00:00 Intro
00:55 Pricing
01:56 Design
02:49 Interior
05:13 Safety
05:53 Engine specs
06:23 Fuel use
06:46 Ownership
07:12 Driving
11:19 Verdict
I've probably said this before, but it bears repeating: I never thought in my wildest dreams I'd be regarding the launch of a new sedan variant almost as a curiosity.
I'm old enough to remember that we had all kinds of cars - Falcon and Commodore. And then daylight. We drove sedans and if we needed a bit more space, we'd buy a wagon (these are definitely a curiosity).
Four-wheel drives were for weirdos with big beards and Akubras or rich retirees with delusions of grandeur.
And yet, here we are. The i30 Sedan we already know because we've driven a few of them since the local launch of the new generation of what we used to call Elantra.
Rolling on a whole different platform to the i30 hatch, it made sense to tie them together to improve the sales figures in the same way all Corollas and Mazda3s are called the same thing whether hatch or sedan.
A couple of interesting ideas have bubbled up at Hyundai HQ - one is that people are after a bit more performance in their small sedans in much the same way they like it in their hatches.
Hyundai is also running with the theory that if presented with a compelling proposition that isn't an SUV, younger buyers might be attracted to a funky, sporty sedan.
So the Korean company has taken the hugely successful 'N' brand from the bolt-from-the-blue i30 N and created this halfway-house N-Line, a kind of gateway performance tier akin to BMW's 'M Performance' brand. The result, is the i30 Sedan N-Line.
As practical funsters go, the i30 Sedan N-Line is a mighty fine addition. Hyundai knows selling sedans to an SUV-obsessed market is hard and private buyers is where the i30 Sedan is squarely aimed, much like its forthcoming big sibling, the Sonata N-Line. The company knows is placing an each way bet on every customer coming through the door and that's a good idea - SUVs have become a default choice and if a paying punter is wavering, the dealer can point at a sporty small sedan with tons of room, tidy handling and grab-you-by-the-neck looks.
To pick the best out of them is tricky. The top-spec Premium is $5000 more than the base DCT but doesn't have an obvious or compelling specification to tempt you. On the other hand, the base i30 cabin is slightly let down by the goofy-looking 8.0-inch screen. On balance, I'd probably go for the base i30 and live with the screen while enjoying what this car is made for - driving. I might even pick the manual.
I talk to a lot of people who have glumly accepted that the family car has to be an SUV. Hyundai is banking on some younger buyers thinking the i30 Sedan N-Line is a cooler alternative. It's so crazy, it just might work.
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