Hyundai i30 Fastback: test drive, range and prices

We test the Hyundai i30 Fastback, which, in addition to its elegant design, offers a larger boot and a sportier feel than the five-door i30.

In Hyundai they classify their new Hyundai i30 Fastback as a five-door coupé. From this point of view, the brand’s claim is accurate: there are no rivals for the i30 Fastback within the compact segment.

Five-door saloons there are a few on the market, some with more coupé styling, others with less. If we only consider the body format, the “classic” fastback, with five doors and a raked tailgate – not vertical as on conventional five-door bodies – we could consider the Skoda Rapid an alternative to the i30 Fastback rather than a rival. Among premium brands, a Mercedes CLA also claims to be a “coupé saloon”, although its body has three more pronounced volumes than the i30 Fastback, and a boot lid instead of a tailgate.

Exterior design of the Hyundai i30 Fastback

The fact is that Hyundai has achieved a very attractive silhouette for the Hyundai i30 Fastback, which offers more advantages than drawbacks compared with the five-door i30. Even so, the brand believes this version will account for 20 percent of sales. It has the arguments to achieve a higher percentage.

Aesthetically, the difference from the five-door is already visible at the front, with a design featuring changes to the grille and the lower area of the bumper. But logically, the new and truly distinctive element of the i30 Fastback is at the rear. The body, which measures 4.45 metres in length – about 11 cm longer than the five-door – has a clearly sloping roof and rear window.

The photos do it justice: the i30 Fastback is as good-looking as it appears in the pictures. All the wheel designs are exclusive to this body variant, and there are 11 colours to choose from.

Advantages and drawbacks of the Fastback body

Among the advantages of the i30’s Fastback body, the first are those derived from its greater size. The biggest effect is in the boot, which gains 55 litres to reach a capacity of 450 litres. Furthermore, it is very well executed, with a tailgate that leaves a good loading area, arranged with two small compartments with covers on either side, and a false floor providing a tray with different compartments before reaching the emergency spare wheel.

Another advantage – which may or may not be one depending on the case – is improved dynamic behaviour compared with the five-door i30. Hyundai has sought a “sporty” touch by lowering the suspension height by 5 mm and with damping 15 percent firmer. The result is settings that are by no means uncomfortable, which would also suit the five-door i30 well, as the body is held more securely on winding roads and the steering feels more precise, without sacrificing comfort.

And what should we note on the “debit” side of the Fastback version, compared with the five-door? Firstly, the price compared with the five-door, around 1,000 euros more expensive, depending on the version. There is also a slight loss of headroom in the rear seats due to the sloping roofline. In any case, it’s not critical… unless you plan to use these seats often for travelling with people already at the upper limit of height. The angle of the rear window also makes visibility worse than on the five-door, but in no way is it compromised.

Otherwise, the interior of the Hyundai i30 Fastback does not differ from that of the five-door i30, except for the option to choose a specific upholstery tone, such as a striking red finish. The i30 Fastback therefore inherits the cabin characteristics of the rest of the range, with a pleasant presentation, correct finish and good ergonomics. There are many well-designed spaces for storing objects, and the multimedia screen sits in a visible and accessible position.

Two petrol engines… for now

At launch, the Hyundai i30 Fastback offers two petrol engines: the 1.0 TGDi three-cylinder with 120 CV, and the 1.4 TGDi four-cylinder with 140 CV. The first is offered only with a manual gearbox, and the more powerful one only with the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox from Hyundai. In mid-year, the option of the 1.4 TGDi with a manual gearbox will be available, and diesel versions will also arrive. The corresponding sporty version, the Hyundai i30 Fastback N, is due at the end of 2018 or early 2019.

Of the two engines available for the i30 Fastback, the 1.4 is undoubtedly the better one. Much smoother and with far more pull than the 1.0, it is among the best engines in its class for displacement and performance. Its only “problem” is that it is not offered with the interesting Link trim, detailed later, which means starting from a Tecno, and the price rises considerably.

Even so, at the same trim level the 1.0 is a good alternative if you are looking to save money on purchase and running costs. It costs 2,500 euros less, which goes a long way in fuel. You can feel and hear that it is a three-cylinder; it is not as smooth as the 1.4, but it never produces noise or operation that could be bothersome. And it clearly consumes less than the four-cylinder, around 1.5 litres less on average per 100 km, even if you are not careful with the accelerator, especially if you include urban driving.

On winding roads or motorway driving it performs admirably, although depending on the type of driving and because the gear ratios are very long, you sometimes have to reach for the gear lever. In return, it turns very relaxed at cruising speed on the motorway, allowing you to travel with restrained consumption – around 6 l/100 km – and a high degree of comfort, as the i30 Fastback is very well insulated.

Equipment, price and discounts for the i30 Fastback

The Hyundai i30 Fastback range is configured as the five-door i30 version, although to give it a higher-end feel the base trim is called Klass Max instead of Klass, and adds a few small differences. For example, at the same trim level as the five-door, the Fastbacks have wheels one inch larger in diameter.

As with the rest of the i30 range, the Link special edition is also sold, which is nothing more than a Klass Max with navigation. Although the most popular version will be the intermediate Tecno trim, the i30 Fastback Link is already a very interesting option, as its trim includes, among other things, 16-inch alloy wheels, rain and light sensors, an 8-inch colour touchscreen (5-inch on the Klass Max), multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, rear camera, fatigue detector and active lane-departure warning system.

If that seems little, the 2,050 euro difference with a Tecno may be worth considering if you weigh what you pay against what you get, although none of the extras is essential. This trim adds 17-inch wheels instead of 16, a more powerful audio system, rear parking sensor, one-touch function on all four electric windows, and wireless phone charger.

The problem is that there are not many options for choosing a trim level and completing it with individual extras. Thus, the step up to the Style trim is an “all or nothing” choice. The i30 Fastback Style already borders on luxury and exclusivity, with 18-inch wheels, exterior chrome details, panoramic roof, mixed fabric and leather upholstery, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and push-button start, electric parking brake, rain sensor, rear traffic alert and blind-spot detection.

Regarding the i30 Fastback prices, the 3,400 euro promotion the brand offers all customers must be deducted from the list prices; that is the price shown in the table. A further 1,500 euros can be added by financing the purchase, and another 1,500 euros of extra trade-in value if you hand over a car (of any make). This means that if you can take advantage of all the discounts, you can have an Hyundai i30 Fastback from just over 16,000 euros.

Hyundai i30 Fastback range Discounted prices

i30 Fastback 1.0 TGDI Klass Max: 19,165 euros
i30 Fastback 1.0 TGDI Link: 19,315 euros
i30 Fastback 1.0 TGDI Tecno: 21,365 euros
i30 Fastback 1.4 TGDI DT Tecno: 23,840 euros
i30 Fastback 1.4 TGDI DT Style: 27,830 euros