Road Test: Hyundai i40 1.7 CRDI Executive saloon

+ Handsome looks, genuine classiness, comfort, frugality, value
– Cabin still lags a little behind the best, less than sharp steering
= Estate version is still the best, but four-door i40 is a very rounded product



It has struck me, just recently. My daily schlep is up and down the length of the M6 and M4 motorways from Galway to Dublin and back, and thanks to the straightness of the road and the (generally) lack of heavy traffic, there are always some interesting car-spotting opportunities. Ireland is lacking in the point-and-stare car spotting oppos of the UK or Europe, but still you see the occasional Aston Martin or Bentley, still hanging around post-bust, and I twigged a rare Porsche-tweaked Subaru Legacy B4 the other day. And I see a lot of Hyundai i40s.

Not surprising really, given that Hyundai, both in Ireland and Europe, seems able to shrug off any market weakness and charge ahead with growing sales. And I suppose you’d have to assume that any car company, built on a legacy of offering cars at bargain prices and with a five-year warranty, would be doing well at the moment. But I think a crucial Rubicon has been crossed. Hyundais, and specifically the i40, have become properly desirable.

Not in the you-had-a-poster-of-one-on-the-wall way of a Ferrari or Lamborghini, nor in the badge-snobbery-top-trumps fashion of a BMW or Audi, but in a more simple, attainable, I could see myself in one of those ways.

Now, I’ve driven the i40 Tourer estate plenty, but it’s only recently that I managed to squeeze a test of the four door saloon into the schedule. Now, I love estates, and I do realise that puts me at odds with the bulk of the Irish car buying public (you’re all wrong and I’m right, by the way; estates are great) so I may as well admit now that I still prefer the wagon to the four door, but hasten to add that’s not down to any specific shortcoming on the part of the saloon.

The test car came in a classy shade of metallic grey, and in Executive trim brought such niceties as dual zone climate, cruise control, Bluetooth phone and media player connection and a bevy of airbags and electronic safety systems, all for a very reasonable €26,995 asking price. That price tells you all you need to know about Hyundai’s plan for the future. No more bargain-bucket pricing, but matching the mainstream brands on price, technology and quality while beating them soundly in the equipment and warranty arenas.

Does the i40 match the best of the rest in terms of quality though? Well, pretty much. I don’t think there’s any doubt of the actual quality of construction in terms of its likely reliability and longevity(and let’s face it, Hyundai is hardly going to hang its financial future on the line with that five year warranty if its suspected the car wasn’t worth the risk in that sense), and there’s nary a rattle or a squeak inside. But the cabin, handsome, spacious and comfortable though it is, still can’t 100% match the likes of the Ford Mondeo or VW Passat for the touchy-feely nature of its surfaces. It’s agonisingly close, but just misses the cigar. Of course, you have to weigh that against what it would cost you in optional extras to spec either rival up the the i40’s equipment level...

The i40 can certainly meet its rivals head-on in engine terms though, and the 1.7 CRDI diesel boasts both class-leading emissions of 113g/km and admirable combinations of punch and quietness. If you had to pick one aspect of the i40 to single out as a star, the engine would be it. Claimed fuel consumption is a remarkable 4.3-litres per 100km (better than 62mpg) and you should be able to average 5.3-litres per 100km (53mpg) without breaking a sweat.

Combine that frugal nature with the i40’s comfy seats and well set-up driving position, and you have a terrific long-distance ground coverer.

Out the back, the boot can haul 525-litres of whatever it is you need to carry around and, while the estate trumps that (slightly) with a 533-litre load, I suppose I’ll (grudgingly) grant you that anything placed in the boot of the saloon is that bit more secure.

To drive, the i40 majors on comfort, thanks to a chassis set up for bump absorption but you do lose out in terms of steering sharpness (annoying dead patch at the straight-ahead) and cornering fun (just not sharp enough to compete in enthusiasts’ terms with the Mondeo).

But genuinely, properly desirable? Yes, I reckon so. It’s the kind of car you have to only spend a few minutes with before realising that it would slot so neatly and easily into your life. It’s spacious, comfy, well made, relaxing, frugal and more than a little handsome. Prefer it to the estate? No, I don’t, but you might.

Hyundai i40 1.7 CRDI Executive saloon
Price as tested:€26,995
Range price: €24,995 to €31,995
Cubic capacity: 1,685cc
Power: 115bhp
Torque: 260Nm
Maximum speed: 190kmh
0-100kmh: 12.3secs
Fuel consumption: 4.3l/100km (65.6mpg)
Co2 emissions: 113g/km
Tax band: A (€160)
EuroNCAP rating: 5-star; 92% adult, 86% child, 43% pedestrian, 86% safety assist