New Hyundai i30 gets greater style and technology
Hyundai has given strong hints towards the appearance of the next i30 hatchback with a series of teaser pictures.
Coming ahead of a full reveal at the Paris Motor Show in October these images give us the best preview yet of the new car, which is poised to fight the likes of the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, VW Golf and Peugeot 308 for family hatchback class honours when it’s launched.
Hyundai i30 design
The Hyundai i30 wears the ‘cascading’ front grille design and curvaceous front end seen on the electric and hybrid-powered Hyundai Ioniq, with sharp lines continuing to a squared-off, practical hatchback at the rear of the car.
It looks more upmarket and desirable than the previous i30, with the playful curves of the old car making way for classy, straight lines that bring the car closer to the looks of the 308 and Golf, showing that Hyundai is pushing to rank among the front-runners in the class.
Engines & performance
When the Hyundai i30 goes on sale, we’re promised an “efficient and dynamic powertrain line-up”. We expect it to feature the company’s latest petrol and diesel engines, which we’ve been impressed by in the current i30 and larger Hyundai i40.
The i30’s strong resemblance to the Ioniq hints that it could be in line to receive that car’s advanced electric and hybrid power systems, which would place it in direct competition with the Toyota Auris hybrid and Nissan Leaf electric car. This mirrors the approach of Toyota, which debuted hybrid technology in the Prius before spreading to the Auris and Toyota Yaris supermini.
There’s no confirmation of this yet, but the i30 could also be the first family car to use the fuel-cell technology seen in the Hyundai ix35, helping the company meet ultra-tough EU emissions legislation set to arrive in 2020.
Interior & equipment
The Hyundai i30 looks set to be a strong rival to the Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus when it goes on sale. The car was designed and developed in Europe and is now being tested extensively on the continent – a clear sign that the Korean firm has the interests of European motorists firmly at heart.
We expect to see improvements in fit and finish in line with that we’ve seen in the Ioniq and Tucson and we’d also bet standard equipment will match European rivals, including DAB radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, as well as sat nav being available on some models.
Price & on sale date
We expect Hyundai i30 prices to undercut those of the Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus when the car goes on sale, with Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty rounding off a tempting package.
No exact date has been set for the new i30 to go on sale, but its official reveal takes place on 7 September and we’ll be here with updates as they’re released.
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