Hyundai i30 Review 2024

The Hyundai i30 isn’t a car that’s going to make a statement about your success in life. It won’t attract admiring glances on your driveway like a Volkswagen Golf, nor will it impress on the school run in the same way as a small SUV like a Nissan Qashqai.

But as a car for getting from A to B, it ticks all the boxes. It’s comfortable, represents good value for money, and doesn’t feel as cheap on the inside. With frugal engines, low servicing costs and an extensive warranty, the Hyundai i30 is ultimately a very sensible choice.

Previously, there was a fairly bog-basic S model that we'd recommend avoiding. It seems buyers did just that as Hyundai has removed it from the i30 lineup in late 2020.

Entry-level SE Connect offers a good blend of affordability and features. However, the larger display and digital instruments are only optional on that trim, so we'd recommend either ticking that box or going for the sportier N-Line or Premium trims.

The diesel is no longer available to order, but we wouldn't bother with it anyway unless you do a lot of miles. The 1.0-litre petrol will be powerful enough for a lot of drivers, but the previous 1.4 for used buyers and current 1.5 are a more refined choice if you plan to use the i30 but motorway journeys. No Hyundai i30 will be expensive to run, although the hot hatch N model (reviewed separately) is thirsty - particularly if you use all the performance. 

Don’t buy a Hyundai i30 without considering the closely-related Kia Ceed. It’s broadly similar on price, but perhaps more attractively designed and comes with a longer warranty (albeit limited to 100,000 miles). 

The Vauxhall Astra is as dull as ditchwater but another competent (and affordable) family hatch, as is the newer Skoda Scala. Then there are the slightly classier choices, including the Volkswagen Golf, SEAT Leon, Ford Focus and Mazda 3. All have slightly better interiors and are more enjoyable to drive, but you don’t get as much for your money as with the i30. If outright practicality is important, we’d recommend a Honda Civic or Skoda Octavia.

The Hyundai i30 isn’t as plush inside as a Volkswagen Golf or Mazda 3, but it feels well-finished and more than up to the task of withstanding family life.

It’s very dependent on specification. Entry-level S models felt pretty drab, with SE trim adding a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob as well as the aforementioned chrome interior trim - both of which make the i30’s cabin feel that little bit more cossetting. That changed for the 2020-onwards facelifted model, which looks pretty high grade regardless of which trim level you go for. 

The part- or full-leather seats of the higher-spec models also give the cabin a useful lift in terms of quality but, even then it’s not on a par with a Golf. None of the plastic finishes feel particularly brittle, though, and it certainly doesn’t feel like the budget option a Hyundai would have been a few years ago.

The infotainment is another area in which the older S trim will leave you wishing you’d plumped for a higher-spec model. The cheapest i30 didn't get a conventional touchscreen media system, instead making do with an old-fashioned radio system with buttons alongside. It looks pretty naff, perched on top of the dash and reminding you that you didn’t buy a pricier model. Used buyers beware.

It’s the sort of thing that’s acceptable on a cheap city car or supermini, but it’s not quite good enough on a car the size (and price) of a Hyundai i30. On the plus side, it does have DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity - allowing you to make and receive phone calls on the move or stream music from your phone. If you don’t want the complication of a fancy touchscreen display, this is the car for you.

That doesn't apply to facelifted models, which at the entry level SE Connect trim get an 8-inch media touchscreen. That comes with  Apple CarPlay and  Android Auto as standard, too. Higher-end N Line and Premium models get a larger 10.25-inch infotainment system, which also bring sat-nav, and wireless phone charging for the Premium model.

Whereas the pre-facelift i30 was a bit behind-the-times in not offering any digital instrument display option, that is now offered as standard with N-Line and Premium models. This seven-inch display is still on the small side, however, while rival systems from the VW Group are more customisable. 

Music fans might be disappointed, too - there’s no fancy premium sound system offered on the Hyundai i30, even as an option. 

The Hyundai i30 isn’t anything to shout about when it comes to interior space, but it is on a par with rivals like the SEAT Leon and Ford Focus. If practicality’s important, Hyundai does sell an estate version of the i30 (as well as a sporty Fastback model), but you should also consider something a bit bigger like the Skoda Octavia or even a crossover SUV like the Hyundai Tucson.

In terms of exterior dimensions, the Hyundai i30 is 4,340mm long, 1,455mm tall and 1,795mm wide. That makes it longer than a Volkswagen Golf and puts it on a par with the Ford Focus. 

