2015 Hyundai i30 Active X Automatic Review – X Marks The Spot For Hyundai’s Small Hatch Range
The skinny: It can't quite nail down top-spot, but Hyundai's aggressive dealer discounting of the i30 has seen it push the Corolla and Mazda3 aside more than once this year.
And the winner in this battle of the small car titans is you. The i30, certainly, has enough of what it takes to remain a strong seller in the Australian market.
Squaring off against the excellent Mazda3 and perennially popular Corolla is no easy task, but with handsome styling, value-balanced equipment levels, and an easy driving nature, the i30 is an agreeable package.
Vehicle Style: Small hatch
Price: $24,390 (plus on-roads)
Engine/trans: 107kW/175Nm 1.8 4cyl petrol | 6sp automatic
Fuel Economy claimed: 7.3 l/100km | tested: 10.1 l/100km
OVERVIEW
In Series II form, the Hyundai i30 picked up a little cosmetic surgery to better align it with the larger Sonata and i40 ranges. The grille is now more angular, but the rest of the package stays the same, and still looks fresh.
The Active X model, at just $1100 more than the base-grade Active, also throws in some decent upgrades, including leather trim and alloy wheels, plus a few interior appearance upgrades, for a modest few dollars more.
The powertrain is best described as ‘tried and true’ with a 1.8 litre engine tied to a six speed manual, or the six-speed auto tested here.
So is the i30 worthy of your attention? We spent a week behind the wheel - driving to work, to the supermarket, to cricket training, to the movies, just like you might - to find out.