FIRST IRISH DRIVE HYUNDAI i40:IF IRELAND FOLLOWS the form of most other European markets, then we are in for some pain next year: the so-called scrappage hangover throbbed in every country where the scheme operated.
We put off the inevitable with an extension to the programme for the first six months of 2011, but that means next year is going to be cut-throat, with the main brands vying for the attention of what is likely to be a smaller group of discerning buyers.
Given its ever-increasing sales across Europe and here at home, we know you are paying attention to Hyundai. Its small cars and SUVs are big sellers, but a gaping hole in its range was a competitive large family car.
That is all set to change this autumn when the i40 arrives. Available initially as an estate model, called the Tourer, the i40 will also come as a saloon from November. The Irish Times took the chance to grab an early drive of a Tourer that is doing the rounds of Hyundai dealerships.
This is our second time driving the i40 but the first in right-hand drive, on our own shores and with a spec close to that of the Executive model. The Tourer is the first to be released because it will make up most sales across Europe. Although it will sell in smaller numbers here – Hyundai Ireland estimates 20-30 per cent – it will be available to early buyers for the same price as the saloon, giving a saving of €1,500.
The first thing you notice about the i40 is its size. It is vast, especially in Tourer guise. It is handsome, too. Although it is slightly more soberly styled than the upcoming Kia Optima – a car, set to arrive next year, with close links to the i40 – the Hyundai is much prettier than the South Korean maker’s large family cars of the past.
Step inside and the quality of the cabin is extremely impressive. The car we were driving had quite a busy cabin, with most of the equipment on show set to feature on the Executive model. Climate control, cruise control, Bluetooth audio and telephone controls, and a reversing camera are all high-grade features that will make the €1,500 premium for the Executive version seem like plain common sense.
The Tourer model won’t appeal to everyone, but for us it offers the best of two worlds. With large SUVs no longer economically or environmentally sound for many buyers, a large estate offers capacious luggage space yet comparable handling and emissions to a saloon.
The i40 comes with a 1.7-litre diesel engine putting out just short of 115bhp, although a 136bhp automatic version will be offered too. The 114bhp model has low emissions.
At 113g/km this easily slots into the lowest motor-tax band and means you’ll pay just €104 a year in road tax on a very large car. And despite being geared for economy, this engine feels quite urgent, with 260Nm of torque from just 1,250rpm. It never feels overwhelmed by the car’s bulk.
Previous family-sized Hyundais felt sloppy when it came to handling, but the i40 has sharpened up nicely. Comfort remains the primary goal, but this is no longer at the expense of handling. There is a good amount of steering feel, and bumps and road lumps are coped with pretty easily.
Hyundai is aiming the i40 squarely at the Avensis, whose 2.0-litre D-4D 125bhp Aura model costs €25,995. The i40 Comfort will undercut this by €1,000; the Executive model will cost €500 more but be better equipped and slot in a tax band lower. Toyota and its buyers should pay close attention.
The i40 Tourer will cost €24,995 for the Comfort model and €26,495 for the Executive model when it goes on sale, in August. In November these will become the prices of the saloon versions, with Tourer models increasing in price by about €1,500
Factfile
Hyundai i40 Executive Tourer
Engine1,695cc four-cylinder diesel, generating 114hp and 260Nm of torque
Performance0-100km/h in 12.9 seconds. Maximum speed 190km/h
Fuel consumption4.3 l/100km (65mpg) combined cycle
CO2 emissions113g/km
Annual road tax€104
Price€26,495 (Tourer on sale in August, saloon on sale in November)
MOTORS BLOG
See video and opinion on the first Irish drive of the Hyundai i40 on the Irish Times Motors Blog