Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite 2009 long term car review

AA's Motoring Excellence Awards Supreme winner

The Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite was crowned the supreme winner of the 2009 AA Motoring Excellence Awards and also collected the Compact class award. The AA Motoring Excellence Awards have become the most prestigious awards to win within the New Zealand new car industry.

So just how good is the Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite and does it measure up in the eyes of the general public? With the generous support from Hyundai NZ we've secured a new i30 diesel elite for three months. Six AA employees will be putting the Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite to the ultimate test by driving it for a two week period each in their normal day-to-day environment.

They've been selected to represent a cross section of motorists from a car-mad senior manager, currently driving an Audi to a younger staff member driving an old Japanese import.

Each week the drivers will report on their experiences, good or bad, with the car. Follow their journey and find out if living with the Hyundai i30 diesel elite delivers on expectations.

Phil Clark - Online Manager

Week 10 29 - 6 July

So, having put a decent amount of time and mileage into the i30, I can honestly say the Hyundai got a thorough test. During our time together we shared many roads of all types and conditions, from motorways to unsealed gravel tracks, in all weathers too.

Our partnership saw regular commutes in Auckland traffic, loading up and taking the family away, going shopping and even popping round the corner for a takeaway. In fact the only thing we didn't do was tow a boat or caravan, on account of the lack of tow bar.

Through all this, and like many a new car these days, the i30 undertook this comfortably and without a hiccup. There was no fuss or pain involved, but there wasn't much of a grin factor either. Mind you, my bank manager would've smiled at the miserly but impressive 6.6L/100km we saw during combined driving.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a criticism specific to the Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite. Many new cars I've driven succeed in removing you from virtually all of the driving experience. For those that can recall, this was often delivered and felt through the chassis, braking and steering, and possibly even the seat of your pants.

This was the missing but vital component that would've 'completed' the car in my view. All the boxes got ticked in other areas and I can see why it received top honours from the AA Motoring Excellence Awards judges this year. It's a very good car and a landmark one for Hyundai, but with a bit more 'feel' it could be a great car. Perhaps Hyundai were focusing on the Genesis Coupe, a car which I can't wait to drive.

So in summary, a very attractive, competent and well featured small/medium family car, offering great levels of economy with a small amount of diesel noise. If you're shopping around don't forget to factor in Road User Charges when comparing running costs against similarly priced petrol models from competitors.

p.s. Hyundai, if you are listening, congratulations for supplying a complete set of fully lit steering controls. You can't imagine how many competitors products have unlit controls that you struggle with at night. Also, one small night-time usability tip for future, please make the gear selector indicate the one selected, as this avoids a bit of unwanted lever shuffle.

Week nine 22 - 28 June

Reading my colleagues reviews below you will discover the Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite is a rather accomplished, capable, but somewhat cheeky car, given its pricing. You've all seen the TV Ads too, the cute nappy clad baby driving the car around

This cuteness as well as the moniker i-30 are no co-incidence however, with the model clearly aimed at thirty-something's with a view to kids. So, being forty myself or 'i40' so to speak, will the i30 appeal to me

When spending around $39k on a small/medium automatic diesel car, the competition is somewhat limited and eclectic. For example the 6 speed auto Peugeot 308 HDi - FAP, the Citroen C4 SX HDi, the Holden Astra CDTi Hatch and at a stretch the 6 speed DSG Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI all being opponents on price. To be directly comparable however I suspect further cash would be required on the competitor's options list, thereby possibly removing them from contention.

If you look at the makes/models listed above it's apparent that I wouldn't be able to consider a Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 or Ford Focus, due to the auto/diesel combo. This is a bit of an eye opener but quite possibly a deliberate pricing strategy by Hyundai.

I will provide my own insights on the Hyundai i30 next week, but for now consider this. Ten years ago most people would have laughed at the idea of a Hyundai winning any motoring award, but in fact ten years ago Hyundai made the right move. They decided to invest heavily in quality, design, manufacturing and long term research programmes, and you know what, it's certainly showing up in their products.

Sarah Campbell -  Business Improvement Manager, Technical Services

Week eight 15 - 21 June

During my last week with the Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite I had the opportunity to drive it across windy roads so I gained an appreciation how well this car handles. Plus the weather gave me the chance to test the rain sensing windscreen wipers. This is a great feature that I used a lot; the same applies to the auto lights.

I also mastered the air settings. Unfortunately they revert back to the default setting each time you start the car or when you change the 'mode'. I wasn't keen on this but once I realised why my settings were not the same each time it was not an issue.

At night I find the centre console light reflected into the wind screen which I found bit off putting. However the centre console is functional and easy to use. The instruments are very well presented, clear and crisp, easy to read at a glance and well positioned and angled.

