2013 HYUNDAI i30 TOURER REVIEW

Stylish Hyundai i30 Tourer wagon will meet the needs of many families – and do so at a modest price

Hyundai i30 station wagon is a practical big brother to the i30 five-door hatchback that has already scored plenty of points in the sales race since it was launched early in 2013.

Though it’s South Korean, Hyundai calls this i30 variant a ‘Tourer’ rather than a station wagon to give it a European flavour. However, Tourer is a lot more than a mere marketing tag – because this vehicle was designed in Germany and is very much aimed at that huge economic area in its chassis dynamics and overall performance.

STYLING
The front of the new Hyundai Tourer wagon has what its designers call Fluidic Sculpture. This shape has been lauded in many countries, including Australia for several years now. Potential buyers agree and say the modern lines really stand out from the crowd in what is generally a conservative market segment.

Hyundai i30 Tourer is sold in two trim levels, Active and Elite. Ours was an Elite and we found it pleasing to drive and ride in. This really is a practical load carrier that offers excellent value for money, with a recommended price list beginning at $22,990.

INSIDE
Unlike the now superseded Hyundai i30 station wagon which had a longer wheelbase than the hatchback variant, the new i30 Tourer shares the hatch’s 2650 mm wheelbase. While that’s a long wheelbase for this class, though the wagon isn’t as voluminous it might otherwise have been. However interior and luggage space are still pretty good and potential buyers we spoke to agreed it would usually meet all their needs.

That’s because the body of all-new i30 Tourer is 185 mm longer overall than the hatch. It has 528 litres of stowage capacity with rear seats up, a significant increase of 150 litres over the hatch. This volume rises to an impressive 1642 litres with the rear seats folded flat. Additional underfloor storage compartments are of a decent size and add to the Tourer’s versatility

ENGINES / TRANSMISSION
Again following the Europeans, the new Hyundai i30 Tourer is sold with both petrol and turbo-diesel powertrains. The 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol engine puts out 99 kW of power and 164 Nm of torque. While peak torque is at a very high 4850 rpm, aimed at high-speed touring on European motorways, we found it was strong for plenty of the rev band below that high number.

The 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine we tested has peak power of 94 kW at 4000 rpm, with top torque of 260 Nm being produced between 1900 and 2750 rpm. Making it much more suited to Australian driving.

Both engines can have either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, sitting beside it. The automatic transmission has a sequential manual mode, but we tended to leave it to its own decisions most of the time and found it to have good grunt in real life conditions.

Fuel consumption was usually in the six to seven litres per hundred kilometres range in country and motoring running, rising to a still reasonable seven to nine litres around town in heavy traffic and commuting running.

SAFETY
All-new Hyundai i30 Tourer has an impressive range of active and passive safety technologies. Standard across all models are Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), and ABS with EBD and Brake Assist.

DRIVING
As will all Hyundai models sold downunder in recent years, the i30 Tourer has suspension tuned to Australian driving conditions and drivers’ desires. It’s slightly on the firm side compared with what we would have expected in the South Korean original, but follows the Australian (and European) handling and dynamic trends. We like it, but perhaps try it for yourself if your preference puts comfort over handling – ideally over the sort of roads you will be using on a regular basis.

SUMMING UP
If you can live without the image of a European car and the macho looks of an SUV, then you will get a lot of vehicle for a very modest price in the all-new Hyundai i30 Tourer wagon.

AT A GLANCE

MODEL RANGE
Active 1.6-litre petrol five-door wagon: $22,990 (manual), $25,190 (automatic)
Active CRDi 1.6-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $25,590 (manual), $27,790 (automatic)
Elite CRDi 1.6-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $31,390 (automatic)
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Hyundai dealer for driveaway prices.

FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in all models
Automatic Transmission: Optional in Active, standard in Elite
Cruise Control: Standard in all models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in all models
Electronic Stability Program: Standard in all models
Rear Parking Sensors: Standard in all models
Reversing Camera: Not offered in Active, standard in Elite
USB/Auxiliary Audio Inputs: Standard in all models
Bluetooth: Standard in all models
Steering Wheel Mounted Controls: Standard in all models

SPECIFICATIONS (Hyundai i30 Tourer Active CRDi 1.6-litre petrol five-door wagon)

ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.582 litres
Configuration: Transverse, four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 17.3:1
Bore/Stroke: 77.2 mm x 84.5 mm
Maximum Power: 94 kW @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 260 Nm @ 1900-2750 rpm

DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Six-speed
Automatic Transmission: Six-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.941:1

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4485 mm
Wheelbase: 2650 mm
Width: 1780 mm
Height: 1500 mm
Turning Circle: 10.6 metres
Kerb Mass: 1223-1394 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 53 litres
Towing Ability: Not supplied
Boot Capacity: 528 litres (1642 litres with rear seats folded)

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: MacPherson struts
Rear Suspension: Torsion beam
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc

FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Diesel
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 4.6 L/100km

GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 8/10
Air Pollution Rating: 5/10

STANDARD WARRANTY:
Five years/unlimited km