We know, we know. Hyundai makes cars that aren’t worth a second look. But if you could just take a longer look at the i30, you’d see that with a 4.9L/100km consumption in diesel form with a stick, or 7.7L/km combined consumption in our i30cw tester, you could go for ages without ever hearing a poor word about the little Hyundai wagon.

It is a true wagon, too. One that can carry a small family with ease, or with the rear seats folded down up to 1315 litres of space. Simply, the i30cw offers a lot of car if you’re willing to go your own way when it comes to badges.
Speaking of going your own way, the ride is comfortable and well-sorted with a cabin that enables quiet conversation at nearly any speeds you could expect in the i30cw. The 105kW engine is peppy enough for a four-cylinder, although as we’ve mentioned the diesel available in other trims will offer you even better fuel mileage.

And if you’d like your family to stay in one piece no matter what happens as you motor about, the i30 comes with a list of safety features including airbags around the head and side of both the driver and front passenger, as well as the list of three-letter acronyms that give it a five star ANCAP rating: ESP, EBD, ABS .

Those protecting devices surround you, but you won’t look inside the cabin and wish for much else in a car that is just shy of $30,000 in top trim. In fact, the seats are comfortable with their leather trim, and the passengers will find that the wagon has enough rear legroom to comfortably seat adults on short and long trips.

The driver can take advantage of a variety of wheel-mounted controls for speed and the stereo. There’s also a trip computer, and while it should be a given in a modern car, it’s still nice to know that the aircon works as well as it does. You can also get the i30cw with Bluetooth, and an iPod connection comes standard.

If you’re looking to haul a bit of kit around, then the i30cw also acquits itself quite nicely. As we said, it provides more than 1,300 litres of space with the seats folded down. It also does well by offering well-labelled cargo hooks and tiedowns. Getting to it is easy with the swift-opening hatch, and the cargo net and barrier offer a healthy dose of packing options for those that need it.

Oh, and since we’re already outside, a brief mention of the looks. The Hyundai won’t win any runway showdowns with exotic supercars, we admit, but the car does look smart. If you put a hand over one eye and squint to avoid the badge, you can easily see a well-made wagon. The side marker lights on the mirrors are a nice touch, and the lines look smart, if not particularly breathtaking.
If you don’t need a massive SUV, and you don’t want to pay a lot up front or when you fill up, you really just have to take a test drive. It may not be your best choice, but at the price that Hyundai is setting for the i30cw, you would be hard pressed to find a better choice.

Engine: 1582cc DOHC four-cylinder (16-valve)
Power: 85kW @ 4000rpm
Torque: 255Nm @ 1900rpm
Induction: Common rail & turbocharged
Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Driven Wheels: Front
Brakes: Discs with ABS, EBA & EBD
CO2 Emissions: 159 grams per 100km
Fuel Consumption: 6.0 litres per 100km (Auto)
Fuel Tank Capacity: 53 litres
Fuel Type: Diesel
ANCAP Rating: Five Stars
Airbags: Front (side & curtain available)
Safety: ESP with Traction Control
Spare Wheel: Full size
Tow Capacity: 1200kg(Braked)
Turning Circle: 10.4 metres
Warranty: Five year/unlimited kilometre
Weight: 1449kg (Tare)
Wheels: Alloy 16 x 6.0-inch