the prices are way up. That's because the brand has just had to switch its
00:08sourcing from South Korea to Europe, and that means, yes, the asking price is a lot higher
00:14for this car. They've scrapped all the base models and there's just the N-line version.
00:18So, is it still worth your money? In this review I'll tell you all about it and tell
00:22you about the new engine that's offered here as well. So if you haven't already,
00:25please like, subscribe and ring the bell, and let's get to it.
00:30So, this updated i30 range has seen some changes, like the entry-level grade is gone,
00:38and so is the one above that, and so is the one above that. And what that means is that the cost
00:43of entry into the i30 hatchback range is now significantly higher than before. The entry-level
00:49version is called the i30 N-line, and it costs $36,000 before on-road costs, and that is a lot
00:58of money. Sure, you're getting a lot of spec for that cash. You're getting things like 18-inch alloy
01:02wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights, the sporty-look N-line package on the outside,
01:08some really nice interior trim as well, a pair of big screens, including a digital instrument
01:12cluster and a 10-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it's
01:17plug-in Apple CarPlay, not wireless, and there's also a bunch of other really nice features. But
01:22if you want a bit more for your money, you'll have to spend a bit more money to get it to get into
01:25this one, which is the N-line Premium. It adds extra features like a big panoramic glass roof,
01:30you get heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and that high-spec version also gets
01:34electric seat adjustment for the driver with 12-way adjustment. So, yeah, that's pretty
01:38impressive. Plus, it's got memory settings as well, and you also get Bluelink connected services.
01:44If you do decide to go for the high-grade version, that means that you've got an emergency call
01:48button and it'll notify people if you are in an accident. You can also keep an eye on the car
01:53using your phone. Look, $41,000 for this version seems kind of pricey. In fact, it's expensive, I
02:00have to say it. But I've got some good alternatives that you might want to consider. Let's talk about them now.
02:07Okay, if you're thinking about a little hatchback, there are some great options out there that you
02:11might want to consider. Firstly, one that I always recommend to people who are looking for a hatchback
02:15and don't need a huge boot or huge back seat, the Toyota Corolla. It's available as a hybrid only,
02:22and it has a heap of different variants available. It's super-duper real-world efficient, it's fun to
02:27drive, and the ZR version is still around $40,000 as a hybrid with some really, really great features.
02:35I like that car a lot. I like the way it drives, and I think it could be a fantastic option if
02:39you're not sure whether this one is right for you. And another car you might want to check out, well,
02:44quickly, is the Kia Cerato. It's about to finish up in Australia, replaced by a new model, but the
02:49existing versions, especially the GT model at $36,000, does make a lot of sense. It has a 1.6
02:56turbo petrol version, and also a couple of, well, boring 2 litres, but I think that the Cerato range
03:03in run-out does make a lot of sense. If you can find one in stock that's cheap, you'll be happy
03:07with it because it's a very nice car to drive, especially that GT, like I said. And finally,
03:12one from a different part of the world, well, actually a similar part of the world to this,
03:16the Skoda Scala. Yes, it's made in Czechia, so the Czech Republic as it's formally known,
03:23like this car, and it does have a beautiful driving dynamic to it. It's excellent value for
03:28the base model car. It's, yeah, really, really impressive value in fact. Lots of space on the
03:34inside, a big boot, and plenty of lovely features as well. And if you want it, there's a sporty
03:39version called Monte Carlo. Costs about the same as this on the road, and I think it stacks up
03:45really, really well. Plus, it gets seven years of warranty too. So, which would you pick? Let
03:49me know in the comments. It kind of looks just like a Hyundai i30N hatch, doesn't it? And that's
03:58the point here. It's an N-line, so it has the sporty look. It might not necessarily be as sporty
04:02to drive, but it does have some sporty tyres. This one's got 18-inch wheels, and they are Michelin
04:08Pilot Sport tyres. They are a very, very good tyre, and it makes this car drive better than you
04:14might expect, but we'll get to that in a sec. Now, same size as before, about 4.3 metres in length,
04:19so a very city-friendly size. And at the back, there is some design change as well. You've got
04:25different tail lights, you've got the lower diffuser with the twin pipes, and let's have a
04:30look in the boot and see what we're dealing with here. Yes, you bet, we do have a pretty decent
04:35size boot. You can see for yourself that it does look large, and there's enough space in there for
04:40luggage, prams and so forth, and there's also some pretty good practicality. You've got 12-volt
04:47port, shopping bag hook, a light under there, a little storage caddy on that side, and on this
04:52side, you do have another little storage caddy, another shopping bag hook up there, and underneath
04:56the boot floor, this is the big story, people, tyre repair kit. Yeah, because under there is the battery
05:03pack for the hybrid system. So, yes, it means no spare wheel. Yes, that could rule it out for you, I
05:09would totally understand, but tell me what you think about it in the comments. Let's check out
05:13the inside, shall we? All right, so this is your point of view perspective of my legs. No, sorry, the
05:22i30 hatchback, and look, it does still feel pretty conventional in terms of the design. Not necessarily
05:30too different from the models that came before it, but it does have a bit more wow factor,
05:34thanks to the fact that this is an N-line model. So, you do have the red stitching on the steering
05:38wheel, for instance, and also the little N badge down there, but also these seats with beautiful
05:44N embroidery, and this lovely red stitching, and also this red finish in the seats, which actually
05:50looks fantastic. Now, these are the more premium seats, because this is the premium version. That
05:55means you've got heating for the seats as well. There's also a heated steering wheel, but no
06:01ventilation for the seats. Now, it also comes with a sat-nav system built in, so let's jump into that
06:08right now. It does have a pretty easy to use screen system. These buttons down below, well, they're
06:15not buttons, they're sort of haptic controls, so they can take a little bit of getting used to,
06:19but the touch screen itself, it's okay, I would say. I never really use sat-nav. I usually use
06:26Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but this one doesn't have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android
06:31Auto. You still have to plug in, and that means that, well, I forgot my plug, so I'm just having
06:37to rely on old-fashioned Bluetooth. Yuck! Now, down here is where you will plug in your phone.
