Hyundai i30 Tourer estate (2017 - ) review

Small estate cars are something of a niche proposition these days, given most family buyers needing the space will naturally opt for trendier crossovers or SUVs. And you can understand why, especially considering a more fashionable looking Hyundai Kona sold in the same dealership and with the equivalent engine and trim is nearly a thousand pounds cheaper by its list price. Day-to-day running costs are likely to be broadly similar too and you’d expect the Kona to be more desirable when you come to sell it too, all of which will help your monthly cost if you’re financing. The i30 Touring is, at least, cheaper when compared with like-for-like rivals like the Ford Focus Estate. In terms of fuel consumption and CO2 there are no stand-out models in the range, though the diesel will be the better bet if you’re likely to be doing lots of motorway miles.

Hyundai has an excellent reputation for reliability and robust construction and ranks highly in the respected JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study, even if it’s slipped a couple of places from the top spot it occupied in 2018. That’s nothing too serious to worry about and we can see why the i30 Tourer should stray from this excellent track record. The Warranty Direct Reliability Index looks further back and here Hyundai is still a strong performer and comfortably in the top third of all manufacturers. Five years of roadside assistance and vehicle health checks are included with the standard, fully transferable, unlimited-mileage warranty.

The i30 Tourer should mirror the performance of the hatchback on safety, and that car has been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP crash test score. Its active safety elements include six airbags, Hill-Start Assist, electronic vehicle stability management and brake lights which flash during an emergency stop. The i30 also comes with Autonomous Emergency Braking, Driver Attention Alert and Lane Keep Assist.

When driving through a set of corners, the i30 feels considerably heavier than it is. There’s a fair amount of body roll, and when the weight of the car pitches onto the outside wheels, it produces quite a bit of tyre noise. The heavier the engine fitted to your i30, the slower its reactions, and this explains why the hefty diesel-engined car feels rather sluggish, while the lightweight 1.0-litre, three-cylinder car is the nicest to drive. Regardless of powertrain, though, the i30’s comfort really comes into its own on long motorway journeys. Unfortunately, it’s not as quiet as it is comfortable, with plenty of road- and wind-noise finding their way into the cabin at 70mph. Any estate car – even a small one like the i30 – is all about boot space, and the Hyundai does a really solid job. It can’t match the cavernous Peugeot 308SW for outright capacity, but it has the measure of pretty much every other rival, and you’ll also find various underfloor cubbies to stash odds and ends in. Fold the rear seats to boost capacity to its maximum, and the backrests sit nice and flush, leaving you with a flat, level load area. There’s a decent amount of room for passengers inside the i30, too, and it comfortably matches the vast majority of its rivals for interior space. A heated windscreen is also standard on every i30, which is an absolute godsend on frosty mornings; helping you to stay snug inside while your neighbours are dancing around in the cold with the ice scraper.

All but the base model get an 8.0-inch touch-screen with voice-activated Bluetooth connectivity and full smartphone integration, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This makes up for the lack of built-in navigation on the lower-spec models as you can just use your apps instead. DAB, basic Bluetooth connectivity, a single USB charging port, phone and audio controls on the steering wheel, automatic headlights and power adjustable mirrors are standard on all models. The interior of the i30 is more functional than flashy, but that’s no bad thing. The materials used are mostly high-quality, apart from a few scratchy plastics lower down and on the doors. It might not be quite up to the same standard as the Volkswagen Golf or Audi A3, but it’s also better than other rivals.

The engine range for the i30 Tourer is simple, with two petrols and a single diesel. The smaller petrol engine – a 1.0-litre, turbocharged, three-cylinder shared with the i20 – is only available with the six-speed manual gearbox but is the sweet spot of the range. It’s willing and eager in most driving conditions, though it can feel a wee bit short of puff on longer inclines, especially when loaded with kids and clobber for a family day out as you might with an estate car. If that’s going to be a problem the 1.4-litre petrol has a lot more go, though it can get a bit noisy at high revs. This is less of a problem if you have it with the seven-speed automatic, which shifts up early to maintain refinement. This sometimes leaves you stranded in too high a gear, though, which can be a problem if you need to nip into a gap suddenly. The diesel is available with manual or automatic gearboxes and has good economy and low CO2 emissions. It’s a steady, refined performer and best suited to those racking up bigger mileages.