Driven: Hyundai i40 Tourer SE Nav CRDI Blue Drive Review
Following a week-long test drive of the Hyundai i40 Tourer SE Nav here is our verdict on the car.
What is the Hyundai i40 Tourer all about?
The Hyundai i40 Tourer is the largest estate car that Hyundai offer. You can purchase the i40 in both estate and saloon configurations, with the saloon starting from £19,600 and the estate from £20,850. I think my preference would always be the Tourer just because you get the extra space and the car looks better than the saloon model, that’s my opinion anyway.
The design of the car is one of the most sharp and sophisticated looks that Hyundai have created. The practicalities of this car are immense; there is lots of space in the driver’s cabin for both the driver and passengers, and lots of storage space within the car as well as an enormous amount of boot space too. There is most definitely room for all the family.
The i40 Tourer SE comes with additional features such as heated seats and steering wheel, DAB radio, parking sensors and touch screen Sat Nav.
The test car was fitted with the 1.7-litre diesel Blue Drive engine that creates 139bhp, matched with a six-speed manual gearbox. This means the car can get from 0-60mph in 10.5 seconds and will give a top speed of 124mph. However, and most importantly for some, the car can achieve a combined fuel efficiency figure of 65mpg.
How does it drive?
Driving the i40 was a very calm and relaxed experience. The suspension system and high profile tyres smoothly remove any faults on the road, creating a gentle and fluid driving experience, even on some of the UK’s worst roads.
The 139bhp from the Blue Drive 1.7-litre diesel engine is plenty of power for a car of this size, even with a significant load on board. The pulling power that the engine provides means the car feels pretty responsive in most scenarios. The engine has a great balance of power and efficiency and Hyundai say it can return up to 65mpg combined. I experienced just less than 50mpg during my testing which was good for the amount of town driving I did.
Just because the car is a big practical car doesn’t mean that it will struggle in the corners. Whilst testing the car out we took it into the countryside and I thoroughly enjoyed my time taking the 1.7-litre diesel powered engine around some fairly windy B-roads. It’s safe to say that the car is both fun and efficient.
My only gripe with the car was the electric handbrake; jumping into the car I couldn’t get the handbrake to release as fast as I would like and the auto hill stop function feels a little clunky.
What is it like inside?
This is one of the best Hyundai interiors I have seen. I have already mentioned the interior passenger space above, but it is worth mentioning twice. There is plenty of room in the front to relax and lots of headroom too. In the back of the car the rear passengers have class leading leg space, with plenty of room to move your legs around which will help out a lot with those long journeys.
As this is the i40 SE Nav version, the Hyundai has a large touchscreen infotainment system, which is one of the better systems I’ve used. The colours on the screen are very vibrant, and the touch element works exceptionally well. As you would expect the car has FM and DAB radio, CD player, USB input, Bluetooth, MP3 streaming, hands-free phone integration and let’s not forget Sat Nav. Which is pretty much everything you need in this modern world.
The other switchgear in the car relates to the heating controls and driver’s instruments, and these are all well laid out and feel good to the touch. All the buttons inside the car are relatively easy to use.
The Experience
The experience of owning the Hyundai i40 was ten times better than I thought it would have been. The Hyundai i40 has an interesting design and is quite a desirable car. Driving the car there is plenty of fun to be had, and there were a lot of small touches to the car that makes using it on a daily basis very easy and straightforward.
Verdict
From behind the wheel this large family and business car has the fun vs. practical balance down to a tee. The car will easily meet life’s hectic daily needs. The Hyundai i40 Tourer is a great way to get around at a very reasonable price. Beyond that the Hyundai still looks stylish and modern and has a 5-year warranty – what more could you ask for?
Video Highlights
Specification
- Price: £ 24,180
- Engine: 1.7-Litre Diesel
- Power: 139bhp
- Torque: 340Nm
- Transmission: 6 Speed Manual
- 0-62mph: 10.5 Seconds
- Top speed: 124mph
- Weight:1648kg
- Economy combined: 65mpg
- CO2: 114g/km
Author: Paul Hadley