06:43You've got USB-C and USB-A, and a wireless phone charger there as well, and it's a pretty decent
06:50little space down there. The conventional shifter, I like that. It does have a manual mode if you want
06:55to put it into manual mode, but you've also got paddles up on the steering wheel here if you want
06:59to take control. You've also got cup holders, a little storage tray here, electronic park brake,
07:05not a manual one, and also in here you'll find a decent-sized, well, reasonably-sized
07:12console with a 12-volt port. There's bottle holders in the doors as well, and yes, you do get a digital
07:18instrument cluster too. It does have a fair few menus available on it. You can jump through those
07:24menus and see what you need to see. Trip computer, that sort of info, all that is there, and there's
07:30a digital speedo there as well. You don't get a head-up display, which might be a bit disappointing
07:34for some, but thankfully you do get easy-to-control steering wheel buttons like that. Oh, and also,
07:40I forgot to mention, you've got actual buttons for your climate control too, and knobs and dials and
07:46all of that. That's a big thumbs up. I like that a lot. But overall, I think this interior does feel,
07:52well, kind of special. Not necessarily as special as the price tag maybe suggests it should,
07:58but remember, this version also gets the big sunroof as well, the big glass roof, which does
08:04open. I have a little bit of an issue with this control system. A lot of other vehicles have two
08:08sliders, so you can slide the shade back or slide the glass back, whatever you want to do separately,
08:13whereas this one, it's one button, and you'll find that sometimes when you don't want it to,
08:19the shade will come forward. Like, I don't, I don't, look, why, why would I want the bloody sunroof
08:24open a little bit, but the shade closing? That's really silly. Anyway, it's one thing that I don't
08:29like about the interior. Up there is your SOS button in case you need to call for help if you
08:34have a crash or something. There's a sunglasses holder. You get flip down visors with mirrors,
08:39thankfully, but there's a little separate light switch. It's not one of those ones with the
08:44integrated light into it, and an auto dimming rear vision mirror as well. So, I think that it's okay,
08:50but let's check out the back seat space. The back seat is not very comfortable. So, my knees are
08:56hard up against the seat in front for someone in my driving position. I'm 182 centimetres,
09:01a six foot. My toes, well, pretty tight under there as well, and headroom? Yeah,
09:07if you're sitting up straight, you're sort of almost brushing the ceiling if you're as tall as
09:11I am. You do get that nice big glass roof, as I said, but still not very roomy in the back here.
09:18Thankfully, though, you do get a pair of directional air vents and a pair of USB-C ports.