I found the heater does take a good 10mins to heat the car on a frosty morning.

The leather interior is classy without being over the top. More importantly the seats are well designed. My passengers thought the seats were extremely comfortable front and back with plenty of leg room for the rear passengers.

I wondered if I would remain impressed with the interior space once the novelty had worn off and I became used to driving it during my two weeks. The answer is yes. The only time you realise you're driving a compact car is when you're parking and refuelling it.

This car is full of detailed gadgets and little surprises for the most discerning motorist who requires all the latest and greatest features. However, for me the diesel engine combined with the well propertied wheel base leading to great handling are the best features this car has to offer.

Overall I found the Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite very easy to drive and quiet on all road types. To sum this car up I would say the Hyundai i30 provides everything you will find in a larger car presented in a compact well designed package offering an economical and fuel efficient alternative.

Week seven 8 -14 June

I was involved in the AA Motoring Excellence Awards, and wondered how the compact Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite impressed the judges enough to take away the Supreme Winner Award, especially given the impressive line up of vehicles present. I couldn't believe my luck when I was given the opportunity to drive the Hyundai i30 so I could find out what made this car so special first-hand.

They say 'first impressions are lasting impressions'. When I got into the Hyundai i30 for the first time I couldn't believe the space inside. I continue to be impressed the room in the cabin each time I get into the car, this is definitely not a 'claustrophobic smaller car' on the inside!

Forget your preconceived ideas regarding diesel engines. The torque this vehicle displays is surprising and makes it a delight to drive around town and on the open road.

The power to weight ratio is well balanced to gives the feeling of a solid car which sits safely and squarely on the road with enough power to get up the steepest of hills.

The well proportioned wheel base gives a good solid feel without transferring the weight through to the steering, which is firm and responsive. I did find the turning circle wasn't as tight as I expected, however once I knew what the range was, this wasn't an issue.

I noticed some engine noise when the car was idling or taking off in a low gear, however it's not very loud and is more of a engine 'ticking over' sound. To be honest, I liked it. It reminded me there was a gutsy engine waiting to respond when I needed it.

If you're after a car with a smooth transmission, this car certainly delivers. The transmission is a dream.

The Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite safety features deserve a mention. The superbly designed exterior mirrors 'on steroids' are the best I have ever seen or used. The super sized front windscreen is very well angled to give a good range of vision. I am a huge fan of the electro-chromatic rear view mirror which 'dips' automatically when you are followed by a vehicle with badly adjusted headlights.

This car is packed with all the extras you would expect in a new car, but Hyundai have kept everything simple. When you get into some new cars, the features are so complex you can't work out how to use them and sometimes even finding them is a mission.

This car makes everything very simple to use offering a range of features for you to enjoy. I love this point of difference. Just look at the easy to adjust back seats which give you all the room and space of a hatchback.

I averaged 7.7L/100kms around town and over all I averaged 7.3L/100kms for a total of 309 kms for the week.

I am looking forward driving this car for the second week

Cameron Lawrence -  Service Delivery Manager for AA Driver Training

Week six 29 May - 4 June

I had a busy second week with the Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite and discovered more great features.

The side mirrors automatically de-mist! On a cold frosty morning I noticed the side mirrors had steam rising from them. I found they were warm to the touch so figured they had internal heating. Also the windscreen wipers go faster as the rain gets heavier. The windscreen has sensors that detect the amount of rain, and automatically adjust the wiper speed setting.

I also discovered the Hyundai i30 fantastic reversing sensors when I was locked in an awkward parking position. My girlfriend was outside the car giving directions on how close I was to the expensive car behind me. I noticed the sensor's slow beeping was an almost direct match to the 'keep backing wave' my girlfriend was giving me and the warning beep came just before she signalled for me to stop.

For a compact car it's incredibly roomy inside. We fitted three adults comfortably in the backseat, and all their stuff fitted easily in the boot. It even has a net in the boot, which I used to stop bottles of wine rolling around.

With the car loaded up we headed off Huia in the evening. Driving to Huia at night can be a real challenge as the roads are windy, pitch black, and there's little street lighting. However the Hyundai made the drive easier by gliding through the turns. The vision through the large windows was great, and the rear-view mirror seemed to tint when vehicles are behind you at night, which reduced the headlight glare.

It's also cheap to run. I did a lot of driving and the fuel economy sat anywhere from 7.2L/100km to 7.7L/100km. I found the fuel economy went up when driving around the city. During my trip from Auckland to Lake Rotoiti and back again I only used $43 worth of diesel and there is still just under a ¼ of the tank remaining.

