First drive review: Hyundai i30 1.6 auto three-door

More adventurous styling adds interest to the i30 range, but lack of sporting upgrades under the skin is disappointing

Heavily disguised prototype was driven at Hyundai's Nosovice plant in the Czech Republic

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What is it?

Hyundai hopes to attract younger buyers with its first Euro-centric three-door C-segment car, which will join the five-door and Tourer versions of the second-gen i30 in January. All will share the factory in Nošovice, Czech Republic, where we sampled this late prototype.
An undisguised three-door was shown, too, ahead of its full-glitz Paris reveal. And it is this Hyundai i30 three-door prototype that we've come to drive.

What is it like?

Up front, an intricate black plastic relief replaces chromed arcs in the hexagonal mouth, and new LED strips are paired with round fog lights. Steeper flank lines reach up to Veloster-style three-quarter windows, but rear bumper and fog tweaks are less pronounced. Access to the rear seats is easy, and you'll find good head and legroom back there, if little in the way glazing to see out of.
Styling is the limit of sporty pretensions, though. The chassis setup and tri-mode electric steering are inherited from the five-door, and spec choices should be similar. Drivetrains are also likely to remain unchanged, meaning 1.4 and 1.6 petrols, a 1.4 diesel and the 1.6 diesel's 109bhp and 126bhp derivatives. All come with six speed gearboxes, although an automatic transmisson is compulsory on the 1.6 petrol we drove and optional on the 109bhp diesel. Weight should be comparable to the five-door.
The 1.6 petrol occupies the range's performance middle ground, falling short of the capable chassis for dynamism. But in both those respects, what was adequate in the five-door feels underwhelming in a car with sporty aspirations. Excellent ride comfort endures, but isn't countered with excitement.

Should I buy one?

Although Hyundai's i20 is £600 cheaper with three doors than five, the overtly differentiated i30 could in theory ask a premium. However, given the young target audience and any lack of dynamic enhancements, that seems unlikely. Either way, value should be on its side — especially the 126bhp diesel that beats the 99g/km CO2 benchmark in three-door guise.
Richard Webber
Hyundai i30 1.6 Auto three-door prototype

Price: TBA; 0-62mph: 11.9sec; Top speed: 119mph; Economy: 41.5mpg (combined); CO2: 159g/km; Kerb weight: 1220kg; Engine: 4 cyls, 1591cc, petrol; Power: 118bhp at 6300rpm; Torque: 115lb ft at 4850rpm; Gearbox: 6-spd automatic