09:24There are mat pockets on both seats and these hard back plates on the seat backs, and as you
09:30can see, my daughter made use of most of that, and there's also a couple of bottle holders in the
09:37doors. You've got ISOFIX points, as you would expect. Nice sort of trim finishing back here as
09:42well, and a flip down armrest with cup holders too. So, I think it's going to be okay for a small
09:48family, but if you've got big kids, it might not be very comfy. So, yeah. Also, I just want
09:54to call out, these elbow pads are soft, which is a plus, and some other cars don't have soft
10:01elbow pads on the doors at this kind of money. Also, you get these grab handles for when mum or
10:09dad is having a bit of a thrash, and little lights as well. So, yeah. Space not great,
10:15amenities pretty good. Under the bonnet of the updated i30 range is a high-tech petrol power
10:23train. So, it's a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine combined to a 48-volt mild hybrid
10:30system. Yes, there's an electric motor. Yes, there's a battery pack. All of that stuff, which
10:34you might think is a bit complicated, and it does help give this car a little bit more grunt in some
10:39situations, and also helps it save fuel. So, we'll get to that later on, but let's talk about power
10:44and torque. You'll see the numbers on your screen now. That's okay, but not necessarily a benchmark
10:49setter, and it comes as standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission,
10:53and it's front-wheel drive. It can tow just a little bit. You'll see the numbers on your screen
10:57now, but this car, well, it's all about what it's like to drive in the urban area and on the open
11:03road. So, let's go do that, shall we? And we'll talk about fuel use soon too. So, before we go for
11:10a drive, it does have the annoying bing-bong technology, which tells you what the speed sign
11:15is in your area. So, there is a preset that you can do, so you can use the star button on the
11:21steering wheel, and then it'll come up here where you can turn off the speed limit warning, which is
11:28the bing-bong, and put it onto speed limit information if you just want to be sort of
11:33shown what the speed limit is, or you can turn it off completely, but you do have to do it every
11:37time you drive the car, and there is no shortcut like in the other models in the Hyundai range
11:42that have seen a shortcut roll out where you just hold on the mute button. Not yet. Hopefully,
11:48that comes, but let's go for a drive, shall we? Put the phone away, and let's start up and roll.
11:55Now, before we go too far, I want to say that this car will constantly default back to eco mode.
12:02Maybe there's a way you can change that in the settings, but I haven't figured it out. It will
12:07default back into eco mode, and eco mode is not the greatest mode for this car because it dulls
12:12everything down a little bit to make it more eco, right? So, there is a drive mode selector. Obviously,
12:18you can just hit the button down there and put it into normal or sport. I've put it into normal
12:23right now, and it's still, I mean, it's not amazing, this powertrain. I have to say,
12:31it feels a bit dull and a bit doughy when you are just tooling around town. If you're just
12:36doing low-speed driving, the dual-clutch automatic transmission and the mild hybrid system and that
12:42turbocharged engine all combine to give you some lag and some frustration at times. I'm just not
12:50convinced that it's the best execution of this type of technology that I've experienced, and
12:56I've driven a few 48-volt mild hybrids. I've driven lots of downsized turbos with dual-clutch engines,
13:01and this isn't the best. It's not the worst, but it's not the best.
13:06And, I mean, if you hit that button and go into sport mode,
13:11yeah, I mean, it's better. It's better, but if you want to drive in sport mode all the time,
13:16you'll be paying the price when it comes to the fuel economy. And, yeah, I mean, it's marginally
13:22about fuel economy, this car, isn't it, being a mild hybrid? But I don't think that it's necessarily
13:28a sporty, fun, fast car to drive, despite the fact that it's got the N-line badging on it.
13:34And maybe if you are after that, you should spend a little more and get into the N hatch,
13:40because it is properly silly, properly fun and an absolute hoot to drive, but
13:46a very different type of car to this, obviously. So, yeah, you can see there it was a little bit
13:52laggy to get away, even in sport mode and in eco. I'll put it back into normal because that's the
13:57mode I've been driving in most of the time. It's just something you want to keep in mind, I think.
14:02But the other thing about it is that this engine and transmission will, at times,
14:07go into a coasting mode. So, you'll see the revs drop to zero and a little readout on the screen
14:13says coasting mode when you take your foot off the accelerator and the car doesn't need to use
14:19the gears or the engine. It'll just go into a coasting mode to try and save a bit of fuel.
14:25And you've also got regenerative braking as part of this car in order to try and feed back a bit
14:30of potentially lost energy to the battery pack. Now, what I'll say about the brake pedal
14:35responsiveness is that it's pretty good. Lots of other regen braking systems tend to have a bit
14:41more of a, I guess, flimsy feel or maybe an airy feel at the top of the pedal. You don't really
14:48have the same sort of sure-footed responsiveness that you might want from the brake pedal. But
14:53in this car, I'm actually finding it to be quite bitey and I like that about it. I like that it
14:57doesn't feel too weird to drive, apart from maybe the engine and transmission being a bit strange
15:03at times. Oh, just calm down, champ. There's no need for that. That's one other thing you will
15:09notice. It will spin those front tyres a little bit more than you might expect. I mean, 250 Newton
15:15metres through the front tyres and they're good tyres. I hate to see what it would be like with
15:20a set of rubbish cheap tyres on it. More generally though, it is an N-line, so it does have a bit more
15:26of a dynamic feel to it than some other cars in this class, that's for sure. I mean, you do have
15:32a firm ride. I don't think that it's uncomfortable, but it is perhaps a little bit more rigid feeling
15:39than some other cars in this segment. And if you are after a more cushiony car, then, well, you
15:46might need to shop elsewhere because you do sort of tend to feel a lot of the road surface below
15:50you in this car. And it does have sportier steering than some other cars. It's quite a direct,
15:56responsive steering feel. It's not necessarily overly joyful to drive, I don't think, but
16:03I don't think it's the worst in the class by any stretch either. I mean, maybe I'm feeling like I'm
16:07being a little bit harsh on this car because it does have a pretty nice driving dynamic to it.
