About the Hyundai i30
Emma W purchased this Hyundai i30 new for $27,000 (including all on-road costs). Emma W would buy this car again because: “I would have no hesitation in purchasing exactly the same car again. It has proved to be reliable and pleasant to drive. At the time of purchase I also considered a Mazda 3 however I ended up ruling it out due to the more pronounced blind spots around the C pillar. I also considered a Toyota Corolla hybrid hatch however the small boot space ruled this one out it was also disappointing that a new car at this price point still had a plastic steering wheel”
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
The car is now one year old and has only done 10,000km so far but has performed faultlessly. It has survived a 17-year old P1 driver doing daily school runs and a trip to Bribie Island for schoolies without any bumps.
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
No fancy membership programs came with the Hyundai, however, the customer service associated with its first logbook service was professional and hassle-free.
I bought the car for my daughter when she got her P1 licence and she has been more than happy with it.
How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?
I purchased a vehicle from Mackay Hyundai and the sales person was very easy to deal with. As a side issue of the vehicle shortage caused by COVID there was not much haggling I could do with a price.
The vehicle was delivered to my workplace with a full tank of fuel.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
I think the i30 is excellent value for money. It is fitted with active cruise control and autonomous emergency braking which is very much appreciated at this price point.
The vehicle comes with Apple CarPlay as standard and the rear passengers have their own air vents. It also has active lane keeping assist.
I tend to turn this off as it can become a little intrusive, however on the highway with cruise control set it works very well. The vehicle will basically drive itself on the highway following the road line marking and adjusting at speed by the active cruise control to match the vehicle in front.
All it needs is a little movement of the steering wheel every so often so that the car knows you have not gone to sleep and are paying attention. It is surprising to think these sort of features which not that long ago were fitted to the likes of the S-Class Mercedes have now worked themselves down to a $27,000 car.
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
The vehicle has been averaging 8.0L per 100 kilometres which is certainly not the most frugal in its class, however, all its travel is in a hilly area with the majority of it being done during peak times.
I did consider a hybrid Corolla however added boot space made the i30 more suitable for my needs.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
The technology in this vehicle is one of the main reasons I purchased this car. Whilst I drive a Commodore which is now almost 17 years old, I wanted my daughter to have a safer car.
It is interesting to see how far vehicle safety has moved in the last few years. The Commodore misses out on full curtain airbags, electronic stability control and autonomous emergency braking. All of these are now standard on the i30.
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
I have had the opportunity to drive an i30 N and the i30 SR and whilst they are no doubt better on a twisty mountain road, for around-town commuting at highway driving the ride comfort and handling of the base i30 is hard to fault.