A trip to Lake Rotoiti for the weekend was my last opportunity to get the Hyundai i30 on the open road. The drive down was fantastic, with little traffic on the road, but the car had enough power to safely overtake on the passing lanes when required. The Hyundai handled the windy roads around the lake with ease, and I felt incredibly safe even as the fog started to descend. The interior lights made it easy to read the directions to the Bach where we were staying. When we arrived the owner greeted us enthusiastically but seemed to be more interested in the car!

The return leg on Sunday we hit frustratingly slow traffic. When we finally hit the Expressway, and it was a pleasure to set the Cruise Control to 100km and relax all the way to Auckland. This part of the trip confirmed how comfortable the ergonomics of the vehicle are, even for someone as tall as me.

I can't actually say there are too many things I don't like. The ipod issue still frustrates me, and the heater does take a little while to warm up but all-in-all, it is a great car and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a new car.

Week five 23 - 28 May

I bumped into some friends on the weekend, as I arrived home with the new Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite. "New car Cam?" one of them asked.

After explaining it was the Supreme winner of the AA Motoring Excellence Awards, and I had it for a couple of weeks to evaluate as a part of the AA's long-term test programme, she smiled and said "It seemed like a radical change of image for you, trading out of your old Toyota Sprinter."

Transitioning from an old car to a new one has been great. It's amazing what you learn to live with, but I am now wondering how I'll ever be able to go back, when I return the car. Things such as fogged-up windows, temperamental heaters and damp boots are all long forgotten for now.

I know the first thing I should have done when I got the keys, was check the tyres, mirrors etc, but I wanted to plug in the ipod and check out the stereo. It's cool that the playlists are displayed on the console, but annoying that I have to scroll through all my albums, as I am used to going straight to the letter on the ipod Touch. The whole panel does look amazing though, just simple, classy and uncluttered.

My first couple of days were just spent on the short commute from my home in Grey Lynn to work in the City. Quite frustrating really when I had heard people in the office talking about torque this and torque that, I just wanted to get it on the open road.

My chance came last Saturday when I took the car on a road trip to Miranda via Maretai, Clevedon and Kaiaua. The car was great to drive.

My first impression was that it did not have as much power as I had expected, but I have since learnt how to drive the car better and make it respond to what I wanted it to do. Being a diesel, the power is evident at low rpm, and there's no need use high revs to get the best from the engine.

It was so easy to handle, making it a great drive for the road trip.

I'm looking forward to another week. I have an even longer trip planned and can't wait to get the i30 on the road again.

Trudy Evans - AA Online Web Editor

Week four 14 - 21 May

• During my final week with the Hyundai i30 I noticed more great features:
• The petrol cap is attached to the petrol flap
• Mirrors on the passenger and driver sun visors with a small light above
• The seatbelt is adjustable for the vertically challenged
• Radio controls on the steering wheel makes it safe to change the volume and/or station while driving
• Cup holders in the arm rest in the back seat
• The back seats fold out of the way so when the seat backs are folded down a large flat area is created
• An extra 'plug in' for phone charger etc next to cigarette lighter
• You can unlock the boot on the remote control key
• The owner's manual is well laid out and easy to read
• The wing mirrors allow you to see a massive amount of road behind you
• Automatic fuel economy calculation display on the dash

What would make it better?

* Make the wing mirrors retractable from inside the car

* Make the headrest easier to adjust and/or better for short people

Summary

I don't take my car to work so I mainly drove the Hyundai i30 in the evenings and weekends i.e. sports, shopping etc. I did 336 kms, used ½ a tank of diesel which cost $20 to refill. The fuel economy reading was at 7.4l/100km.

Prior to driving the Hyundai i30 I'd had no experience with a new car, a Hyundai or a diesel. I have really enjoyed the Hyundai i30 and would seriously consider buying one once they hit the second hand market. I am impressed by how much safer new cars feel to older cars and how comfortable they are to drive.

However I am most impressed by the diesel engine. It has more power and control than a petrol engine, has better economy, is cheaper to fill and the exhaust fumes are not as strong as petrol. I am now very interested in getting a diesel when the time comes to replace my old station wagon.

Week three 6 - 13 May

Since I drive an old car having the Hyundai i30 Elite for 2 weeks is a opportunity to experience the features of a new car as well as finding out about the car itself.

There are heaps of cool things about i30 however since I have no 'new car' experience I'm not sure whether 'the cool things' are typical to a new car or unique to the Hyundai i30 - but here goes!

