2009 Hyundai i30cw Review & Road Test
April 24, 2009 by Matt Brogan
2009 Hyundai i30cw Sportswagon Review & Road Test
The next big thing in small family motoring
Model Tested:
- 2009 Hyundai i30cw Sportswagon, 2.0-litre petrol, four-speed automatic, wagon – $28,990 (RRP)
Options:
- Metallic Paint $320
Functionality; safety; stylish looks; very family friendly
Could do with a little more boot space; cheap Bluetooth
CarAdvice Rating: 
- by Rose Harris
These days when it comes to family cars, the choice has widened quite considerably. Options are no longer limited to frumpy people movers that embarrass your children when they are dropped off at the school. There is no longer a need to compromise style for space simply because you now have full-time back seat passengers.
Hyundai’s i30cw Sportswagon is one of those family cars offering a splash of style into everyday life. While there isn’t anything amazingly jaw-dropping about the i30CW, there is also not much to dislike about this wagon.
In keeping things simple Hyundai has put together a winning family formula – safety, functionality and style. By no means do I mean ‘simple’ in a negative light, I am not fond of a million bells and whistles on a car that are really there for no other reason but to give the owner the illusion of feeling superior to the next person at the traffic lights.
Functionality is the key to win me over, if a car does step into the ‘field of fancy extras’ they had want to be easy to use and demonstrate a clear purpose.
Now I cannot speak for every family in the world, although I know when it comes to mine, as well as the functionality, a car needs to be drivable, practical for the environment for which it is to be driven, comfortable for long hauls and accessible for even the smallest passenger, and of course, above all, safe. Add on a clear ability to manoeuvre city traffic and parking and fuel efficiency and the family checklist is quite a long one.
Initially when I first laid eyes on the i30CW, its compact nature had me I doubting the ‘wagon’ title. I couldn’t envisage packing mum, dad and the 2.5 kids along with pram, luggage and all the other sundries required for a family weekend away. However I was surprised, while the boot space isn’t a big as a ‘traditional’ wagon, I found it adequate to pack in all required for a weekend trip. But it did take a little more thinking than just throwing in item after item like we are used to.
The cargo area is versatile as well, when back seat passengers aren’t a consideration, the 60/40 split rear seats fold down to amplify the usual 415 litres of space to 1395 litres. The Sportswagon also comes with a cargo barrier which is easily fitted and can be moved from the conventional boot position to just behind the front row of seats to safely transport items with the rear seats folded down – delivery van style. The cargo net is great for tying down loose loads and also has the option of being fitted in a hammock position to further use all available space.
The retractable security blind is a wonderful feature, not only keeping boot contents safe from prying eyes, also keeping the mess out of sight and the direct sunlight at bay. The blind roller is easily removed if more cargo space is required. And if additional storage is needed, the car I tested was fitted with roof racks and there are several additional storage solutions available as Genuine Hyundai Accessories. The liftback is easily opened with one-touch release and also easy to close.
Back to the family stuff, the wagon is fitted with three child seat anchor points which are cleverly positioned on the boot floor, located close to the seat backs meaning the straps don’t cut across any of the boot space.
Another little thing, further highlighting the vehicle’s functionality is that the anchor point covers are clearly labelled as are the cargo hooks, little things like that making life a bit easier in the chaotic times of loading up the family car.
While three anchor points are fitted, the back seat is at capacity with two child seats, there wouldn’t be room for a third child seat and it is a bit too squashy to even fit in an adult passenger between seats, however a child passenger would be possible.
The drop down centre arm rest is fitted with cup-holders, just at the perfect height for the kids snacks and drinks and a great way to prevent spills. What wasn’t at a kid-friendly height however was the door locks, the chrome lock was far too inviting for my awfully humorous three-year-old who was constantly locking the door so we couldn’t open it.
On the locking system, the doors automatically lock at 40km/h but unlock just as easily as soon as the door handle is pulled (when the car has stopped obviously) no need to turn off the engine or remove keys from the ignition. This is part of Hyundai’s HALO (Hyundai Active Locking Operation).
The car handles very well and has good road stability, I felt an air of safety about the vehicle before even reading the long list of active and passive safety features and with that comes a priceless peace of mind. The Sportswagon and the SLX come fitted with the full quota of airbags – driver and front passenger, driver and front passenger side and front and rear curtain airbags. The full i30 range is fitted with ABS, EBD and ESP and carries a five star ANCAP rating.
In the driveability stakes, I did find the steering pulled to the left in the car I tested and I was having to constantly correct it, however the test car did have 3500km on the clock, so it could have well been an isolated problem.
Other than that I found the vehicle to be very manageable on both long trips to the country as well as a city runabout. The 105kw at 6000rpm produced by the four-cylinder engine was ample for my purposes and I didn’t come across any real issues with the four-speed automatic transmission.
