Hyundai i30 Fastback Road Test. For those who want more than a sedan

Officially launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2017, and a few months later in Romania, the new Hyundai i30 Fastback is the first volume model to enter the five-door segment. After driving for a few days, I can say that he is a presence that does not go unnoticed on the streets. Ok, it's not like the kind of car that impresses and keeps you from looking at it, but it's a car that seems to know what it wants, and its contours stoke Curiosity, especially among those who want something more special than a hatchback. The silhouette of the new i30 Fastback is specific to sport coupe models, and the attractive outline is also given by the arched rear spoiler.

Inside, in many places, hard plastic is predominant. At i30 Fastback storage, it's pretty good. There is enough space for the phone and other small items on the center column, and the armrest, glove box and door pockets are also generous. The 8-inch infotainment system has a good response to touch controls and provides a fast connection with Apple Car Play or Android Auto via Bluetooth.

The seats with textile padding provide good support and the dark fabric protects against any signs of excessive wear. The driver's seat provides extra comfort, while the cockpit is generous with passengers in terms of space, the rear seat being proven to accommodate even for three people. In addition, it provides plenty of space for the head, even when speaking of people over 1.83 meters in height. When I tested the back seat, I did not reach the ceiling, even though I was very straight, a position that we do not normally encounter by car.

With its 450 liters, the trunk compartment can successfully satisfy the needs of family customers, even though it is narrower than the wheels, but poses no major problem with the use of space. Combined with the folding rear seat back, the large volume offered by the trunk is amplified to allow storage of generously sized objects.

The engine is quite quiet, especially at low and medium revs, and in terms of fuel consumption, the theoretical value is about 5.7 l / 100 km. However, in real urban and non-urban traffic conditions, and with a temperate driving style that lends itself to a customer with no sporting ambitions, we achieved an average of 6.7 liters / 100km.

The Hyundai i30 Fastback delivers a pleasant driving experience, at the expense of exceptional dynamic performance. Although the gas engine is quite lively, the transmission changes a bit slowly.

The soft suspension is very nice, it has proved extremely comfortable in town, but also on the long road, absorbing quite well the bumps and imperfections of the asphalt. The direction is quite incisive.

The test model, equipped with a turbocharged gasoline engine of 1.4 liters and 140 hp, has a list price of 24,026 euros including tax. Included in the price include TomTom connectivity, wireless phone charging system, electric lumbar driver seat and a four-speaker sound system that sounds decent.

Regarding security systems, his brother i30 is very good at Euro NCAP tests last year. Then he got the maximum score – 5 stars. The i30 Fastback has not been tested yet, but we also expect to get a good score. The Hyundai i30 Fastback provides ramp start assistance, rear parking sensors, a lane departure warning system and assistance, and the lighting system has an automatic shutter long-range

With an atypical, yet successful consistent suspension and comfort-oriented, the Hyundai i30 Fastback has everything to attract young people who want more space than a hatchback car can offer.

Technical Data Hyundai i30 Fastback

Engine – L4

Cylinder – 1353 ccm

Power – 140 HP

Maximum torque – 242 Nm

] Acceleration 0-100 km / h (s) – 9.5

Length – 4455

Width – 1795

19659002] Height – 1425