FOLLOWING THE bad weather we have been having, we did give serious consideration to bringing you a review of a boat. The Bayliner 22 Runabout seemed a good choice, especially if you are living in Carlow or trying to negotiate underpasses in Belfast.
The poor weather has, however, meant that there seem to be no wasps anymore, barbecues are on sale in DIY stores for bargain prices and most of us could probably win gold in the Olympics if there was a medal for watching the event on television.
And because we are all poor now, we can't even comfort eat on fancy food from over-priced olive oil and bruschetta emporiums. Spaghetti hoops on batch bread it is then.
With the economy taking a downturn, just to add insult to rain-soaked injury, we have to be a little more sensible with our choice of car, too. You only have to pass car dealers' forecourts at the moment and if the sales staff are not out front selling the Big Issue, then they are trying desperately to sell you newly VRT-aligned cars at discount prices, but if you attempt to trade anything in they will poke you with a cattle prod. Mention a trade-in and you can see the dealer searching under the desk for the trap-door release.
The last time we drove the Hyundai i30 we liked it a lot. In hatchback form, with a willing and able 1.4-litre petrol engine, it marked itself out as a credible rival to the better-established models from Ford, Toyota, Nissan and Volkswagen.
Sales have been strong since then - at least until July 1st when for many within the car industry things came to a grinding halt. With many potential car owners deferring their new purchase until January, the competition for customers is going to be as drawn out as the X-Factor.
Hyundai's i30 CW, or Cross Wagon (look, its an estate, okay?) is a further development of the i30 and, unlike some of its rivals that keep the same platform and just stick some extra luggage space on the rear, the i30 CW is based on a stretched platform extended by 50mm.
The market for estate models such as this in the c-segment is pretty small. This is borne out by the fact that Volkswagen, who knows a thing or two about selling cars in Ireland, elected not to offer the estate version of its current Golf.
However, while there was an increase in SUV sales when the economy was prospering, with things getting a little tighter, buyers may start looking elsewhere for extra versatility. The idea behind the Cross Wagon is just that. With value very much in mind, Hyundai are offering this, a more spacious version of the i30, this time with a 90bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine, for just €21,995.
While the hatchback version of the i30 is a good-looking car, turning the car into an estate has dulled down the lines somewhat. Gone are the days when estate cars looked like they were designed by undertakers. And while the CW has a high-roofline, the rear-end isn't an eyesore. There is an upmarket look all-round and, with alloy wheels as standard and plenty of chrome detailing in evidence, as well as roofrails, it doesn't look like an entry-level car.
When we drove the i30 previously, we remarked on how much we liked the cabin - and the interior of the CW doesn't disappoint. Our test car had already seen a few drivers and some of the plastics inside did show some early wear - which doesn't bode well for what the inside would look like after two or three years on the road. However, most areas look and feel good and features like a leather steering wheel provide tactile pleasure.
Small details, like the ability to work your iPod through the audio system, are nice touches too. The standard equipment on offer for the price is a major draw to this car. While many rivals will still charge you for basic air conditioning, the i30 comes with climate control - and while we haven't quite had the weather to fully reap the benefits, it at least does a fine job of clearing the windscreen on a wet day.
The previous i30 we drove was the 1.4-litre petrol and it really wasn't bad at all. The 90bhp 1.6-litre diesel is a slightly different prospect. While there is a 115bhp diesel with more pep available in the hatchback, the CW only comes in Ireland with the 90bhp diesel, which may have been a mistake - the engine feels just that little bit too puny for the car. 0-100km/h takes an agonising 14.9 seconds, making overtaking something of a chore.
The Ford Focus Estate 1.8-litre diesel, at a similar price, takes a full four seconds less to get to the same speed. We will admit that these cars are generally not about outright performance - but, in general, the less time you spend on the other side of the road overtaking a truck, the better, we think you'll agree.
This shortfall of power extends to the torque, or pulling power of the engine. You are constantly changing gear to get the best out of this engine, which gives away 65nm of torque to the Focus. Other advantages of the Focus include extra room, in the form of an extra 67 litres of boot space and 65mm more width than the i30.
On the road, despite the poor power delivery, there is little to fault the car in terms of comfort and handling. The steering has plenty of feel and the suspension set-up copes well with bad roads.
It is living with the car that is probably the greatest test over the course of a week and this is where the i30 scores well. It really is a very good everyday car. With everything you could reasonably ask for as standard in a car such as this, a well-put together cabin and the added versatility of the estate, this is a pain-free car to own.
When you compare the i30 to its rivals, considering things like standard equipment and safety features, the CW compares well, but close rival Kia has opted to offer the 115bhp diesel in their cee'd SW for €500 more and to be honest, this extra power is worth the money.
Also, for just €175 more, you can have the vast Skoda Octavia Estate 1.9-litre diesel. It comes with an extra 165 litres of luggage capacity and has more power and better acceleration. If we were shopping for a diesel estate car for this price, then it would be hard to pass the Octavia, especially since it matches the i30's CO2 emissions, residing in Tax Band B, so it will cost just €150 to tax each year.
While we would heartily recommend the i30 hatchback as a proper rival to the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, as a diesel estate is falls short. It would be a much better car with the 115bhp diesel engine, which really does make a difference and, for the money, if you need an estate car, there are better options - the Skoda Octavia being our top choice, with the Ford Focus diesel estate a close second.
However, if the i30 is your cup of tea then you will get a car which feels well-built, is backed up by a long warranty and will provide reliable and pain-free motoring.
FACT FILE
Engine:1582cc four-cylinder turbo diesel engine; 90bhp @ 4,000rpm; 235Nm of torque @ 2,000. Five-speed manual.
Specification:Standard features include 16" alloy wheels with 205/55 R16 tyres, climate control air conditioning, keyless entry, glovebox air conditioning, CD player, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, electric windows front and rear, trip computer, iPod/ USB Port, ABS with EBD, driver and passenger front de-powered airbags and cut off switch, isofix child seat anchors, half leather seats, leather and alloy steering wheel and gear knob, roof rails, three years' AA membership.
L/100km (mpg):urban: 5.7 (49.5); extra-urban: 4.1 (68.8); combined: 4.7 (60.1)
CO2 emissions:208g/km
Tax bands:VRT: 32 per cent; annual road tax: €1,000
Price: €21,995