There’s a reasonable amount of room up front, with a height-adjustable driver’s seat allowing you to lower the seat if you require more headroom. This is missing on the passenger side on pre-facelift S models, but the rest of the range gets a height-adjustable passenger seat, too.

There’s plenty of storage, with generous cupholders, big door bins and - on most models - useful stowage space underneath the front armrest. Go for one of the N Line or Premium models and you’ll even get a sliding front armrest with a 12V power output socket.

In the back, tall adults will feel a bit cramped but no more so than in most rivals (this side of a Skoda Octavia, anyway). Like the Kia Ceed, there’s a near-flat floor, which means middle-seat passengers won't feel deprived of foot space. The same can’t be said for elbow room…

Wide-opening rear doors help when loading children, while the outer rear seats are fitted with Isofix mounting points which are easily accessible.

Capable of lugging 395 litres of luggage, the i30’s boot is the same size as the Kia Ceed’s, and marginally bigger than a Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus. Access is easy thanks to a low lip and a variable-height boot floor, while the boot’s shape is usefully square. The rear seats drop easily, providing up to 1301 litres of space if required.

It’s worth noting that all but the old entry-level S model come with a space-saver spare wheel, which could save you a lot of hassle in the case of a puncture.

The 1.0-litre petrol is usually the cheapest on the used market. Don’t dismiss it because of its size - it’s a really peppy little engine which packs a decent punch and makes town driving a breeze. It’s ever so slightly slower in the Hyundai i30 compared to the very similar Kia Ceed, taking 11.2 seconds to reach 62mph, but it’s more than up to the job of keeping up with traffic, provided you don’t mind regular gear changes.

As of 2020, that engine uses mild-hybrid technology. It doesn't make the i30 any faster, but it does mean it has a more effective stop-start system, using a battery to recuperate energy and allow the engine to switch off entirely when coasting or braking to a stop. That saves fuel, and in normal driving you don't really notice it happening. 

The manual gearbox, incidentally, is fine - not as precise as that used in the Ford Focus, but it does the job with a light change and effortless clutch pedal. Interestingly, for the facelifted model Hyundai has introduced something known as an Intelligent Manual Gearbox. 

It's drive-by-wire, meaning there is no mechanical link between the gearshift and the gears themselves. Though this sounds odd, Hyundai claims it still feels natural, and it allows the new mild-hybrid engines to shut down while coasting or braking to a stop.

If you regularly drive on national-speed-limit roads, you might want the extra power of the bigger 1.4 as a used car option or the current 1.5. These are four-cylinder units which feel a bit more grown-up than the little 1.0-litre. With 140PS, the 1.4 will accelerate to 62mph in 8.9 seconds - plenty quick enough for building up speed on a motorway slip road or when overtaking. 

The 1.5-litre engine has a healthier 159PS, which translates to a punchy 0-62mph time of 8.4 seconds. Both engines are also available with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox which is fine if you really want an auto, but not as smooth as the torque-converter transmission used in the latest Ford Focus.

We’d avoid the diesels unless you cover lots of motorway miles. If you do, the 1.6 CRDi is fine, if nothing special. Its low-down torque means there’s plenty of pull at low revs, but it’s no quicker than the petrols. It was discontinued in 2020, showing that most buyers also preferred the petrols. 

Just like the Kia Ceed, the Hyundai i30 isn’t quite as refined as you might expect. There’s quite a considerable amount of road and wind noise, especially at high speeds. It shouldn’t be enough to put you off the i30, but drive one back-to-back with the class-leading Golf and you’ll notice the difference.

In typical three-cylinder fashion, the 1.0-litre unit makes quite a distinctive noise, particularly when it’s worked quite hard (something you’ll have to do to actually get anyway). It’s not unpleasant but is a little wearing, especially if you cover a lot of miles. It’s not helped by the amount of vibration that feeds back through the pedals and gear lever, either.

The 1.4 and 1.5 petrols are the most civilised, only making a distinctive noise at high revs - something you won’t have to do as much thanks to the extra torque on offer. Opting for one with the automatic gearbox won’t help refinement levels, though, as it sometimes gets flustered and selects a lower gear than is strictly necessary.

Like most diesels, the 1.6 CRDi makes quite a distinct grumble, but it isn’t really any noisier than alternatives like a diesel Ford Focus.

The Hyundai i30 is loaded with standard safety equipment and, pleasingly, most of it is standard across the range.

All models get things like an autonomous emergency braking system (which’ll apply the brakes if it detects an impending collision), a lane guidance system which can nudge the steering if you start straying from your lane, and a driver attention alert to remind you when to take a break.

