2017 Hyundai I30 vs 2018

What's the difference?

Hyundai claims its Ulsan car production plant is the world’s largest. Located 300km south east of South Korea’s capital, Seoul, this monstrous automotive sausage machine spits out a new set of wheels every 10 seconds. Yes, one car every 10 seconds. You can't even make Big Macs that fast.

I first visited the main Ulsan factory in 1988, and a contemporary OH&S rep would have collapsed in shock. Even then, it felt close to medieval; hot, loud, dirty, and frightening. The Excels flying off the end of the line were unsurprisingly ordinary.

But a second visit, in 1995, was a revelation. The clinically clean shop floor was full of quietly efficient robots, producing cars that were already giving the established players something to think about in terms of design and build quality.

Then a third tour (oh yes, I know how to have fun at work), in 2012, revealed a showcase of modern manufacturing technology. Hyundai’s long-held ambition to be the world’s largest and most successful carmaker was clearly in the process of being realised.

Which brings us to the recently released third generation i30, Australian examples of which are built in Ulsan. The new model is already fighting toe-to-toe with the Toyota Corollas, Mazda3s and VW Golfs of this world, setting a course for global domination in the process.

The i30 Premium sits at the top of a five-model range. Does it have what it takes to knock over the big guns, or will Hyundai’s New World Order have to wait?

Hyundai's first i30 launched to quiet praise in 2007. Hyundai had just come off a rough patch of making pretty ordinary cars with only a few exceptions. At some point in the preceding few years, the Korean giant realised that dull, middle-of-the-road machinery was not going to turn it into the next Toyota. Instead, it was in danger of fading into a  pale imitation of the great white-goods maker.

That first i30 was the moment Hyundai set off on its own path, with a few key positions filled by industry veterans from around the globe. Kia did the same, almost in parallel, and look where it is today.

The third-generation i30 was an instant hit. Building on the success of the first and second generations, the car had built a reputation as dependable, solid and, as the years went by, good to drive. Excellent value has been a core competency for Hyundai since day dot, but adding all that other stuff took a while.