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ON TEST The new Hyundai i40 Wagon FEBRUARY 19, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 13 A t 4,770 mm, the sheer length combined with a new concept in rather special motoring, marks the i40 Wagon as a most intriguing vehicle. It is the modern equivalent of the old station wagon. You know the concept... wooden struts outside to give it a rural look. However, the emphasis remains on carrying capacity with both seats and luggage room. The unframed question lurking in the recesses of this driver’s mind are all to do with the darkened rear side windows, the ‘rear privacy glass’, the fact that very important executives or others engaged in a need for con- fidentiality can be wafted around our road system, at high average speeds, in a great deal of comfort, without the hoi-polloi being re- motely aware of the importance of the drive, marks the i40 Wagon as very special indeed. On opening the rear lid the sheer size of the hold reveals that this ve- hicle is designed for five people and a lot of luggage. However, the really interesting fact is that in two-seat mode with the entire rear forming a luggage platform, the load capacity goes from an entertaining 553 litres, to a mind-bending 1,719 litres, with- out the use of a roof rack. Initially there was some concern that the car, taking up 1,815 mm of road, without taking into account the door mirrors would, combined with its length, be a bit of a liability on lesser roads. In fact, the car is so well balanced and she handles so precisely that bulk fails to really enter into the equation. However, going backwards with- out the rear view camera working as well as it does would en- tail slow progress using the door mirrors contin- uously. The parking as- sist was used extensively, given the fact that the steering parks the car, twirling away merrily. Speed and braking are still under the control of the pilot’s feet, and be- lieve me, the rear view camera then comes into its own as the parking sensors bleat their merry tune, while a degree of apprehension creeps into the con- trollers’ mind. The 1,685cc CRDi diesel develops a reasonable 114 bhp at 4,000 rpm, and combined with a great amount of torque, 260Nm from 1,250-2,750 revs per minute, the car is well able to maintain high average speeds even when fully laden. She’s a pleasantly responsive car to drive with a great many electronic wizardries, including cruise control for those owners engaged on long or lazy travel. Of more immediate rele- vance to drivers in Malta we obvi- ously used on test the ABS, BAS (Brake Assist System), HAC (Hill As- sist Control), ESS (Emergency Stop Control) and importantly, VSM (Ve- hicle Stability Management) and ESC (Electric Stability Control). This has its own on/off switch, and on a dry day driving in Malta it was impossible to tell the difference when the switch was off. This says a lot for the car’s inherent stability. The power steering was light and surprisingly positive, and even though the vehicle had only two people on board, the brakes were superbly responsive, never tried to ‘grab’ and were progressive rather than sudden and immediate. I have a personal preference for a ‘normal’ handbrake rather than the contemporary trend towards having to use the brake pedal to engage, and disengage the hand brake, for I feel that most drivers will forget what they were taught as learners, and simply sit with the foot brake in use, using the hand brake only as a park- ing brake. Please prove me wrong. The interior has been properly set up and finished to a very high standard. The electri- cally operated seats pro- vided all the movements required, including a lift function. The steering col- umn is also adjustable, tilt and telescopic modes being available. There are seven air bags, very good seat belts and reactive head restraints. The feeling of safety within the passenger area is really most extraordinarily reassuring. The 17-inch wheels rode the undulations well, and with MacPherson struts and coil springs up front with a multi-link type rear suspen- sion with stabiliser bar the whole package seems ‘glued’ to the road, and the six-speed gearbox with its delightful manual change allowed the most to be made of every op- portunity. It almost goes without saying these days that the air-conditioning package and the various media functions are fantastic with many controls being conveniently placed on the steering wheel, and of course, the i40 is no different. All-in-all this wagon not only looks great, is beautifully finished to very high standards with all the comforts required for happy travelling, but with its enormous potential for cart- ing things, or people, the i40 fills the bill, and she is also available in sedan version to fill a market niche. HUGH ARNETT An unexpected drive COMFORT No hesitation at all. PERFORMANCE Satisfactory for a small diesel. Bear in mind the fastest petrol version gets to 100 km/h in only 9.7 seconds. COOL ‘Cool’ is the wrong word to use. I would give it five stars for multi-functionality. QUALITY In class, this car is right up there with the very best. TOP SPEED 184km/h 0-100km 12.9 seconds ECONOMY 4.3 l/100 km travelled. C0 2 122g/km ENGINE 1,685cc common rail injected diesel. Euro 5 rating. Four cylinders, double overhead camshaft, 16 valves. Gear change – six-speed manual POWER 114bhp at 4,000 rpm. MAXIMUM TORQUE 260Nm from 1,250 to 2,750rpm. STARTING PRICE €28,850 VERDICT AT A GLANCE “Looks great, is beautifully finished, with enormous potential for carting people”
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POWER COOL QUALITY 0-100km 114bhp at 4,000 rpm. TOP SPEED The Sunday Times MOTORING 13 ENGINE 260Nm from 1,250 to 2,750rpm. 1,685cc common rail injected diesel. Euro 5 rating. Four cylinders, double overhead camshaft, 16 valves. Gear change – six-speed manual C0 2 Satisfactory for a small diesel. Bear in mind the fastest petrol version gets to 100 km/h in only 9.7 seconds. 4.3 l/100 km travelled. 122g/km 184km/h In class, this car is right up there with the very best. FEBRUARY 19, 2012
Transcript of 013
ON TEST The new Hyundai i40 Wagon
FEBRUARY 19, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 13
At 4,770 mm, the sheerlength combined with anew concept in ratherspecial motoring, marksthe i40 Wagon as a most
intriguing vehicle. It is the modernequivalent of the old station wagon.You know the concept... woodenstruts outside to give it a rural look.