Premium models come with a blind spot detection system, which warns you if there’s a vehicle in your blind spot, and rear cross-traffic alert - which’ll notify you if there’s an approaching car when you’re reversing out of a space. Both useful features that could easily prevent a collision.

The Premium trim also has Lane Following Assist, which rather than simply nudging you away from the edges of the lane actually centres the car smoothly within the lane. This trim gets an intelligent speed limit warning, too, which reads the road signs and warns drivers if they're exceeding a new limit, as well as rear cross traffic collision warning and a safe exit alert.

If there is a crash, the Hyundai i30 is a very safe car. Euro NCAP awarded an impressive five stars (out of five) when it was crash tested in 2017. That includes an 88 per cent score for adult occupants and 84 per cent for children. Its pedestrian safety features were given a 64 per cent rating, while its safety assist tech was award 68 per cent.

Hyundai finished an impressive seventh place out of all the brands in the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index. Clearly the Korean company is doing something right, and offering a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty as standard shows confidence in their own engineering. 

As such, we reckon the Hyundai i30 should be one of the most reliable modern family hatchbacks on sale. Often the cars that aren't particularly exciting are, because the development time and effort some brands put into dazzling features or amazing performance can come at the expense of longevity.

The cheapest Hyundai i30 to insure will be the S model with the 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol engine. This falls into insurance group 8.

Aside from the hot i30 N, no i30 should cost a fortune to insure. You’ll pay a bit more insurance for the 1.4 petrol compared to the 1.0-litre, with the cheapest being an SE Nav or N Line model - both of which are placed in insurance group 14. Diesel insurance groups range from 11 to 13 depending on trim level.

Despite the fact that the equipment levels have risen and trims have been realigned, the 2020-on model appears to be broadly similar in terms of insurance groups and costs. Insurance groups start at 10 for the SE Connect and rise to 16 for the sporty N Line, while the top spec Premium actually sits a bit lower than the N Line in group 11.

Under the latest car tax rules, you’ll pay a flat rate of £170 a year to tax a Hyundai i30 following the first registration as it qualifies for the hbrid car £10 discount. For the first year, you'll pay £210 for the 1.0-litre models and £260 for the 1.5-litre versions.

The pre-facelift Hyundai i30 range is pretty extensive. We’d avoid the cheapest S model unless it’s a really good deal - it’s pretty basic, with spec highlights including 15-inch alloy wheels, manual driver’s seat height adjustment, manual air conditioning, cruise control and DAB radio with Bluetooth connectivity.

An SE shouldn’t be considerably more expensive on the used market, adding desirable features such as 16-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, electric driver’s seat lumbar support adjustment, front passenger seat height adjustment, front and rear fog lights, front and rear armrests, electric folding door mirrors, a reverse parking camera with rear parking sensors and an eight-inch touchscreen media display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If you want navigation, look for an SE Nav model - although we think Google Maps via Apple CarPlay/Android Auto does a better job.

Sporty N Line models add 18-inch alloy wheels (17-inches with the 1.0 120PS T-GDi engine), bespoke from and rear bumpers, N Line branding on the gear stick and steering wheel, N Line cloth seats, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, door mirror puddle lights, LED rear lights and keyless entry with engine start/stop button.

N Line+ builds on this with a driver’s seat memory function (great if you regularly swap drivers), front passenger seat electric lumbar support adjustment, heated front seats, N Line leather and suede seats, climate control, automatic windscreen wipers and LED headlights.

Posh Premium models feature 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome window surrounds, driver’s electric seat adjustment, cloth and artificial leather seats, automatic front windscreen de-fog system, rear privacy glass, rear air vents on the centre console, solar glass, a front sliding armrest with 12V power outlet, automatic folding door mirrors, electronic parking brake with auto-hold function, front and rear parking sensors, 4.2-inch LCD driver’s supervision instrument cluster, navigation, wireless phone charging, a blind-spot detection system and rear cross-traffic alert.

Topping the range is the Premium SE, which builds on the Premium with full leather seats, a heated steering wheel and a panoramic sunroof. Fancy.

As of 2020, the trim levels were simplified to just three models: SE Connect, N Line and Premium. SE Connect is broadly similar to the previous SE model, missing out on the higher-end infotainment with sat-nav.  N Line and Premium trims are basically identical to before kit-wise, but Premium SE is no longer available. Nor is full leather and a panoramic sunroof, which is a pity.