Review of the new Hyundai i30 CRDi

With the i30 family hatchback, Hyundai have surprised all of us and, with a little help from Kia, built their most credible volume car yet. At its original launch in 2007, most agreed that with a more dynamic look, this model would shift some serious numbers in this sector. This revised version aims to deliver just that, especially in CRDi diesel guise.

Over the last few years, the letter 'i' is one we've had to take increasingly seriously as iPods, iPads and iPhones have all dominated public consciousness. They marked a turning point in the fortunes of the brand that created them, quality products that surpassed consumer expectations - much like this one, Hyundai's i30. At its launch in 2007, this was the most significant car the Korean brand had ever dared to bring us, a Focus-sized mainstream model that claimed to be more than just something that offered you a lot of metal for the money.

Those persuaded to try one were shocked at the way it rode, handled and offered the kind of premium feel previously limited to much pricier brands. But all of that was artfully hidden behind looks that suggested this to be just another unexceptional South Korean also-ran. For greater success in the Focus and Astra-dominated family hatchback sector, better packaging was required and a minor facelift in early 2010 claimed to have delivered it in the form of the car we look at here. Let's check it out in strong-selling CRDi diesel form.

The i30 has been designed specifically for the European market and benchmarked against class leaders like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Like those two cars but unlike a number of the other established names in the sector, the i30 has fully-independent multi-link rear suspension. Which is why it handles a great deal more competently than you might be expecting it to.

OK, thanks perhaps to the slightly vague feel of the electric power steering, Lewis Hamilton-wannabees will still opt for something like a Focus - and rightly so - but for the majority of buyers for the majority of the time, the 130 is everything you need and more. What really impresses is not the largely irrelevant poise with which it handles a twisting country road (though that's nice to have) but the supple, fluid ride that absorbs almost anything the pock-marked British road network can throw at it.

"Proof indeed, if proof were needed, that the i's have it.."

Most buyers go for a 1.6-litre diesel, with either 89 or 113bhp. Despite the Koreans' efforts with variable geometry turbocharging, it isn't the quietest common rail unit we've ever tried but it's a willing and tractable powerplant that takes you to sixty from rest in under 11s and on to around 127mph, which is as much as potential buyers will want.

Though many Europeans may have found the looks of the original version of this car to be pretty unremarkable, clearly someone at Hyundai rather likes it, for very little has changed with this revised model. Improvements are limited to a restyled front bumper and grille, plus tweaks to the side mouldings. Shut the door with its quality 'thunk', move inside and it's much more impressive. Though still hardly what you'd call avant garde design-wise, the quality of the materials and the construction standards achieved by the Czech factory are convincing. Nice touches include the flashes of chrome around the dash and the blue illumination for the dials that also extends to steering wheel controls and ignition key slot so you won't be fumbling around at night. Dim the illumination and the wheel-mounted controls dim too, which is very slick.

Though there's no reclining or sliding function for the back seats, space is reasonably plentiful for the rear seat occupants, though as usual in this class of car, three adults would be something of a squash. If you're going to be filling the rear seat a lot, it might be better to opt for the estate version which boasts an extra 20mm in its wheelbase and puts it to good use here. As for luggage space, well the huge boot suggested by the car's bulging rear end isn't actually that enormous but the 340-litres on offer is perfectly adequate, extendable to 1,250-litres if, as is possible, you completely flatten the rear bench. If you need more, then there's an estate version on offer with between 415 and 1395-litres.

Expect to pay somewhere in the £14,000 to £17,000 bracket for your i30 CRDi, with a model-for-model premium of £700 if you want the estate bodystyle, so it may not be quite as cheap as you were expecting. But let's be fair about this: as far as list pricing is concerned, that's still £3,000-£4,000 less than a comparably equipped Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra and about £2,000 less than a comparable Renault Megane or Peugeot 308. For pricing parity, you've to look to the Kia cee'd that shares this car's engines and much of its design. The Kia's actually a couple of hundred pounds cheaper in most cases, but that'll be nothing your local dealer won't be able to match.

Whichever of the 1.6-litre CRDi diesels is selected, you should find your i30 to be decently equipped. Air conditioning, front foglamps, a reasonable quality stereo with built-in iPod/MP3 interface, electric front windows and headlights that stay on to guide you to your front door are all standard. Options include an unremarkable 4-speed automatic gearbox on the fastest diesel variant and the ISG stop-start system that cuts the engine in traffic jams or at the lights to save fuel. It would have been nice to have seen that as standard. Still, safety-wise, it's pleasing to see that unlike some of its rivals, Hyundai hasn't skimped on the provision of the potentially lifesaving ESP stability programme on entry-level models to help you out on slippery surfaces or if you enter a corner too fast. Plus there are six airbags and active front head restraints to guard against accident whiplash.

Official fuel economy figures reveal a 46.3mpg showing for the 1.4-litre petrol i30 with 143g/km of CO2. If you're a budget buyer, you'll need to compare that with the 64.2mpg you'll get from the 89bhp CRDi diesel we tried with its 115g/km of CO2, factor in the price difference between the two cars and balance it with your annual mileage. Insurance is between 14 to 17 on the 1-50 scale but residual values won't be quite as strong as some more familiar mainstream brands. Still, you're paying a lot less to start with.

Perhaps more important is the 5 year Triple Care package you get as standard. For that period, you get an unlimited mileage warranty, RAC Roadside Assistance and free annual Vehicle Health Checks. Service intervals, pitched at 12,500 miles or one year for the petrol models, have been extended for the diesel variants to 20,000 miles or one year.

We know it doesn't look it but this really is a landmark car. Hyundai has been producing really credible niche models for years but this is the first volume contender that matches or beats its European rivals on most counts. It's just a pity that, despite the styling refresh, you still wouldn't know that from a casual glance. Still, the aesthetics are now, more than ever, clean and smart and the value proposition continues to make rival Japanese and European brands look greedy.

They of course, can sometimes throw big discounts at you or as an alternative, Kia's comparably priced cee'd is a broadly similar product. But even against these options, the i30 needs significant inclusion on your shopping list. It's a thoroughly engineered and surprisingly effective family hatchback, proof indeed, if proof were needed, that the i's have it.