Road Test: Hyundai i30 Tourer

Proof that the South Korean manufacturer knows how to make reliable cars.

Indeed, Hyundai’s Five Year unlimited mileage warranties on new models is proof that they also know that they know how to make reliable cars.

A lot has changed in the world of motoring in those last 10 years.

The Hyundai i30 Tourer is evidence of that.

Compared to my 2004 Hyundai it is like a spaceship.

Back in the early 2000s the kind of kit the i30 Tourer model I tested is packing as standard would have been the stuff of a mad man’s fantasy.

Touchscreen satellite navigation with traffic updates; rear view parking camera with parking guidance system; Dual Zone climate control; Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition; front and rear parking sensors.

As standard.

But has the i30 Tourer got the performance to match the tech?

Most certainly.

The 1.6 diesel engine produces a frugal combined mpg of 64.2.

So you won’t be spending too much time on petrol station forecourts, which is always a good thing.

There’s more than enough oomph in the engine to comfortably cruise past dawdlers on the dual carriageway and it also performs well on a variety of terrains.

In fact, even with four people in the car it performed surprisingly well, and not at all sluggishly, on the snaking inclines between Sheffield and Bakewell.

The i30 corners well and took the 13 bends of the A619 near Pilsley in its stride.

As you might expect, the tourer brings with it a good level of practicality as well.

There is plenty of room in the cabin for long legs, and the 528 litre capacity boot is plenty of space for a large pram and all manner of other baby paraphernalia.

Whack the back seats down and you have a whopping three times more than that of luggage space.

The interior is stylishly designed, as is the exterior which boasts plenty of sport curves.

In short, you get a lot for your money.

The model I tested comes in at £22,115 on the road, and the entry level model comes in at a very modest £16,905 OTR.

As well as the practicality, performance, fuel economy, and whizzy tech, you know you are also getting the Hyundai standard of reliability and the extra peace of mind of the five year warranty.

My antiquated Hyundai has taken me more than halfway to the moon in the past decade, could the i30 Tourer do the same for you? I wouldn’t bet against it.