Is the Hyundai i30 actually too sensible to buy? | ReDriven used car review

G'day guys and welcome to Redriven. Now, back in the 1990s, and ignoring anything truly life-threatening, there was really only one thing worse than catching chlamydia, and that was owning a Hyundai XL. In fact, the XL was so immensely bad that you were probably better off with people assuming that you'd contracted chlamydia than anyone finding out that you'd spent your own money buying an XL. But all of that changed with this car and its predecessor, the i30. The i30 completely turned Hyundai's reputation around. He was an attractive, practical, economical car that was absolutely packed with features and offered phenomenal value for money. But that was when they were new. But what are they like when they're not new? What goes wrong with them? Are they reliable? Are they a mechanical nightmare? Can you live with them every day? Will they come back to bite you in the pants regions like a dodgy one-night-stand or an XL? And most importantly, should you buy one? Let's find out. Before we get deep into the i30, please do us a favour and hit that like button. Hit subscribe, give the bell icon a bit of a tickle, and while you're at it, why not follow us on all of our socials? Now, in this video, we will be going over the Australian variant of the third generation i30. But if you're not from Australia, don't freak out because everything we're going to be going over will relate to your local models. The i30 has revolved around basically a five-model range since its launch in 2017. And while we can't go into every graphic detail about absolutely every different variant in this video for obvious reasons, we have collected and put all that info in our handy, re-driven cheat sheets. Our cheat sheets are invaluable as they provide a full breakdown of the car's model range, its common problems, what you need to look out for before you hand over your hard-earned cash, how much of that cash you should be handing over, and so much more. Check it out in the link below. So size-wise, it's pretty much spot-on with this generation's Toyota Corolla. And looks-wise, look, I think it's a bit conservative, but even in this go-trim, it's still a pretty attractive car. The N and N-line models do look great with their more sculpted front bars and larger alloy wheels, but obviously you will be spending a bit more if you climb up the i30 food chain. As far as quality goes, we do have some reports where this plastic surround has actually cracked and has started to fall apart, but besides that, they're bloody solid. Good thing. Also, the alloy wheels on the higher-spec variants do look a whole lot better than these pretty cheap hubcap steelies. A bit gross. First of all, the layout and design in here is excellent. It is a little bit dull when it comes to colours and textures. It's a bit of a sea of grey, and it's certainly no Audi or Mercedes, but for what these cost, this is great. As far as ergonomics go, they're good. Not great, but good. One annoying thing is that the volume control for the infotainment system is all the way over here. Like, yes, there's a volume control on the steering wheel, but if I did want to use the little knob here, it's a bit of a reach. It's perfect for passengers, but yeah, that's a bit far away. Besides that, yeah, everything's in the right spot. Even these seats, which aren't as, you know, cushy or supportive or as adjustable as some of the higher-spec models, they're really comfy and super supportive. Like most cars in this price bracket, there are a few, you know, hard plastics, but most of the touchpoints are pretty good. They're nice and soft and tactile. I say most of them because the number one touchpoint, the steering wheel, this is plastic and it does feel a bit plastic and cheap and nasty. A little bit disappointing. Now, this thing does get a bit of a workout, but you'd never know because it still feels pretty new. Like, even all the buttons that get used regularly all still feel really positive and nice to use. Really nice place to be. In the back, look, it's okay. I'm 6'2". This is in my driving position and my knees are pretty much crammed at the back of the seat and there's not a whole lot of foot room. There is a decent amount of headroom. Also, the transmission tunnel is kind of low, so if you are in the middle, there's a bit of foot room there, but I tell you what, three adults across the back here would get pretty intimate in no time. As far as toys go in the back, there's not a whole lot. If you want aircon vents and like a USB charging point, you're going to have to shop for a higher spec model, but this thing lugs kids and adults and stuff all the time and it's wearing so well. Like, the plastics aren't too scratched up. The fabric's still in really good condition. Bloody good thing. How's the tech? The tech is excellent. All i30s come with this 8-inch tablet-style touchscreen display that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and that's awesome because some of these cars' rivals don't get that technology. Also, I've got to say, the actual sound quality from the stereo is really good, plus it has a rear-view camera, tyre pressure