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Hyundai i30 Series II SR Premium Auto Quick Review

Australians can’t get enough of the Hyundai i30, which snared the title of Australia’s bestselling car in March, April, May and June 2016. So there wasn’t too much to finesse when it came to the Series II SR range.

Hyundai i30
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TELL ME ABOUT THIS CAR

The Hyundai i30 SR Premium adds some sporty spark to the popular hatch. The 2.0-litre engine coupled with 17 inch alloy wheels and locally-tuned suspension provides perky performance for an admittedly expensive price range ($31,250 for the manual and $33,550 for the auto).

STRENGTHS

  • The suspension, fine-tuned in Australia, is impressive. The SR Premium cruises over speed bumps and road lumps without much fuss.
  • The SR Premium is a smart city car, accelerating smoothly and weaving in and out of traffic with ease.
  • Its compact dimensions make it a breeze to park during school drop-off mayhem, and reversing is a synch with its colour rear view camera displayed in the 7-inch touchscreen at the centre of the dashboard.
  • Other functions controlled via the 7-inch touchscreen such as the satellite navigation system and Bluetooth/iPod/USB connectivity, even the quaint CD player, are intuitive and easy to use.
  • The front bucket seats are sporty yet supportive. The side bolstering keeps butts planted when cornering. The electrically adjusted driver’s pew means you can get your position spot on. It’s a welcome luxury having heated front seats.
  • The boot has modest capacity for hatchback of 378 litres capacity which extends to 1,316 litres when the rear seats are folded.
  • The panoramic roof really adds to the interior ambience. It comes standard with the SR Premium but can be added to the SR for $2000.
  • Hyundai’s five-year unlimited kilometre warranty is generous.

WEAKNESSES

  • The SR Premium will be replaced with the 2017 edition sometime next year. Negotiate hard for a bargain on this year’s model.
  • The SR Premium feels floaty on the freeway.
  • The black and red leather interior is a classy touch. Until it’s revealed “leather finishes” may contain traces of polyurethane leather/ leather substitute/ pleather. A little disappointing.
  • The i30 SR Premium is like the Tardis - small on the outside but surprisingly roomy on the inside. Calling it a “five seater” is a stretch though. The middle rear seat is not adult friendly.
  • The gear lever feels cheap. Why make the effort to have a chunky, easy-to-grip, leather encased, adjustable steering wheel yet let the interior down with a plasticky shift?
  • Adjusting the instrument backlight proved tricky.

ANY RIVALS I SHOULD CONSIDER?

There is a reason the i30 was the number one selling car in the country for four consecutive months earlier this year. It’s a terrific little car. A main contender to the SR is the Mazda 3 SP25 which has a bigger 2.5-litre engine and a cheaper price tag. Also worth a look are the Holden Cruze SRi-V, Ford Focus and Kia Cerato Si.

Elise Elliott

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