Hyundai i30 Fastback review

Brothers and sisters can be weird. They come from the same place, but often one is worthy and a bit dull, while the other one is all about look-at-me glamour. So it is with the Hyundai i30 Fastback, which is the good-looking sister to the sensible i30 hatchback. And with this update for 2021, it’s better-looking than ever.

First of all, you’ll see the new, slimmer headlamps with optional multifaceted reflector MFR LED technology and new V-shaped signature LED daytime running lights at the front. New-style alloy wheels complete the exterior updates.

There’s just the one engine, a 159hp 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine, which is available with either a six-speed manual transmission or optional seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The SmartSense safety package has been improved, with standard lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency braking with Front Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) and tyre-pressure monitoring. You can pay extra for Lane-Following Assist (LFA), Rear Collision-avoidance Assist (RCA), Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), high-beam assist, and speed-limit and blindspot warning systems.

There's only one trim but it comes with everything you need, and lots of stuff you didn't know you needed.

The i30 Fastback is available in one trim, N Line, which comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, twin exhausts, leather-trimmed steering wheel and handbrake, automatic lights and wipers with automatic full beam, privacy glass, electric folding door mirrors, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, upgraded Bluelink telematics system, 10.25in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a digital driver’s display.

The new i30 is the first Hyundai model to introduce the upgraded Bluelink telematics system and features a new user interface which offers a range of GPS-based information to aid drivers, including the current speed of the vehicle and information about traffic density.

With a new cloud-based Connected Routing navigation system, driving routes are calculated on a server inside the Bluelink cloud environment.

As soon as we drive the new Hyundai i30 Fastback we’ll let you know what it’s like from behind the wheel.