2017 Hyundai i30 pricing and specs: All-new hatch promises top value
Official pricing and final details for the incoming 2017 Hyundai i30 range have been handed down today, after initial specifications were confirmed in February.
As revealed then, the new ‘PD’ i30 range will be offered locally with three engines: two petrols and a single diesel, matched to six-speed manual, six-speed torque-convertor auto and seven-speed dual-clutch auto, depending on the model.
The new range will kick off from $20,950 before on-road costs. That’s down from a $21,450 list price for the outgoing range, although the 2015 launch pricing of the current i30 Series II began at $20,990.
Regardless, Hyundai says it has loaded the entry-level Active with an additional $2000 in equipment and features, including a large 8-inch display with rear-view camera, integrated satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and DAB+ digital radio.
The new Active also picks up 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime lights and automatic headlights, hill-start assist and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.
“We have built outstanding quality and value into the new i30, not just at the entry level but across the range,” Hyundai Australia CEO, JW Lee, said.
“Quality is what buyers demand and expect, and it is inherent in the new i30, its refinement, comfort, handling, performance, safety and practicality. In all of these respects, along with its superb design, we believe the new Hyundai i30 is competitive with the very best in the class from a product perspective, while simultaneously extending Hyundai’s value leadership.”
The entry model is also more powerful than its predecessor, with the petrol Active now driven by 120kW/203Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine, marking a 13kW and 28Nm jump over the 1.8-litre mill it replaces.
The petrol Active will be available in six-speed manual and six-speed auto forms, with fuel use listed at 7.3 and 7.4L/100km respectively.
Choosing the diesel-engined Active models sees fuel use drop to 4.5L/100km for the 100kW/280Nm manual, and 4.7L/100km for the 100kW/300Nm seven-speed DCT auto.
Above the Active model are the SR, SR Premium, Elite and Premium grades. The two SR models represent a new ‘Sports line’, while the Elite and Premium models come under the ‘Comfort line’.
SR will be available with a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine only, in both six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch auto forms.
The SR Premium will get the same engine but the seven-speed DCT only, while the Elite and Premium grades will be offered exclusively in 1.6-litre turbo diesel, seven-speed DCT form.
The 1.6 turbo petrol engine is a familiar unit, having previously featured in the Hyundai Veloster and other sporting models.
Power for that unit is rated at 150kW, with 265Nm of torque. Fuel use is listed at 7.5L/100km for both the manual and DCT auto transmissions.
The 1.6-litre diesel offers 100kW and 280Nm in six-speed manual form, with fuel use listed at 4.5L/100km. Opting for the auto increases torque to 300Nm, and fuel consumption climbs to 4.7L/100km.
Later this year, the range will welcome a new high-performance hero model, the i30 N, available in two 2.0-litre turbocharged forms. More on that new variant here.
Equipment
Active
Key features for the Active include 16-inch alloys, a full-size spare, 8-inch display with rear-view camera, satellite navigation (with 10 years of free map updates), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, driver’s one-touch auto down for front and rear windows, height-adjustable driver’s seat, and tilt/telescopic steering column.
Safety features standard with the Active include seven airbags, electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, hill-start assist, automatic headlights, LED daytime lights and rear park assist.
The Active does not have autonomous emergency braking (AEB) available, although an option pack – including AEB and other aspects of the SmartSense system, described below – will be offered toward the end of 2017. Pricing for that option will be confirmed next month.
Regarding the absence of AEB as standard fit in the entry model, Hyundai Australia communications manager, Bill Thomas, told CarAdvice today: “We feel we have the new i30’s balance of features and the price point right for customers based on our market research.
“It is a safe car and is acknowledged as such by ANCAP by achieving a 5-star ANCAP score. Customers can be confident in the inherent safety in this car.”
It is worth noting that Hyundai is not alone in this approach. While the Mazda3 offers AEB standard across the range, most volume-selling brands have not yet taken this step.
SR
Standard features for the SR models – which climb in price marginally but gain $5000 in new equipment – include 18-inch alloy wheels, multi-link rear suspension, dual exhaust tips, LED tail lamps and a sports leather-accented interior with sports front seats, black headlining, metallic red highlights, red stitching and red piping.
That’s in addition to alloy pedals, a 4.2-inch colour instrument display, dual-zone climate control, electronic park brake (DCT), rear cooling vents* (DCT), smart key and push-button start, and wireless device charging. The DCT model gets paddle shifters. A panoramic glass sunroof is optional.
(*Hyundai notes the rear cooling vents are not available in the manual model because it has a traditional parking brake, and manufacturing complexity means the rear cooling vents are only available with models that have the electronic parking brake.)
The SR also gets Hyundai SmartSense, although the bulk of it applies to the automatic model only. The kit eatures autonomous emergency braking (DCT only), blind-spot monitoring, driver attention alert (DCT), lane-keep assist (DCT), rear cross-traffic alert, and smart cruise control (DCT).
SR Premium
Jumping up to the SR Premium adds front park assist, LED headlights and front indicators, a panoramic glass sunroof, satin chrome side mouldings, solar control glass, heated and air ventilated front seats, powered driver’s seat, one-touch auto up/down windows, electro-chromatic interior mirror, luggage power outlet, and sun visor extensions.
The full-size spare is gone from SR models, replaced by a space-saver.
Elite
Standard in the Elite is Hyundai SmartSense, along with 17-inch alloy wheels, leather-appointed interior, 4.2-inch instrument display, dual-zone climate control, electronic park brake, one-touch auto up/down windows, dual mounting heights for the luggage floor, smart key and push-button start, and wireless charging. Beige trim and a panoramic glass sunroof are optional.
Premium
At the top of the Comfort line, the Premium follows the SR Premium’s lead with front park assist, LED headlights and front indicators, a panoramic glass sunroof, satin chrome side mouldings, solar control glass, heated and air ventilated front seats, powered driver’s seat, one-touch auto up/down windows, electro-chromatic interior mirror, luggage power outlet, and sun visor extensions.
All models feature a MacPherson strut suspension design at the front, while the Active and Comfort-line models (Elite, Premium) get a torsion beam at the rear.
The SR models get 305x25mm ventilated front brake discs, while the other variants get 280x23mm ventilated front discs. All get 262x10mm solid rear discs.
All variants, in all configurations, list braked towing capacity of 1300kg, unbraked at 600kg, with a maximum towball weight of 75kg.
As with its predecessor and other Hyundai models, the new i30 benefits from an extensive Australian suspension tuning program to suit our wildly varied road types and local preferences (based on market feedback).
As a point of comparison, using the Volkswagen Golf 7, the i30 is longer by 85mm, narrower by 5mm, higher by 3mm and comes with a 13mm longer wheelbase. It also trumps the Golf on cargo capacity, measuring in at 395 litres, some 15 litres more than the Golf.
“We are immensely proud of the work our engineers and designers have done to create this car,” JW Lee said.
“Through outstanding customer support, Hyundai will enhance the new i30’s ownership proposition even further, with a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty, 10-year free map update plan for the satellite navigation system, a superb-value Lifetime Service Plan and outstanding roadside support.
“We feel confident this car will compete well with the best in the class and will appeal strongly to all Australian small car buyers.”
The new i30 makes its Australian media debut in early May. Watch for our first local drive review then, and catch our earlier Korean drive review here.
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