Hyundai i30 Tourer 1.4 T-GDi Premium SE 2017 first drive

Although Hyundai’s Hyundai i30 Tourer slots into a segment that has seen demand rocket by 40% since 2014, it does so with estate versions of the Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf as rivals. That’s not an easy bunch to beat.

Hyundai fancies its chances so has gone aggressive with a generous specifications list and attractive entry price of £17,495. It also claims that this is a model that lovers of driving can enjoy because, like the rest of the Hyundai i30 range, the Tourer spent much of its development charging around the Nürburgring.

This is an estate, though, so it’s often the back-end that decides whether the battle is won or lost. The i30 Tourer has 602 litres of boot space with the rear seats up or 1650 litres with them down. That latter figure beats the largest of its rivals, the Golf estate, by 30 litres, and it is also 309 litres more than the five-door i30 hatch offers. Good start, then.

To accommodate that larger boot, the Tourer gets an elongated profile that makes for a sleeker design than the hatch. While not particularly eye-catching, it’s a smart look. Inside, the cabin is identical to the hatch, which means it gets a clutter-free centre console and 5.0in or optional 8.0in touchscreen infotainment, available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as 3D satnav.

Under the bonnet comes a choice of turbocharged engines, with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol producing 118bhp at the entry level and a 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel with 131bhp the priciest unit. For our test, we’re driving the mid-range 1.4-litre petrol T-GDI that has 138bhp.

The Nürburgring tag is thrown around so often these days that it has almost become meaningless but, in the i30, there is some sign of it having had a positive effect on dynamics and ride. The i30 Tourer is supple and smooth, yet also well damped and quick to respond to undulations, making it feel confident on the motorway and not opposed to being driven at pace on B-roads.

Our car’s 1.4 four-pot makes it good for a 0-62mph time of 9.2sec and a top speed of 130mph. It feels every bit as nippy as those stats suggest and makes for a surprisingly effective motorway cruiser, thanks in part to the arrival of 178lb ft from 1500rpm. But on our run, the petrol unit could only average 40mpg – more than 10mpg short of its claimed combined economy.

We would opt for the six-speed manual as it seems to unlock the engine's maximum potential, but those who do go for the optional seven-speed dual-clutch auto will at least enjoy quick gear changes, albeit with a less punchy power band.