In 2007, Hyundai gave birth to the i30 at its design and technical center in Russelsheim, Germany. Nine years later, the third generation prepares to make its live debut at the Paris Motor Show.
But before it got to reveal itself to the public, the South Korean manufacturer decided to surprise us with high-resolution photographs and a lengthy release on why the 2017 Hyundai i30 is labeled as “a car for everyone.”
First of all, check out those lines, that grille, the shape and graphics of the headlights, the proportions! It’s a real step forward from the old model, alright. The man behind Hyundai’s design efforts, Peter Schreyer, explains that “to create a car for everyone, we focused on a wide range of different people.” Hence the modern, evolutionary physique that wraps up the cabin.
Speaking of the interior, the 2017 Hyundai i30 is a mix of improved ergonomics and a minimalist dash throned by an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Hyundai is adamant the all-new i30 “makes driving comfortable for all passengers with segment-leading roominess.” Figure for figure, that’s 395 liters of cargo capacity, 883 mm of legroom in the rear, and 1.4+ meters in terms of shoulder room for both the front and rear occupants.
Photo: Hyundai
The additional space comes as a result of a longer body, yet the same wheelbase as its predecessor. Two words: intelligent packaging. On the tech front, the highlight is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto complete with inductive charging for Qi-enabled smartphones. Modern passive and active safety features also abound, autonomous emergency braking included.
In the high-octane corner, gasoline-fed powerplants include a 1.4-liter MPI four-cylinder with 100 PS (99 hp) and 134 Nm (99 lb-ft), a 1.0-liter T-GDI three-cylinder turbo with 120 PS (118 hp) and 170 Nm (125 lb-ft), and a 1.4-liter T-GDI turbo-four with 140 PS (138 hp) and 242 Nm (178 lb-ft) of torque.
For the fuel economy-minded consumer, there’s a 1.6-liter CRDi turbo diesel available in three states of tune: 95 PS (94 hp) and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft), 110 PS (108 hp) and 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) of torque, as well as 136 PS (134 hp) and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft). As for swapping cogs, all engines come as standard with a 6-speed manual. A 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission can be had on the range-topping 1.4 T-GDI, 1.6 CRDi 110, and 1.6 CRDi 136.
Sometime in the future, keen drivers will be treated to the Hyundai i30 N hot hatchback. Plenty of suck-squeeze-bang-blow fun included.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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