• Having driven for a week I am impressed by
• How safe the car feels. There are lots of modern safety features as well as a solid structure
• How well it sits on the road, feels anchored when cornering and 'grips' the road as your speed increases
• The great stereo with good bass and a USB port in the console for MP3 players
• How nice the leather seats are
• The amount of leg room for my 6'2" husband in the passenger seat
• The head lights switching on and off automatically
• How nice it is to drive on the motorway and open road
•  How it means business when you put your foot down and zips along comfortably
• The way it maintains a consistent speed without having to constantly adjust the accelerator
• The size of the boot - I loaded up a large chilly bin, small chilly bin and several bags with space to spare and the security boot cover didn't need to be removed
• The temperature controlled heater keeps the cabin at a nice temperature without getting stuffy
• How there's no engine noise inside the cabin
• How nice it looks from all angles - its stylish without being flashy
• How I could simply get in and drive without fiddling around trying to figure out how things worked
• Great fuel economy

I am not impressed by:

• The notched gear lever arrangement. I didn't like it at first but am getting used to it. I would never use the gear options as I prefer to drive an automatic
• The bonnet slopes away quite sharply and is much shorter than I am used to so I had trouble judging how close I was to things when parking. However this is something I am getting used to as the week progressed
• To start with I found the remote controlled key fiddly to use at night as I couldn't see the buttons and kept popping the boot! Again I have figured this out during the past week
• The heater seems to take a while to get up to temperature
• The headrest is really annoying. Unfortunately when I have the seat in the correct position the headrest pushes my head forward. My husband had no problems so maybe it's only an issue for short people

David McLister - CEO of AA Financial Services & General Manager of AA Driver and Vehicle Licensing

Week two - 29 April - 6 May

My time with the amazing Hyundai i-30 Diesel Elite has come to an end and I'm genuinely disappointed to hand the car over to my colleague, Trudy Evans.

At the end of my two weeks I still find the Hyundai i-30 exciting! It's great to drive, easy to manoeuvre in car parks and is very peppy. The mirrors provide great visibility, possibly the best I have ever experienced. The ride is very comfortable and at all times I felt totally in touch with the car and where it was on the road.

The second week saw me "stranded' within the greater Auckland area with no opportunity for good highway driving, something I found the i-30 excelled at. My trips consisted mostly of 8km trips from home to the city and fuel consumption averaged 9.1 per day which is a good result.

What do I think could be improved? Dual Air is the only "must have" and electric seats would be a nice addition. However with all the Elite model brings to enhance the driving experience, this is one very well appointed car.

I have really enjoyed my time with the Hyundai i-30 Diesel Elite and could easily have it in my garage as a permanent addition. I also have a better understanding of why it won the AA Motoring Excellence Awards 2009 Supreme Car of the Year Award. It's a definite 'must look at' for anyone buying a car in this segment of the market.

Week one - 22 - 28 April

My first impression when introduced to the AA Motoring Excellence Awards 2009 'Car of the Year' was WOW! It's magnificent in red, and the alloys are the nicest I've seen for some time. I was keen to experience the Hyundai i-30 for two weeks and couldn't wait to get it home and wash it!

Bizarre I know but I am a firm believer in discovering the nuances of a car's body shape and detailing by washing it. Plus it's a great way to gain an appreciation of things such as light assembly design, bumper and driving light design etc.

The first thing I noticed was the diesel engine noise outside the car. However once the doors are closed, I'd bet 90% of drivers wouldn't be able to tell whether they were driving a petrol or diesel. The second thing I noticed was how quick it is from a standing start i.e. at the lights. I don't mean flooring the pedal when the lights turn green. I'm mean a normal take off. The car was so responsive, I was rarely beaten by another vehicle over the first 4 or 5 car lengths.

I averaged 7.7km of Auckland city running in the first few days so I was looking forward to making the trek to Taupo on friday night. The journey started slowly as we headed south, we reached the speed limit at around Ohiniwai and the car felt great. The steering is an absolute delight and apart from rough bitumen chip surfaces, it has a very quiet cabin.

The outside mirrors are amongst the best I've ever used. They're big and exactly where they should be to see what's going on behind you. The leather seats are very comfortable and the automatic wipers and auto lights did their jobs as required. The blue lights on the dials and dashboard are very soothing. All controls are within easy reach although I have to admit during the first few days I kept changing radio stations when trying to adjust the volume on the radio!

It has a delightfully smooth power curve. When building up speed the gear changes are barely noticeable. Even though the turbo must have been cutting in and out I couldn't feel it. The noise level was only evident in the 2500 to 3000 range as the motor started to work then it went back to an acceptable noise level.

How much room is there on the inside? Two sets of golf clubs, with the drivers missing, fitted easily in the boot. The rear seats fold down easily to create a huge area which is amazing for a small vehicle.

Arriving back from Taupo the car showed 986km and fuel economy of 6.7l/100km. The tank was full at 350km so the I am sure the fuel light is due to come on soon!

This is a fine vehicle and I am looking forward to week two.

P.S. I have washed it twice and now fully appreciated the styling. It is a very well designed car.