You might not know that the Datsun 1600 never managed a ‘Wheels Car of the Year’ award in its years on the Australian market from 1967. No, the Morris 1100, the VE Valiant and XP Falcon – they were the COTY stuff of champions then!

Funny thing is, nearly everyone else who drove the 1600 recognised it immediately as a very special car. And it, and the Toyota Corona, moved Australians in their droves from English cars and Australia’s own bulky, underdone sixes of the time, into Japanese brands.

Which brings us to Hyundai’s appealing i30 series.

Available in petrol and diesel variants, the i30 is a landmark car for Hyundai. It is the quantum leap forward in design, in driving dynamics and in accommodation that signals a car-maker on the move.

Like that earlier Datsun 1600, it is such a damn good drive, it is irresistible. And word is out.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on a CRDi automatic. The auto having been released some months earlier at the Melbourne Motor Show. It now rounds out the i30 range, supplementing the petrol – in manual and auto – and the previous manual-only diesel.

Airy, quality feel interior

Open the door and the first thing you’ll notice is that this Hyundai has a more European feel to the interior than Hyundais past. If anything, it brings some German models to mind. The materials appear to be of good quality and these eyes could not fault the trim and fit on the two cars we had in our care.

Styling inside is restrained, though black and grey abounds (it is perhaps a little too sombre), but it’s a nice enough place to be. You won’t be disappointed with this interior. You can’t help but think it would be at home on a more expensive modern small car.

The driving position too ‘feels right’ with plenty of adjustment on the steering wheel and driver’s pew. And speaking of pews, the i30’s seats are better than expected for a car of this price; they’re supportive, quite comfortable on a long drive and nicely trimmed. The rears also split fold.

When behind the wheel and on the job, view all round is good, helped certainly by the huge side mirrors.

The information on the central display could be sharper, it can be a bit hard to read in some light, but the blue-lit instruments (hmm, VW-style) are large and clear.

There are also nice touches like a cool, air-conditioned glovebox and iPod/USB-compatible audio as standard. (And, oh yes, for those who care, there are drink-holders spread about the place, a sunglasses holder and even a place in the doors for a bottle of plonk – what more do you need?)

Appealing exterior

Where the Elantra looks odd, the Sonata overly-conservative and the Grandeur ponderous, the i30 looks sharp. There is a lot of space tucked under that long (relatively) roofline and the overall lines are clean and uncluttered.

There is more than a dollop of Euro-style to the i30. Perhaps being designed in Germany may explain it. (And will certainly explain the large A-class style rear-light clusters.)

Anyone would be proud to have this car in the drive. While not the style leader in its class, there is an ageless understatement and overall balance to its smooth curved nose, neat sides and truncated rear.