ROADTEST HYUNDAI i40 TOURER 1.7-LITRE CRDI:THE ADVANCE of Korean brands continues apace here. There are LG screens in many lrish homes and Kias and Hyundais on the driveways. For Hyundai, its Santa Fe, Accent and Coupé models set the pace initially, but as its portfolio has increased to cater for consumer tastes, so too has acceptance that it is something more than a cheaper alternative to established brands.
With this new family car, Hyundai is hoping to show its maturity. It has come of age and is ready to challenge the big-name European and Japanese brands in this lucrative market.
This is not Hyundai’s first foray into this segment. Some may recall the Sonata, a well-priced saloon, which got lost in the crowd. As such rivals as the VW Passat, Ford Mondeo and Toyota Avensis strove to offer a more premium experience, the gap between these and the Sonata widened.
At the time, the Koreans were reckoned by some to be a decade away from offering any real threat to the established brands. You could see Santa Fes sharing driveways with BMWs in the leafy suburbs, for example, but that model was the anomaly for a brand more commonly associated with price-conscious purchasing.
That was, at most, five years ago. Today its models that carry the “i” in their name represent a viable alternative to any other mainstream model on the market.
The i40 is pitched at Avensis owners and Hyundai is explicitly aiming to win them over. That’s a massive challenge for any brand, given the dominance of Toyota in the Irish market and the customer loyalty it carries.
This car, therefore, needs to be really impressive.
The first impression is good. In the time we have spent with the car all the public reaction has been positive. We’ve had men – it’s been only men – turn and stare to get a better look at the car. We have been stopped in a car park by a Santa Fe owner eager to see the bootspace at first hand. There’s a positive vibe about this car.
The styling is smart and contemporary. It doesn’t aim to be a trendsetter, nor does it radically redefine the family car look.
Opel’s Insignia remains the best-looking car in this class, followed by the Ford Mondeo, but the i40 is close.
The front nose seems a little shorter than you would expect in this class, but otherwise all the boxes are ticked. There’s nothing offensive in any millimetre of its metal – though there is nothing sparklingly original either.
In this Tourer, or estate, guise it has a smart, sleek profile that will win favour on the continent, where this format is more popular than the old-school saloon.
The interior is a massive leap forward for the brand. It has smart, supple switchgear and a fit and finish equal to its rivals.
Two specifications are on offer and in our test car, the higher of the two, we had a reversing camera screen that appears in the lefthand corner of the rearview mirror once you engage reverse.
This technology is not new. We first encountered it on the Kia Soul three years ago. Yet it’s surprising how few of its rivals have replicated what is a very intuitive screen position. That’s perhaps symbolic of the i40’s position. There’s little that is revolutionary or industry benchmark about the car; it simply offers something that equals anything its rivals have to offer.
The 1.7-litre diesel powertrain is smooth and currently falls into band A for motor tax, making it particularly attractive for the corporate market. It kicks out enough torque to comfortably power it along and, while it isn’t the most powerful engine in its class for this money, the spread of power is refined. You do find yourself slipping down a gear on more challenging roads to work the engine, but it’s perfectly smooth on motorway stretches.
If the i40 suffers from anything it is that it lacks a big-ticket innovation. Its efforts have focused on pushing the brand up to join the cars at the head of the class, but you have to wonder why they couldn’t have pushed on a little further and taken the lead in some area.
For example, at one stage the i40 was due to have adaptive sports suspension that could be switched on via a button on the dashboard. In the end Hyundai opted to offer the car with just one suspension setting. Perhaps we will see it when a mid-life facelift is carried out in four or five years.
That’s not to suggest the ride is inferior. It’s tuned for comfort but retains enough sharpness to cater for European tastes. It’s perhaps not as dynamic as the Mondeo or the Opel, but it will satisfy all but the most sports-minded in the family car market. Steering feel, particularly at lower speeds around town, is light and smooth.
Rear seat legroom is ample for three sprouting teenagers, while this estate version offers up to 1,719 litres in the bootspace with the rear seats down.
Of its rivals, we’d still lean towards the Ford Mondeo for its better handling but sitting behind the wheel of the i40 is arguably a more premium feel.
This car has shot the Hyundai brand right up to the front ranks with the long-established leaders in this segment. That’s an incredible leap that will not only bear fruit in family car sales but also in the brand’s overall perception across the market. Gone are the days when the Koreans were regarded as the discount deal in motoring terms. It might not be ready to revolutionise the market, but it’s matching the leading rivals in what they offer.
In order to lure established buyers into a test drive, the firm offers the reassurance of a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. It’s part of Hyundai’s Triple Care Assist, which includes five-year roadside assist breakdown cover and five annual “health checks” on the car. The warranty is a bumper-to-bumper affair including powertrain so it’s one of the best in the business, up there with the seven-year, 150,000km offer from sister brand Kia.
The pricing appeal and the warranty offer, along with its low emissions, are certain to make this car a winner. Of the two specifications on offer, given the host of added gadgets and comfort features that come with the executive level, it seems like a no-brainer to spend the extra €1,500 for all the added extras.
The i40 is certain to be a hit with family car buyers and rightly so. Starting at €24,995 it’s got a price advantage over the competition but there’s no element of the car that feels discount or below par. The entire package suggests that the Avensis has a serious rival on its hands, and that also-rans, such as the Insignia and Renault Laguna, can expect to drop further down the sales charts as the i40 joins the top ranks.
Factfile
Engine1,685cc putting out 115bhp at 4,000rpm and 260Nm of torque at 1,250rpm
L/100km (mpg)4.3 (65.7)
Emissions(motor tax) 113g/km (€104)
0-100km/h12.9 secs
Bootspace553-1,719 litres
SpecificationStandard features include: nine airbags; idle Stop/Start system; electric stability control; hill assist control; brake assist; electronic parking brake; remote central locking; ABS; manual air-con; leather multifunction steering wheel; tinted glass; front and rear electric windows; 16-inch steel wheels. Extras on executive (€1,500 more) include: integrated rearview camera in rearview mirror; electric powered driver's seat; auto air-con; cruise control with speed limiter; rain sensors for wipers; 16inch alloys; i40 kick plates on door.
Price€26,495 for executive version