New Hyundai I30 Fastback: Elegant And Familiar

The new Hyundai i30 Fastback is one of the most risky bets of the Korean brand. Inventing a new sedan in full flight this type of bodywork is a gesture of self-confidence, and that shows in the end result: one of the most attractive compact sedans of the moment.

Exterior design of the new Hyundai i30 Fastback

The success of a vehicle starts from a compelling aesthetic, and this new Hyundai i30 Fastback more than delivers in this regard. The first impression that the car transmits is very pleasant, even sporty brushstrokes can be seen in its lines.

Even the B-pillar differs little from the five-door i30, and it is from there that the curvature of the roof changes to give it a coupe air. The front stands out for the huge hexagon-shaped grille that all the brand’s models wear, with a specific bumper for this model.

Unlike what happens with other sedans from compacts, the rear is well integrated with the rest of the car. Thanks, in part, to that coupe silhouette, with a very progressive drop of the roof and the rear window.

The rear is the most striking area, with elongated and sloping pilots to maximize the sporty look. It is the most beautiful body of the model, it seems that it comes from a large coupe to which rear doors have been included.

Interior design and habitability

The dashboard of the new Hyundai i30 Fastback is another of its attractions. It is exactly the same as in the compact model, so it has a very modern image and a manufacturing quality at the level of the best.

The multifunction screen is located in the upper part, very useful to consult it on the go and is perfectly integrated with the rest of the dashboard. Below are the air conditioning controls, with the typical buttons that you expect to find, something much more advisable than including it as one more function of the screen.

The padded plastics cover much of the interior of the car, and feel very close to a premium car ; what things have changed in Korean firms … You will feel at home within a few minutes of being in it.

The rear seats are the most affected of this new body configuration. You lose room for your knees and much more in the free height to the ceiling, a person of more than 1.80 meters will touch with his head on the ceiling. Contrary to the philosophy of the brand, aesthetics have weighed more than utility.

The trunk of the Hyundai grows compared to the compact, but with 450 liters it is far from the 550 liters of the Fiat Tipo or the 519 liters of a Honda Civic Sedan. It complies, but does not stand out.

Engines and dynamics

The new Hyundai i30 Fastback does not have as much mechanical variety as the five-door variant, since the diesel mechanics and the less powerful gasoline have been dispensed with.

With such cuts, we only have two gasoline mechanics available: a 120 hp 1.0 T-GDi and a 140 hp 1.4 T-GDi. Both are very good for their smooth operation and for the minimal vibrations they transmit, but if you are used to traveling loaded, the more powerful one is more advisable.

The 120 hp model takes 11.5 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km / h, compared to 9.4 seconds that the 140 hp needs. The difference is much more than you would expect for the power difference because the 1.0 suffers much more at low revs than the 1.4.

Dynamically, there are hardly any differences compared to the compact model, so it is very comfortable and quiet on board.  It is agile and fast in reactions, but it does not reach the level of a Ford Focus or an Opel Astra.

Price and conclusion

Part of 22,564 euros, a figure in the segment average given the high power of the base version. With the basic finish, called Klass Max, the equipment is very complete, which makes its price even more interesting.

For the segment to which it belongs, it will not achieve the number of sales that the car it comes from, but the Korean brand does well to offer this type of bodywork for those who still resist the SUV fever.