Hyundai i30 review

Hyundai is good at ergonomics, and the dashboard of the i30 is laid out with the rationality that permeates through the whole car (physical climate controls? You bet). Ergo, it’s also slightly plain, even with the “more refined and modern air vents” brought by 2020’s update.

Some of the materials sit a few rungs below what’s on offer at VW, but it feels well screwed together and it’s a very comfortable place to sit. While the engines are almost inaudible at a 70mph cruise, there’s a bit of wind and road noise, but it’s among the best cars in class for keeping such hubbub at bay.

The top-spec 10.25-inch infotainment system gets a thoughtful user interface and crisp graphics. There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto link ups available, and you can wirelessly charge your phone, too. It’s hooked up to a seven-inch display in the instrument cluster, flanked by a physical rev counter and fuel/temperature gauge. But this is not a full-on Audi-style “Virtual Cockpit” and it’s not very configurable.

Spend decent money on a ‘Premium’ spec car and you get lots of grown up stuff inside: heated seats, heated steering wheel, a many-way adjustable electric driver’s seat and so-on. When it comes to feeling like a premium product, though, the i30 is not as successful as the Golf (sorry to keep mentioning it, but it’s ubiquitous for a reason).