Hyundai's i30 hatchback is a Volkswagen Golf rival that has been seen testing in India on the outskirts of Chennai. It is unlikely that Hyundai will bring the i30 to India as a hatchback of this cost and size may not be successful in our market. In addition, the length of the i30 hatchback is more than four metres, which means it would require a larger engine, which would push the cost further upwards.
However, Hyundai were the pioneer in the premium hatchback segment with its i20. When launched, the car had was also considered to be way too expensive for a hatchback.
The car spotted on Indian soil could be just another test mule for components meant for future models based on the Elantra platform. If at all Hyundai decides to bring the i30 hatchback to India, expect it to be positioned on par with the Creta SUV.
The latest Hyundai i30 hatchback was unveiled back in 2016 at the Paris Motor show and features the brand’s latest design language. It shares similar styling and also some of its underpinnings with the Elantra sedan sold in India.
Internationally, the i30 is available with a range of petrol and diesel engine options. On the inside, the i30 gets minimalistic switchgear, a floating 8.0-inch touchscreen system and comes loaded with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also gets extensive safety features like autonomous emergency braking, radar-guided cruise control and much more.
Suraj Viswanathan
Dhruv Dhaka
Glenn Noronha
Dipan Sur
Uday Singh