Another gear in the ‘box wouldn’t go astray to make everything a bit more relaxed but the four-speed does an adequate job.
Around-town short trips saw the fuel economy sit at around 9.5 to 10 litres per 100km. The urban estimate by the manufacturer is 10.2 litres per 100km. On a long trip, cruise control on, the lowest the fuel economy dropped was 8.5 litres per 100km, and that was in fairly windy conditions.
The manufacturer puts the combined fuel efficiency figure at 7.7l/100km for the 2.0-litre petrol version I tested. While I didn’t see it drop that low, I had the feeling if I had a little more time to get used to the vehicle and in better conditions, it would have gone below that 8.5.
The Hyundai i30CW is very quiet when running and the compact-wagon design is great when it comes to parking, which is further assisted by the rear parking sensors that come as standard on both the Sportswagon and SLX.
The Sportswagon is the top of the range, which of course meant a leather interior. Call me ungrateful but my beef with leather interiors and children remains, and I could easily tire of cleaning the tiny pinhole like detail, maybe when the kids are all grown up I’ll treat myself to the luxury interior.
The driver’s seat offers lumbar support which I found surprisingly comfortable and for the height challenged like myself, the seat is height adjustable via a pump lever.
The Sportswagon also brings with it rain sensing wipers which were quite effective, auto lights on control and 17 inch alloy wheels with chrome inserts.
The six-speaker (including front tweeters), six-CD stacker sound system puts out plenty of noise and is standard issue in the Sportswagon. The integrated auxiliary audio input jack is cleverly located inside the padded twin compartment front centre armrest as is the USB audio input which is loaded with all the Apple software for full iPod compatibility.
The Sportswagon I tested was factory-fitted with Bluetooth. After being impressed with the sound system set-up I have to say I was let down by the rather ‘DIY’ look of the Bluetooth which was mounted in the top right corner of the windscreen with an exposed wire leading into it. It seemed to cheapen what was otherwise a very neat interior.
Fingertip controls are at a premium. The Sportswagon’s steering wheel was fitted with stereo controls as well as easy-to-use cruise control. On the driver’s door, there is electronic control over all four windows (as well as rear window lock), door lock button and electronic mirror adjustment as well as a clever little button that automatically folds the side mirrors in.
There is ample storage in the front, starting with the air-conditioned glovebox through to top and lower dash compartments and a roof mounted retractable sunglasses holder. The climate control is easy to use and well located to keep the car at a comfortable temperature.
From the exterior, I am a big fan of Hyundai’s styling. The i30cw Sportswagon has a modern look that doesn’t scream “family incoming”.
The sleek headlights and the indicator lights located on the back of the side mirrors all work together to create a car I would be happy to pull up in the soccer carpark in.
That is, alongside all the fuel-guzzling monster SUVs and while I might not be carrying that all important badge, with the Hyundai i30cw I would most certainly have the quiet satisfaction of a car that is functional, practical, suits city driving and of course leaves a softer environmental footprint.
Overall, the high functionality, driveability and simple nature of the i30CW combined with the affordable price (the base model starting at $20,890) will in my opinion become a big contender in the family market, following on from the success of the i30 hatch in its segment.
Pricing:
- Hyundai i30cw SX – $20,890 (M) / $22,890 (A)
- Hyundai i30cw SX CRDi – $23,390 (M) / $25,390 (A)
- Hyundai i30cw SLX – $27,390 (A)
- Hyundai i30cw Sportswagon – $28,990 (A) – As Tested
- Hyundai i30cw SLX CRDi – $29,890 (A)
Ratings:
CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive: 
How does it Look:
How does it Go:
Specifications:
- Engine: 1975cc DOHC four-cylinder, 16 valve
- Power: 105kW @ 6000rpm
- Torque: 186Nm @ 4600rpm
- Induction: Multi-point
- Transmission: Four-speed automatic
- Driven Wheels: Front
- Brakes: Discs with ABS, EBA & EBD
- CO2 Emissions: 183 grams per kilometre
- Fuel Consumption: 7.7 litres per 100km (ADR Combined)
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 53 litres
- Fuel Type: 91RON petrol
- ANCAP Rating: Five star
- Airbags: Front, side & curtain
- Safety: ESP with Traction Control
- Spare Wheel: Full size alloy
- Cargo Capacity: 415/1395 litres
- Tow Capacity: 1200kg (Braked)
- Turning Circle: 10.9 metres
- Warranty: Five year/unlimited kilometre
- Weight: 1421kg (Tare)
- Wheels: Alloy 17 x 7.0-inch
Road Test the Rivals:
Print it: 
I think the i30cw deserves to be a real winner for Hyundai, it’s their first car I’d recommend to people the hatch is decent but too expensive. I wish the boot was a little bigger but it’s not too bad, can’t say I agree with you about the leather either it’s so much easier to wipe clean then cloth which soaks it all in & stains too easy.
