The Hyundai i30 Tourer vs the Volkswagen Golf Estate

In this blog the i30 Tourer clashes with its arch rival from Volkswagen. With both of them being best in their class, we take a look at which one comes out on top!

Performance and running costs

The Hyundai i30 Tourer comes with a smooth 1.6 CRDi diesel that develops 109bhp and 260Nm torque. The engine is a tell-tale sign of the distance Hyundai have come in recent years as it’s definitely the quietest in this test. Performance wise it’s not bad either with a 0-62mph time of 11.5 seconds and quick response when situated in mid-range power delivery offering all round smoothness.

The i30 produces CO2 emissions of 110g/km with the help of a standard stop-start system. It’s marginally not as clean as the VW but overall the running costs are what you’d expect from an estate tourer.

The power in Golf comes from Volkswagen’s certifiably tried and tested 1.6 TDI diesel that emits only 109g/km thanks to the help provided by what VW call ‘BlueMotion Technology’. It may be marginally cleaner than the Hyundai but it’s not quite as refined. The VW produces 10Nm less torque at 250Nm so you’ll find it’s not as responsive as the i30. Pace is also a short-comeuppance for the VW as the narrow power-band in the five-speed transmission forces you to keep changing gear in order to keep up to speed.

Nonetheless the Golf will average 45mpg and you’ll enjoy a quiet and comfortable ride whilst doing so. It’s composed in the corners, has weighty steering and grips the road well which makes the car very easy to drive all-round.

Interior, practicality and comfort

The i30 Tourer is 185mm longer but the wheelbase is unaltered from the hatchback and the rear overhang is cleverly disguised in its enormous boot.

When all of the seats are in place it holds 528 litres of baggage space which is 23 litres more than the VW Golf. Dipping the seat bases and folding down the seats fully flat will give you even more room adding up to around 1642 litres. By far the largest luggage space out of these two and its easily achievable too with the Hyundai’s easy to fold seats.

On top of this, when you consider the i30’s deep door bins and large centre console cubby within the cabin you just can’t deny the i30’s practicality.

As with all Volkswagens the interior of the Golf Estate is top-notch. VW have always assured that the cabin quality of their cars is one of the biggest selling points and in this instance it’s business as usual. Hyundai have definitely improved on their cabin quality so there’s no longer a huge difference separating these two manufacturers however the Golf still holds the crown for best interior with its premium feel.

The Golf isn’t just focused on cabin quality though, its overall space makes it a practical estate car which with the rear seats up will hold 505-litres, slightly less than the Hyundai but there’s a 1,710mm maximum load length, so the car will still carry a full-size bicycle with ease.

Verdict

After a long reign at the top, then, the VW Golf Estate remains there as the best in class. It’s more expensive than the Hyundai and it has a smaller overall luggage area but it's still the more desirable car.

As you'd expect with the i30 being the cheaper option drivers are left short changed as the cabin feels a lot cheaper than the VW. The Hyundai has put up a hard-fought battle but the VW takes the crown for all its practicality and quality engineering.