However, the emphasis remainson carrying capacity with both seatsand luggage room.
The unframed question lurking inthe recesses of this driver’s mind areall to do with the darkened rear sidewindows, the ‘rear privacy glass’, thefact that very important executivesor others engaged in a need for con-fidentiality can be wafted aroundour road system, at high averagespeeds, in a great deal of comfort,without the hoi-polloi being re-motely aware of the importance ofthe drive, marks the i40 Wagon asvery special indeed.
On opening the rear lid the sheersize of the hold reveals that this ve-hicle is designed for five people and
a lot of luggage. However, the reallyinteresting fact is that in two-seatmode with the entire rear forming aluggage platform, the load capacitygoes from an entertaining 553 litres,to a mind-bending 1,719 litres, with-out the use of a roof rack.
Initially there was some concernthat the car, taking up 1,815 mm ofroad, without taking into accountthe door mirrors would, combinedwith its length, be a bit of a liabilityon lesser roads. In fact, the car is sowell balanced and she handles soprecisely that bulk fails to reallyenter into the equation.
However, going backwards with-out the rear view camera working aswell as it does would en-tail slow progress usingthe door mirrors contin-uously. The parking as-sist was used extensively,given the fact that thesteering parks the car,twirling away merrily.
Speed and braking arestill under the control ofthe pilot’s feet, and be-lieve me, the rear viewcamera then comes into
its own as the parking sensors bleattheir merry tune, while a degree ofapprehension creeps into the con-trollers’ mind.
The 1,685cc CRDi diesel developsa reasonable 114 bhp at 4,000 rpm,and combined with a great amountof torque, 260Nm from 1,250-2,750revs per minute, the car is well ableto maintain high average speedseven when fully laden.
She’s a pleasantly responsive carto drive with a great many electronicwizardries, including cruise controlfor those owners engaged on long orlazy travel. Of more immediate rele-vance to drivers in Malta we obvi-ously used on test the ABS, BAS
(Brake Assist System), HAC (Hill As-sist Control), ESS (Emergency StopControl) and importantly, VSM (Ve-hicle Stability Management) andESC (Electric Stability Control).
This has its own on/off switch, andon a dry day driving in Malta it wasimpossible to tell the difference whenthe switch was off. This says a lot forthe car’s inherent stability.
The power steering was light andsurprisingly positive, and eventhough the vehicle had only twopeople on board, the brakes weresuperbly responsive, never tried to‘grab’ and were progressive ratherthan sudden and immediate.
I have a personal preference for a‘normal’ handbrake rather than thecontemporary trend towards havingto use the brake pedal to engage,and disengage the hand brake, for Ifeel that most drivers will forget whatthey were taught as learners, andsimply sit with the foot brake in use,using the hand brake only as a park-ing brake. Please prove me wrong.
The interior has been properly setup and finished to a veryhigh standard. The electri-cally operated seats pro-vided all the movementsrequired, including a liftfunction. The steering col-umn is also adjustable, tiltand telescopic modes beingavailable. There are sevenair bags, very good seat beltsand reactive head restraints.
The feeling of safetywithin the passenger area isreally most extraordinarilyreassuring.
The 17-inch wheels rodethe undulations well, andwith MacPherson strutsand coil springs up front
with a multi-link type rear suspen-sion with stabiliser bar the wholepackage seems ‘glued’ to the road,and the six-speed gearbox with itsdelightful manual change allowedthe most to be made of every op-portunity.
It almost goes without sayingthese days that the air-conditioningpackage and the various mediafunctions are fantastic with manycontrols being conveniently placedon the steering wheel, and of course,the i40 is no different.
All-in-all this wagon not only looksgreat, is beautifully finished to veryhigh standards with all the comfortsrequired for happy travelling, butwith its enormous potential for cart-ing things, or people, the i40 fills thebill, and she is also available insedan version to fill a market niche.
HUGH ARNETT
An unexpected drive COMFORT
No hesitation at all.
PERFORMANCESatisfactory for asmall diesel. Bear inmind the fastestpetrol version getsto 100 km/h in only9.7 seconds.
COOL‘Cool’ is the wrongword to use. I wouldgive it five stars formulti-functionality.
QUALITYIn class, this car isright up there withthe very best.
TOP SPEED184km/h
0-100km12.9 seconds
ECONOMY4.3 l/100 kmtravelled.
C02122g/km
ENGINE1,685cc commonrail injected diesel.Euro 5 rating.Four cylinders,double overheadcamshaft, 16 valves.Gear change –six-speed manual
POWER114bhp at 4,000rpm.
MAXIMUMTORQUE260Nm from 1,250to 2,750rpm.
STARTINGPRICE€28,850
VERDICT
AT AGLANCE
“Looks great, isbeautifullyfinished, withenormouspotential forcarting people”