16:13It's sort of to my tastes, but it might not be to your tastes. It's just not as squishy or cushy
16:19or light and easy as some of those other vehicles in this segment. But there's also the fact that
16:26on course chip surfaces like this one, I'm only going less than 50 k's an hour, lots of road noise.
16:30When you do double that or more, 110 k's an hour on a freeway with rough surfacing, it's bloody
16:36loud in here. And that's one thing that might stop me from buying this car because it can get on my
16:42nerves and might get on your nerves too. But hey, let's talk about efficiency. Maybe there's some
16:48gains to be made when it comes to this car in that regard. Okay, let's talk fuel consumption.
16:57On your screen, you'll see the official combined cycle fuel consumption figure for the mild hybrid
17:01versions of the i30 hatch. And look, if you can achieve that sort of number, I think you'll be
17:06pretty happy with things. But over my testing, which isn't a full week of testing, but it is
17:11still the same sort of stuff I do with every car I drive. A bit of open road, a bit of urban testing,
17:17and the daily drop off to daycare, that sort of thing. And I think that the number I've seen,
17:22more than seven litres per 100 k's, is not really good enough to justify it. Because, I mean, this
17:27car isn't sporty enough for you to go, yeah, it's a sporty turbo car, I'm going to buy it. And it's
17:33not efficient enough in my experience for you to go, oh, it's a super efficient mild hybrid turbo
17:38car and I'm going to buy it. So, I'm left a little bit cold in terms of the overall impression of
17:44why you would buy this car compared to some of the other rivals or even the i30N hatch. But hey,
17:50there are some other things you want to keep in mind about the fuel use stuff. So, it will run
17:54on 91 RON regular unleaded and even E10 if you want to. I wouldn't recommend using E10 in a
18:02turbo petrol engine personally. But it also has a pretty decent fuel tank capacity. So, you should
18:06be able to do pretty long distances on a single tank. But hey, maybe it'll be heaps better on a
18:12freeway trip where you just spend hours and hours on the open road. But as far as I've seen,
18:18it's not overly impressive on the fuel consumption front.
18:24The updated version of the i30 still has the five-star ANCAP safety rating from before,
18:28but it expires at the end of 2024. So, that's something to keep in mind. But,
18:33this actually has a bit more safety tech than the previous models. But standard is adaptive
18:38cruise control with a lane keeping system and traffic jam assist. There's also autonomous
18:43emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection. You've got blind spot monitoring and
18:48rear cross traffic alert, parking sensors and a reversing camera. And there's a speed sign
18:52recognition system, which I mentioned in the driving section. Don't like that. Can't mute it
18:57yet either. Hopefully you can at some point in the future. And there's some other stuff that's
19:01been added. Things like a rear occupant alert. So, it'll tell you to check the back seats and
19:04make sure there's no one still there. And a fatigue system for the driver as well. So,
19:09it'll basically monitor your interactions with the car, but it's not a camera system, thankfully.
19:14And when it comes to airbags, there are seven. Dual front, front side, driver's knee and full
19:19length curtain coverage. Hyundai offers a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty for this car and all
19:26the other cars in its range. Plus, there's also a battery pack warranty for its hybrid vehicles
19:32like this one. You'll see the figures on your screen now for that. And you also need to keep
19:35in mind that, yes, it does have, well, okay service intervals. 12 months, 10,000 Ks, which is a little
19:42bit more needy than the existing petrol versions, which were 12 months and 15,000 Ks. But the
19:48servicing is covered for life. So, there's a cap price servicing calculator. You can go onto the
19:53Hyundai website and see how much this car will cost you at the 180,000 K service if you want to.
19:59So, that's pretty handy, I reckon. And also, if you do service with Hyundai, they'll renew your roadside
20:05assistance every time too, up to a certain number of years, I think. But even so, it does seem to add
20:11some value to the ownership equation. The updated Hyundai i30 is definitely a good car. There's no
20:19doubt about it, but it is too expensive, in my opinion. $41,000 for this spec. Sure, it feels
20:24pretty nice on the inside and it drives pretty well as well. But, I mean, you just have to look around
20:29and see what else you can get for that kind of money to realize that it doesn't necessarily make
20:33as much sense as it could, or as it did in the past at least. Tell me what you think about it in the
20:37comments section below. Would you still go for an i30? I'd love to hear your thoughts. And if you
20:41haven't already, please like, subscribe and ring the bell. And I'll see you in the next one.
20:49you