A very underrated car..and miles ahead than it’s co mpetitors
A sweet car that does its job surprisingly well! Hopefully alot of people will flock to the car and the whole i30 range. Will definitely put pressure on the Japanese and it can only be good for future car buyers. But a full score for how it looks? I admit it’s by no means boring looking but it ain’t exactly exciting or inspired either…
Great little wagon! I would go for the SX model (plus safety package) to avoid these horrible aluminium effects on the dash, steering wheel and front floor console in the more expensive models.
Queit1, what do you consider it’s competitors to be then? It’s a very good car but things like the Focus are still better.
This car finally achieved average small car standard.
But must be 20~30% cheaper as Korean car.
Same price range as Japanese or European small cars, is simply crazy and insane !!!
Underrated car? I don’t think so. Most people recognize this car very clearly.
It is cheap car, and end of story.
This car styling is actually close to few generation old Mazda (323).
I don’t care how many cars they sold, it is not my option of next my car list.
Not a bad car at the lower range, but if you are spending more than 25k, would you really still go for a korean brand? Personally if i’m spending more than 25k, i would much buy one of the japanese brands or the new Golf.
As for the car itself, i do wonder if there is a market for it. I know people are downsizing and this little wagon might make a perfect family car, but this segment has long being dead with most people moving to compact SUV, even Toyota has dropped its Corolla wagon for the Australian market (still available in Japan). With Holden about to halt sales of Astra, this may become the only wagon in this class.
My only real complaint with this car is that there is no manual transmission available on the non-base model (SX). It seems strange that they would take the manual away on SLX+, especially when the i30 hatch manuals sell well and also that there arent any other wagons available for the price (20 grand) so what would they base their market research on?
Hyundai is continuing its threat as a serious car-maker with this car, as its great!
A bit pricey for a Korean car. Due to “reputation issues” Korean manufacturer must accept that their cars are priced at a discount to the Japanese. In reality, there is a quality gap between Japs and Koreans-not perception. It will be at least another 3-5 years before they catch up with the Japs. Now, if they’re priced almost the same as a Jap, what is the point of buying Korean?
Pricing needs to be $20k driveaway for the base model.
The only competitors I can think of are the Holden Viva Wagon which is pretty rotten, the CH Lancer Wagon in runout mode, and the Astra wagon which is now halted and sort of the CJ Lancer Sportback.
If they can get the marketing and the pricing right with this one it will sell.
Not everybody needs the ground clearance and whiz bang drivetrain of a Forrester.
Milkyway, that is the point i was trying to make, why buy korean when you can buy a japanese car at similar price. For that matter, i always wonder why people buy top of range japanese small cars as well, there’s always the excellent golf when you go beyond 25k.
Precisely Alan, as I said Korean cars are suspect quality-wise although they keep improving. I’ll echo the views of many here- if you pay $25k or more, there are many cars in the same(or better) class that are just as good, Australian made included.
Nice wagon but not really quite long enough for my needs.Unsure just which Focus this competes with as there is no Focus wagon and the 130 icw is aimed at a different market.
The Golf has very limited space in the rear and now carries with it the inherent maintenance concerns of turbocharging and supercharging.Because the Europeans get some sort of rego discount for sub 1.4 litre engines we’re saddled with this as a result.
Hyundai deserve to sell boatloads of these and will no doubt adjust the price if sales lag.
Little sign of that for the moment.
10 years ago, I wouldn’t have had a Hyundai as a gift – and I mean that literally. However, the quality and styling has improved dramatically, and the i30 is the first Hyundai I would actually consider buying. The build quality is very, very good – compare the i30 side by side with a Ford Focus and tell me which one is better (and it isn’t the Focus, with its dodgy build quality and componentry not to mention the dodgy paintwork).
Hyundai deserves to succeed with the i30 and kudos to them for introducing a wagon version into a market starved of station wgaons.
The reason the Focus is so poorly build (not the XR5 although that isn’t well equipped) is because it’s built in South Africa, the XR5 is German built. The old VW Golf, current Jetta, Merc C-class & BMW 3-series are a few examples of cars that are ‘european made’ but are in fact made in countries like South Africa, Mexico and Thailand!
At least with this Hyundai you know it’s made in Korea, which means the materials may not be soft touch but the car won’t fall apart and they’re very solidly built. And with the i30 the interior does have soft touch materials, so it is quality!
I was looking for a reasonably priced ($30k) replacement for my aging (Japanese) Sedan. I test drove the i30 cw sportwagon today and was a bit of a “Korean” skeptic at first, but suitably impressed by the ride and quality of the vehicle. 5yr
warranty/unlimited kms plus the extras that are option$ on the other car makers (taking them well over 30k to get to same ). Sure, I would love to get the badge(Euro/Jap), but am cautious given the economic times. You get a lot of bang for buck here, and if you can get over the badge factor ..its definitely one to put on the short list.
