Hyundai i30 SR– Putting a smile on your face

– By Rod Fuller – 

I drove the new i30 in its Active guise last year, just as Hyundai won the latest J.D. Power Australia Sales Satisfaction Index which confirmed Hyundai had the ‘happiest’ new car customers in Australia. I was pretty happy driving that i30, until now.

I’ve now drove the i30 SR and found the fun I had been missing out on. For a bit more coin, you’ll get a lot more kit; that will put a whole lot bigger smile on your dial.

The i30 SR just looks the business without going over the top with giant wings and deep dish spoilers. 18” charcoal grey alloys riding on 225/40R18 Hankook tyres fill the guards nicely. Dual exhausts and an aggressive grille design give a hint of the cars sporty intentions.

Slip behind the wheel and you’ll see more niceties that your extra coin has scored you. Leather seats (with red stitching and seat belts), red trim highlights, paddle shifters (DCT only) and alloy pedals. Nice.

Hit the start button and the 150kW and 265Nm 1.6lt turbo coming bursts into life. It may sound a little mild mannered at first, but you will feel your smile growing as you accelerate away. The engine is lively and responsive delivering its power well via the seven speed DCT transmission, providing a sporty drive experience.

Driving the i30 SR is always comfortable, either in the city stop start or cruising down the highway. The clever guys and gals at Hyundai Australia have done a great job finessing the suspension tune of each i30 model to suit our road conditions, especially so on the i30 SR. Push harder on a windy road and you will see what I mean. Your smile will be getting even bigger as its well-balanced chassis and sharp and precise steering, give you good feedback and the confidence to place the car where you want.

All the controls and infotainment systems carry on from the lower spec models but get better. Dual zone climate control, Apple Car Play with a wireless charging pad. Rain sensing wipers and smart key with push button start. It also has the best DAB radio I have found on the market. The i30 SR is very well equipped.

Two 12V and one USB are provided in the front, while rear seat passengers (whilst enjoying a surprising amount of head and leg room) won’t be charging their phone, with no USB or 12V provided in the back. A 12V is provided in the boot as well but only on SR Premium models. Boot space is generous (395lt) and extra underfloor storage is provided, but at the expense of a full size spare.

Safety is up-spec’d as well with Hyundai’s Smart Sense system, which includes:-

• Autonomous Emergency Braking
• Forward collision warning
• Lane change and keeping assist
• Blind spot detection
• Rear cross traffic alert
• Adaptive cruise control.

The i30 SR certainly is the ‘pick of the litter’ of the i30 models, offering a sporty or ‘heated if not quite hot’ hatch drive experience. (Hyundai’s tilt at the ‘HOT’ hatch title will come later in the year with the i30 N) The i30 SR is keenly priced at around $30K drive-away.

Looking at novating a small car? The i30 SR is sure to put a great big smile on your face every time you drive it.

What does it look like as a Novated Lease?

This data is from the 2018 Novated Leasing Guide produced by Fleet Auto News.