New Hyundai i30 goes on sale in the UK

The new Hyundai i300 arrives in Hyundai UK Showrooms

The new Hyundai i30 (2012) was revealed at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show and has now arrived in Hyundai UK showrooms.

It seems like a long time since Hyundai revealed the new i30 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but it’s actually only six months; time enough to get the news out before the new i30 lands in showrooms, which it does in the UK from today.

In many ways the new Hyundai i30 is the most convincing model yet from Hyundai’s increasingly confident offerings, and looks set to go head to head with VW and Ford for the hearts and minds of family car buyers in the UK.

With a new design, more space, higher quality materials and a decent range of engines and models, the i30 offerings look solid. They look set to look even more solid with the new i30 Estate on the way, an i30 Coupe a likely entrant before too long and an i30 Turbo in the offing with the 183bhp engine from the new Veloster Turbo.

Prices for the new i30 kick off at £14,495 for the 1.4 100PS rising to £20,795 for the 1.6 CRDi 110PS auto which, although not exactly the bargain basement prices Hyundai offered not that long ago, are still competitive in a marketplace dominated by the Golf and Focus.

Whether Hyundai will be able to make inroads in to the market dominance of Ford and VW remains to be seen, but if any Hyundai is going to make a big dent in the market leaders sales it seem likely to be with the new i30.

(30 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK