New Hyundai i30 (2017) in the driving report: Attention, VW Golf!

E he looks a bit surprised when we do pass the young teller on the very curvy A 397 high into the Spanish Ronda for the fifth time. The construction worker's job: occasionally making room for the stone-chopping excavator on the street. Our job: driving the new i30. Basically we are enough. Again and again. Up and down. First the more refined 1.6 diesel. Then the well-known, charismatic and powerful three-cylinder. And now the completely new 1.4-liter turbo gasoline engine with 140 hp. The 242 Nm from 1500 tours promise a lot of power.

Turbo gasoline engine in the Hyundai i30 quiet, but not very snappy

But the quiet, well-behaved four-cylinder only slowly gets going in the test car. Only from 2200 tours does the direct injection go into action, turn up fluffy and provide adequate thrust. It's good that the gearbox is pleasantly smooth and yet precise. The track and the i30 go well together. Tighter, but still not a bully, the four-door is now fuller on the road. At the same time, the steering is unusually precise, gives a lot of feedback without lapsing into nervousness.

New safety technology for the Hyundai i30

So we throw ourselves into the multitude of curves with relish, always feeling back into the steering and are amazed at how neutral and brisk this Hyundai can be driven. Understeer? Only in dire need. Developed entirely in Rüsselsheim and built in the Czech Republic, the i30 has gained considerably in terms of driving dynamics. And we hope for more - the sporty N variant with a two-liter turbo and adaptive dampers will come in autumn. Before that, however, a hopefully similarly well-balanced station wagon rolls to the Hyundai dealers.

On a gravel yard with a view of the coast, we allow the Korean to take a break, check the body, cockpit and cargo space. From the outside, there is little to report. The i30 remains true to its inconspicuous appearance, no matter how enthusiastic Hyundai is about the new cascade grill. Technically, however, a lot is new: LED headlights replace the steering bi-xenon lights. A camera in the windshield and a radar system in the grill help the i30, which is now 40 millimeters longer, have all the relevant assistance systems. An active track keeper is always on board as standard.

More space than a VW Golf

The solidly crafted cockpit is thereas usual. All keys are in the right place, the instruments are easy to read and there are plenty of shelves. In addition, there is room for four passengers and a whopping 395 liters of luggage. A VW Golf only takes 380 liters as standard. More cute than practical: the very slim through-opening.