Pricing starts from around £17,000 and goes up to well over £30,000 across the choice of five-door hatch, 'Tourer' estate, five-door 'Fastback' and i30 N variants. These figures underline the fact that Hyundai no longer feels the need to pitch its products against bargain brands. The 1.0 T-GDI 120PS petrol variant can be ordered in an entry-level 'S' guise but otherwise, the mainstream range is based around 'SE', 'SE Nav', 'Premium' and 'Premium SE' trim options. As for equipment levels across the range, well Hyundai isn't holding back. There's dual-zone climate control to ensure a comfortable environment for all occupants during long journeys. Plus niceties like a panoramic sunroof and a heated steering wheel are optional, as is a Navigation system you operate via an 8-inch touchscreen on the dash.
Safety has been a particular feature of the development of this car. The key news is that all variants get Autonomous Emergency Braking, a system that scans the road ahead as you drive, the set-up looking for potential collision hazards. If one is detected, you'll be warned. If you don't respond - or aren't able to - the brakes will automatically be applied to decrease the severity of any resulting accident. Other key i30 safety features include a 'Driver Attention Alert' system, 'Smart Cruise Control', a 'Blind Spot Detector, 'Rear-Cross Traffic Alert', a 'Lane Keeping Assist System', a 'Speed Limit Information Function' and 'High Beam Assist'.