Hyundai I30 News

Are you sitting on a future classic?

Hyundai Australia has axed the i30 small hatchback in Australia, despite its place as the second-most popular model in its segment behind the Toyota Corolla.

They were once the staple in almost every Australian driveway, but the sedan is looking increasingly in danger of disappearing altogether.Sales of family-sized sedans are down more than 60 per cent in 2025, with even the biggest names in the market including the Toyota Camry and Tesla Model 3 enduring a major sales slide.The decline of the Camry, which is down 46.4 per cent in the first nine months of 2025 is particularly telling. Once a staple not only of the sedan market, but one of the most popular cars in the country, the Camry is now struggling to find new buyers. Once popular family cars including the Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon and Mondeo, Mazda6, Volkswagen Passat, Kia Optima and more have all disappeared over the past decade and more and more buyers shift to utes and SUVs.A decade ago some local car executives openly questioned how large the SUV market could grow, doubting that the sedan could be overtaken, such as the dominance of the bodystyle at the time.That has clearly changed.Some industry insiders viewed electric cars as a potential saviour of the sedan, as the lower body allowed for better aerodynamics and less weight, and therefore greater efficiency and longer driving range off the batteries. The Model 3 and BYD Seal have performed strongly previously, but sales of both have taken a turn for the worse in 2025.This year Tesla reported sales of the Model 3 were down more than 65 per cent in the first seven months of the year, while the Seal has seen its sales halved. While this is happening, sales of SUVs and utes continue to stay strong, making it clear to car companies where they should be focusing their attention and future models. While there are some brands still committed to the sedan for now, it’s hard to see them playing a significant role for any brand in the future.Toyota will likely keep the Camry as long as possible given it has been a staple of the brand and recently received an update. But as we’ve seen with the Mazda6, which was a fixture of that brand’s line-up, no model is truly safe regardless of its heritage.The same is true for the premium end of the market too. The BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 have often been amongst the best-selling sedans overall, competing on volume with the likes of the Mazda6, Sonata, Passat and others.But these luxury options are also suffering declining sales. The sales of mid-size sedans over $60,000 are down almost across the board, with the only model enjoying sales growth being the Audi A5 - which is coming off a small base and the departure of the A4.The fact that Audi has decided to retire the A4 badge and shift its sedan focus to the A5 is telling in itself. It underlines the shift from the traditional to this new era of both SUVs and electric vehicles.The recent reveal of the BMW iX3 as the first offering from the Bavarian brand’s so-called Neue Klasse is another sign that electric SUVs are the focus for many brands and sedans are an afterthought.This news will be disappointing for the sedan loyalists who simply don’t want to switch to a bigger SUV or ute. But the message is clear to those who still prefer sedans - get them while you can.

Australia’s cheapest car just got more expensive.

The SUV domination of the new car market could bring down some of the most famous names in the business — or redefine them.

Hyundai Australia has raised the price of its highest-profile hot hatch and sedan models as a direct result of the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) regime and “European factory sourcing”.

Hyundai Australia has issued an urgent recall for almost 20,000 examples of its i30 hatchback following the discovery of a fuel fault that could lead to a sudden loss of power.The fault affects only the i30 PD model made between 2020-2021 and involves 18,634 vehicles in Australia.Hyundai Australia has issued a statement explaining the fault is connected to the fuel supply which can cause the vehicle to lose power.“Due to a manufacturing defect, the fuel pump impeller may become deformed under certain environmental conditions, interrupting the fuel supply,” Hyundai’s statement reads. “If this occurs, the engine could stall resulting in a sudden loss of motive power.“Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted in writing by Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA), asking them to schedule an appointment as soon as possible to have the fuel pump impeller inspected and replaced, free of charge.”Owners who may be concerned are encouraged to speak to their local dealer or contact Hyundai’s customer care line on 1800 186 306.The i30 has long been in Hyundai’s top three best-selling vehicles. Sales of the i30 year-to-date to the start of September have totalled 7447 units. Hyundai’s latest recall follows another recall in March for the 8700 ix35 SUVs due to a brake fluid leak.

Kia has reiterated its focus on affordability in Australia, with the imminent K4 five-door hatchback to slot alongside the K4 sedan released earlier this year to help it fight off cut-price alternatives from China.Sourced from Mexico but designed for global markets including Europe, the Cerato hatch replacement may even start from under $30,000 (all prices are before on-road costs), matching the Hyundai i30 Sedan (from $29,000).But, even if the K4 Hatch goes slightly over that price, it would likely still undercut the best-selling Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid (from $32,110), as well as the Mazda 3 Pure (from $31,310) and Hyundai i30 N-Line (from $36,000) hatchback equivalents.With the Picanto city car from $18,690 currently Australia’s cheapest new vehicle, as well as the Stonic S small crossover from $25,660, K4 Sedan from $30,590 and Seltos S from $30,750, the K4 Hatch should substantially boost Kia’s fortunes at the bottom end of the new-car market.Feeding into consumer preference for hatchbacks over sedans in the small car segment, the sharply-styled K4 five-door looks – and is – shorter, yet has a larger (and more practical) cargo area, at 530 litres versus the four-door’s 508L.Plus, as with many other models, the newcomer has undergone an Australian-road tuning program run by engineering specialist, Graeme Gambold, giving it a distinct advantage against many other small-car alternatives.According to Kia Australia product planning manager, Roland Rivero, Kia is committed to providing accessible small cars that Australian buyers want, especially as competitors abandon them for crossovers and SUVs.“Picanto not going anywhere anytime soon, and it remains our entry into the Kia brand. And we're pretty happy with what Picanto has done for us, and that's going to be around for a long, long time yet,” he told CarsGuide.“And as for K4 is not going anywhere either, and K4 is going to have a full life, and we've committed to the Mexican factory to do our respective share. So far so good.”While the sedan version has tripled the preceding Cerato hatch and sedan’s January to July sales this year compared to the same period last year with 3322 registrations, it will be the hatch that presents the most promising volume opportunity in Australia.“Obviously, we can't wait for the hatchback to come along,” Rivero admits. Because that's what the market appetite is for. What was the split that we had with Cerato hatch to sedan? I think it was, like, 65 per cent hatch, versus 35 per cent sedan… (Australia) is a hatch market.”Of course, it isn’t just benevolence driving Kia’s move to offer greater small-car choice, since it seeks to better-offset their smaller carbon footprint against the larger, thirstier and dirtier SUVs (as well as the Tasman ute), reducing the likelihood of coming New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) penalties.That’s why the K4 Hatch will switch to an Atkinson Cycle 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine – as found in the current Seltos as well as the related i30 Sedan 2.0P – that is more efficient and emits, according to Rivero, some 30 per cent fewer emissions than the regular, 112kW/192Nm version found in the K4 Sedan. The trade-off is a slight loss of power and torque, at 110kW and 180Nm respectively.Given the Hatch is poised to be the K4 volume seller, that should help Kia’s bottom line in more ways than one.

Hyundai is about to move to a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty in Australia, up from its existing five-year/unlimited kilometre item.

If we offered you a free Ferrari or free Toyota which would you take?