I can’t believe people are directly comparing this car to the likes of Focus and Golf!
This car is designed to carry a couple of passengers, a pram and some small baggage. If you needed the space, Focus and Golf would simply not be considered.
For cheap and reliable small family motoring, this car would be hard to go past. Don’t forget Hyundai put 5 yrs unlimited ks on these things. When you put it all together, it’s a very sensible buy if it ticks all your boxes.
Rose thanks for another great review.
“Functionality is the key to win me over……….”
I’m super functional! Oh that’s right, you’re married.
hehe
Just one small problem that I can see; It doesn’t have a great deal of load space… and isn’t that the main reason you’d buy a wagon!
Actually i don’t agree that Focus is not a competitor to this, afterall despite being a wagon, the i30’s boot is only 415L, compared to 385L for the Focus. Between Focus and this, i would choose the Focus unless you really need that extra 30L of boot space.
If you want this as a substitute to the common compact SUV, then 415L is actually quite small with most of compact SUV offering at least 450L (Tiguan’s 400L is the only exception here). I guess it comes back to money again, seeing i30cw is a lot cheaper than compact SUV’s.
DrivenIt, take a look at a Skoda Octavia if you’re in the market. I know the base engine is a 1.6 petrol but its just as quick as the Hyundai’s 2.0litre petrol engine (or take a step up and look at the 1.8 Turbo). Skoda offers even better than Hyundai, because it has the Euro quality but not the Euro price. I’d seriously look at one!
I’m interested in the SX model (Auto diesel)of the i30 CW @$25,390 exclude taxes etc (bcos of my budget) that is ~$7K difference compared with 1.9Turbo diesel with DSG….
If I was buying an SLX Auto diesel i30CW or sportswagon – I will definitely consider the Octavia.
I meant difference of ~$7k between the Octavia in my previous post.
A Diesel auto i30 wagon on the road must be over 30k. When I suggested this may be the case a few months ago I was shot down in flames. But there it is. Unfortunately, that prices it amongst some respectable company in that price range and its ‘value for money appeal’ is diminished considerably. Skoda especially, as others have mentioned.
although the price is similar to jap cars this has a lot more kit as standard and it probably drives better.
I don’t understand why you’d pay an extra $1500 for this car over the equivalent i30 hatch when the difference in load capacity is a mere 75L.
Hey Shak,
You wrote
“although the price is similar to jap cars this has a lot more kit as standard and it probably drives better.”
Which Japanese car are you talking about?
4 years old Daihatsu?
This i30 is not bad car at all, but just achieved average standard small car now a days.
Nothing advance for anything.
Price, performance and design…Nothing at all.
Personally not even close to any Toyotya, Honda and Mazda small cars in Australian market.
People buy Hyundai because it’s cheap…That’s all.
Why this car over a focus or normal I30?
One word:
PRAM
It’s not just the small increase in capacity, it’s how the capacity is utilised.
No way is the focus a competitor to this. The boot space on this wagon is way more functional – no boot lip, cargo blind, much deeper boot. These are all the reasons why families buy SUV’s rather than hatches, and thats the market where this car will pick up buyers.
The only competitor this now has in Oz after the exit of the astra wagon is the Peugeot 308 touring, which is a better car but a lot more $$’s. Every hatch model in Europe (focus, corrola etc) has a wagon equivalent, but none of the manufacturers here have the balls to bring them to the Oz market, so kudos to Hyundai for bringing this over.
On the downside the economy figures are poor on the sportswagon in the review – you would really want to get the diesel. Its a crying shame that they only do the SX with manual – I wouldn’t buy a 4 speed auto in this day and age, although at least hyundai have a 6 speed auto in the pipeline.
They also need to sharpen the pricing, particularly for the diesel, but given the diesels are in short supply it won’t happen time soon.
All in all decent compact wagon, and finally there an viable alternative to buying an SUV that only ever sees tarmac
Simon & Fishman pretty much sum up what the i30CW over the i30 hatch.
People must get over their badge prejudices and assess the i30 cw for what it is; and that is a very practical, functional, safe and value for money car.
I’m not going to spend a few extra $ to get a “name” badge just for the sake of it. The i30 (which of course the i30 cw is based on) won the Best Australian Mid-sized car under $28K last year as judged by the seven state and territory motoring clubs.
I have no allegance towards any make or model, all want is my money’s worth. I’m booking myself a test drive…
I don’t know how it can get 5 wheel score on ‘How does it Look’.
It look like a car build at 90″,it’s a quite ugly car.
Also be prepared to wait for 3 months for the diesel model, they may sell well but there is alot of people waiting for Hyundai to get the stock in.