I purchased my 2012 i30 Wagon following three years of living that sweet company car life. I was driving a 2018 Kia Cerato provided by my previous employment and after having to hand it back, I wanted something just as cheap to run that also accommodated for my hobbies (bicycles, Bunnings, camping, kayaks…but mostly Bunnings)...
Moving headlong into the depths of middle age, my initial idea was to buy a sleek, phallic-nosed sports car, a later model Nissan 350Z being the main candidate. Then I saw an article about the Hyundai i30 N, a car I'd heard about but on which I didn't know much. It had won an award for best affordable sports car two years running so I figured there must be something to it...
Having been the proud owner of a near-new, sporty and smartly-styled Hyundai i30 N, my family was scratching its collective head earlier this year when I switched over to say ‘Hy’ to the same company’s ‘lowly’ 1999 twin-cam Xcel*...
As a family of six with a new born, we travel to the snow over six times a year, and we also head up the coast a couple of times a year. In order to haul ski gear (we have a ski pod up top), two baby seats and four adult-sized people, we needed a bigger car. Enter the Hyundai Palisade. Regarding the styling, it’s a little American, but in a good way...
Let’s get the i30 sedan’s styling out of the way first - yes it’s polarising and the haters will say it’s already come pre-dented, but I think it’s nowhere near as hideous and unresolved as the Honda Civic hatch, which to my eyes resembles an arthritic Transformer stuck crouched in mid-transformation and unable to get up...
I purchased my Genesis in early 2017. It was one of several 2014 company demonstrators and had a low 15,000km on the clock. I found it really by accident on the net, having driven used C-Class Mercs and 5 Series Beemers, but on the first drive of the Genesis (and having investigated the Make more), I was most impressed with its quietness, comfort, safety and engine...
I purchased my 2001 Hyundai Grandeur from an online auction site in December 2019 for $909. It had 182000km. Upon collection, it had a big oil leak, which the description didn't mention or show. The check engine light was always on (likewise not mentioned) and it needed new tyres - which I could tell from the photos...
We bought our Santa Fe Highlander back in January 2011 as an unused demonstrator, knowing an updated model would come out later in the year. As it was the Highlander spec, it came with everything except for Bluetooth and sat-nav, which would have made it a complete package...
A well-thought-out vehicle. It was originally purchased to fit three child seats across the back. It has a wide body and has the same specs internally to the ix35. Used as a tow vehicle for holidays, it has towed a loaded 7x4 trailer with no problems. Don't be afraid to give it throttle and use the revs. The engine doesn't use much more fuel...
We were downsizing from a much-loved 100 Series Toyota LandCruiser. It used to tow our now long gone caravan, and we thought was going to be challenging finding a smaller SUV we were going to be happy with. When we first went looking for a new mid-sized SUV we visited all the dealers for the vehicles we were interested in - including the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Honda CRV, Kia Sportage, Nissan X-Trail and the Hyundai Tucson - and obtained brochures with specifications...
After a four-month-long search, and basically test driving all the cars in this segment, I decided to put the money down on the i30 SR. It just ticked all the boxes for me: fun to drive, comfortable, affordable, latest tech and reliable. For the past year it has proven to be a joyous experience without any complaints, which is rare for me...
