Minesh Bhagaloo of our sister publication Star Motoring just got back from the South African launch of the second-generation Hyundai i30 in the Western Cape.
We asked him for his impressions:
“I got to try the 1.8-litre and 1.6-litre auto at the launch, and was left with an impression of quality build and good looks but sterile performance. Hyundai needs to take its cue from the Germans and move into smaller, force-fed engines that are both green and punchy.
“Even at sea level the 1.8-litre felt a little sluggish up the passes, needing more stirring of the box than you'd expect from that kind of cubic capacity.
“The auto box in the 1.6-litre does it no favours, and tends to highlight the sluggish nature of this smaller engine. It's a geriatric of a gearbox, and when you punch the accelerator it either goes “Who, me?” or jumps around through the gears in a flat panic.
“Again, Hyundai, a cue from the Germans - get some dual-clutch gearbox technology on order here.”
“Other than that the new i30 feels good to drive. When pushed the nose feels a bit light but I like the tweaks to the steering, and the gearbox is butter-smooth to use. It also felt quite spacious, and according to Hyundai is roomier all round.
“Inside there's a definite premium feel to the cabin, with the high-res screen between the dials not only offering the usual information but also a cool graphic of the car.
“And I'm not sure if many will appreciate this, but there must be a department in the carmaker's head office dedicated to little jingles. Switch the engine off and you get a little melody, forget to take the key out, another little melody - could get annoying to live with but I liked it.”
Read the whole story in Star Motoring on Thursday.