i40 lines out for Hyundai in a competitive market

Drive’s Seán Creedon is impressed by the design, feel and fuel efficiency of Hyundai’s latest estate model.

Anybody who has ever put a bet on a horse will know that favourites don’t always win. And just because the favourite you backed didn’t win, doesn’t make your selection a bad horse; just that it was beaten by a horse in better form on the day.

Backing favourites came to mind last week, while I tested the Tourer or Estate version of the Hyundai’s i40, which was favourite to win the Irish Car of the Year award last November. On the day, the majority of the Irish Motor Writers Association jury opted for the Kia Rio and, while Hyundai’s connections were naturally disappointed, they knew that their spacious car will have another day at the races, as it goes before the Irish car-buying public.

First impressions are lasting and my initial and abiding impression of the i40, which replaces the Sonata, was the length of this estate.

Like the Jaguar that I tested the previous week, the test car was black and Henry Ford’s favourite colour, coupled with two neat roof rails, gave the car an elongated look.

Naturally, in a car this long there is plenty of boot space, with a useful luggage floor rail system and a ‘mini’ spare wheel. There are no parking sensors, but you do get a reversing camera, which is very cleverly located in the corner of the rear view mirror.

The Jaguar has very attractive LED lights and while the LED lights in the i40 are a different shape to the Jaguar’s, they are also gorgeous. It looks like car designers are now working hard on giving us very attractive designs for LED lights.

I haven’t driven many cars with 1.7 engines, but this diesel version was excellent and frugal also. Indeed, Hyundai hopes that this thrifty engine will be one of the car’s strong selling points and Hyundai’s Sarah Hayes says the firm is very happy with sales of the Tourer and Saloon versions.

Although most people initially believed that stop-start technology would consume more fuel, it has been proven that this new technology is a fuel-saver. The stop-start technology also reduces C02 emissions and brings the i40 into the lowest tax band, which used to be €104, but was increased to €160 in the recent budget.

And if you find the stop-start technology annoying, you can simply turn it off.