monitoring system, auto-on headlights and LED daytime running lights. Higher spec models do get a starter button instead of this old-school key fob, but for a full breakdown of all the features and specs, just check out our cheat sheets. Yes, very practical. Actually, only the Honda Civic and Peugeot 308 beat it for actual boot size in this category of car. As far as practicality in the second row goes, you've got some decent-sized door bins and some net pocket thing here, but that's about it. And up front, practicality is pretty good. There's some storage here under the air-conditioning with your auxiliary inputs and power outlets. There's storage in here. A couple of cup holders here. Gloveboxes are a really good size. Really good-sized door bins that will hold a big-sized bottle. Bloody good. So far, so good for the i30, but are these things reliable? What goes wrong under their South Korean skin? Are they a potential mechanical nightmare? Well, to answer all our mechanical questions, it's our resident mechanic, Jim. Thanks, Adam. These Hyundai i30s are excellent. Their servicing costs are reasonable and they rarely have a problem. The early models do have a problem with this little steering coupling that just wears out and creates a clunk in the steering, but it only costs $200 or $300 to fix and it's really not a drama. I have heard some reports of their dual-clutch automatic transmissions failing. It might be an idea, if you can, to get a manual. It might just save you money in the long run because once they're out of warranty, it can be a really expensive repair. I know it's only a small thing, but I have seen the plastic around the tailgate latch deteriorate and crack, so keep an eye out for that. I recommend getting a petrol instead of a diesel. Not that there's anything wrong with the diesels, but in the unlikely event something should go wrong in the future, the petrol will be much cheaper to repair. Besides that, they're a good thing. Even this base-spec Go features electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, ABS and a five-star ANCAP safety rating. But higher-spec i30s may feature Hyundai's SmartSense package, which includes autonomous emergency braking and a few other safety features. Obviously, finding an i30 with this extra safety gear is preferable, but even without it, it's still a really safe car. First up, the ride quality is absolutely superb. The suspension on all i30s are tuned for Australian conditions, funnily enough by Australians, and you can certainly tell. It just soaks up potholes really well, and crappy Aussie roads are dealt with with ease. It handles really nicely too, like, look, it's certainly no performance car. That's what the i30 N is for, but it still really enjoys a few corners, and it just feels confident and secure all the time. The steering is really nice as well, like, it's nice and light when you're manoeuvring in, say, like a tight car parking spot in a shopping centre, but out on these more open roads, it still has a nice amount of weight to it. Again, it's not a performance car, but, eh, it's fun to drive. Vision is great as well, there's no obvious blind spots, and it's really easy to judge the dimensions of the car. And audibly, look, while there's no obvious wind noise, and there's no real rattles or creaks, there is a bit of road noise that might come down to these tyres, but it can get a little bit droney on the freeway. And even when it comes to the engine, and in this car it's actually the least powerful of the entire i30 range, it's still really smooth and responsive. But again, if you do want some more performance credentials, you're going to have to go shopping a little bit higher up the i30 food chain, or go and get an i30 N, because those things are a bit of a weapon. All i30s are holding their value really well, and even in the second-hand market, where even a few years normally compresses the price difference between, say, a high-spec model and a low-spec model, with the i30, you're still going to be paying a premium for a higher-spec model like an Elite over a car like this, the Go. Fuel economy will vary depending on which variant and engine spec you choose, but we found on this test that Hyundai's claimed 7.4 litres per 100 kilometres is pretty much spot-on. Thanks to Hyundai's excellent warranty offerings, most of these i30s will still be covered by some sort of factory support, giving you excellent peace of mind. But even when it comes to consumables that aren't covered by warranty, the cost of parts and their availability should be pretty good. So should you buy an i30? Yes, 100% you should, but which one should you get? Well, look, honestly, they're all really, really good. Our pick is the SR because it's a bit sportier, a bit more fun, it's got a bit more performance-y feels about it, and being the middle child of the entire range, it's the sweet spot. Guys, thank you so much for watching this video, and hey, what do you think of the i30? Would you buy one? What would you buy instead? Let us know in the comments section below. And while you're at it, hit like, hit subscribe, hit the bell icon, and go and follow us on all the socials. See you next time.