Car Buyers Guide
Hyundai i40 Tourer SE Nav 1.7 CRDi 141PS Blue Drive DCT
July 2016
Likes:
- Plenty of space for passengers
- Range of economical diesel engines
- Handsome, yet understated appearance
- Value for money in terms of standard equipment
Gripes:
- Dual-clutch gearbox can be irritating around town
- Vague steering
- Firm seats could be comfier
- Not a terribly fun car to drive
The i40 Tourer is Hyundai's offering for the family estate market sector. After initially being unveiled in 2011, the i40 has gone on to be something of a success story for the South Korean manufacturer. This new, facelifted version makes for an even better-looking car than before, and features a range of economical engines plus a new dual-clutch transmission.
Thanks to numerous tweaks and updates, the Hyundai i40 Tourer is even more appealing than before. Families will be impressed by the level of space and practicality on offer and the large amount of kit that comes as standard. These aspects make the i40 a serious contender against the likes of the Ford Mondeo estate and the Skoda Octavia estate.
While the car's interior may feel rather basic compared with cars such as the Mondeo estate or the Volkswagen Passat estate, everything is laid out in a functional manner and build quality is top notch. Equipment levels are good, too, with all cars other than the entry-level S model getting features such as satellite navigation as standard.
In terms of practicality, the i40 Tourer offers a boot with 553 litres of space with the rear seats in place and 1,719 litres with the seats folded down. This is significantly larger than that of the Mondeo estate, which only has 500 litres of space with the back seats up and 1,605 with them folded flat.
As a driver's car, the i40 leaves rather a lot to be desired. The steering feels vague, and the new dual-clutch transmission can, at times, be incredibly frustrating. Around town, it struggles to find the right gear, and can suddenly change down as you pull away from a roundabout - giving you an unexpected surge of power.
Thanks to numerous tweaks and updates, the Hyundai i40 Tourer is even more appealing than before. Families will be impressed by the level of space and practicality on offer and the large amount of kit that comes as standard. These aspects make the i40 a serious contender against the likes of the Ford Mondeo estate and the Skoda Octavia estate.
While the car's interior may feel rather basic compared with cars such as the Mondeo estate or the Volkswagen Passat estate, everything is laid out in a functional manner and build quality is top notch. Equipment levels are good, too, with all cars other than the entry-level S model getting features such as satellite navigation as standard.
In terms of practicality, the i40 Tourer offers a boot with 553 litres of space with the rear seats in place and 1,719 litres with the seats folded down. This is significantly larger than that of the Mondeo estate, which only has 500 litres of space with the back seats up and 1,605 with them folded flat.
As a driver's car, the i40 leaves rather a lot to be desired. The steering feels vague, and the new dual-clutch transmission can, at times, be incredibly frustrating. Around town, it struggles to find the right gear, and can suddenly change down as you pull away from a roundabout - giving you an unexpected surge of power.