Hyundai I30 News

The Toyota Corolla could lose its crown of Australia's most popular small car, as Hyundai's i30 charges ahead in 2023.

The hot hatch class is in crisis.

The last of the petrol-powered N cars from South Korea may be upon us this year, if a global teaser from Hyundai is anything to go by.

It's already been a big year for Hyundai in Australia, with the new car market's number five-ranked brand having just launched the dramatic Ioniq 6 EV sedan. But that Tesla Model 3-baiting, ultra-low drag four door is just the beginning of an extensive 2023 new model roll-out for the South Korean giant.

The details of the Hyundai Kona Electric have been confirmed for Australia, with the all-electric SUV to deliver more than 480kms in driving range when it arrives Down Under towards the end of 2023.The Kona Electric range has expanded in this new-generation model, with the EV to be initially offered in two trim levels, with an N Line version to in 2024."The Kona is going to have an N Line version, and we'll start with the electric," says Hyundai USA boss, Jose Muñoz. "We're going to have different versions, and we've started from the beginning with the EV."Also new are the brace of battery sizes, with 48.6kWh and 64.8Kh available, with the latter expected to deliver a WLTP driving range in excess of 480kms on the WLTP cycle. Battery sizes in the outgoing model were 39.2kWh and 64.0kWh.The new Kona Electric is also bigger in every way than the model it replaces, with the new version 145mm longer, 25mm wider and 20mm taller, all while riding on a wheelbase that’s been increased by 60mm.Those gains are all about producing more space for passengers and their stuff, with rear leg room boosted by 77mm, and cargo space increased by 33 litres (with the rear seats in place), and a more signifiant 144 litres when the back seats are folded flat.The cabin tech has been upgraded too, with every model equipped with dual 12.3-inch panoramic display screens, thoroughly modernising the cabin experience and addressing one of the more old-school-feeling features of the outgoing model.The Kona EV will initially arrive in Australia in two trim levels, with Standard Range and Extended Range models to launch. An N Line version will touch down soon after, while a full-blown N model remains unconfirmed across the entire Kona and Kona Electric range.The Standard Range delivers 99kW and 255Nm, and should travel around 380kms on a single charge. The Extended Range version ups the power to 150kW and 255Nm, and should travel in excess of 480kms on a charge.We don’t know the full equipment list for Australia yet, but LED headlights and taillights, the dual screen system and dual-zone climate control will arrive as standard, as will the ability to download over the air updates. New safety equipment includes an in-car camera monitoring the driver’s attention level and a centre airbag.Hyundai is yet to confirm Australian pricing details, but we would expect the Kona Electric to start higher than the model it replaces, which started at $57,438 for the Elite, and $60,938 for the Highlander.

It's been one of the mainstays of Hyundai's local line-up since arriving in the late 2000s. And now, after three generations, the most recent launching in 2016, the i30 is reaching the end of its life. But rather than drafting a eulogy, Hyundai Australia is hinting at a dramatic rebirth, with the car's future as a zero-emissions city-sized EV looking increasingly likely.

Hyundai Australia has applied a price increase to some of its most popular models, with more to come in the near future.The brand has increased pricing for its i30 hatch and Sedan, as well as the Staria van and people mover, by hundreds of dollars, though

The arrival of the new-generation Hyundai Kona brings into focus the uncertainty surrounding its i30 stablemate, with speculation that the hatchback could be discontinued in the near-future.

Manual gearboxes are being killed off by the soulless, unromantic savages who want a car with an automatic transmission. Which is nearly everybody. So, the car manufacturers are making hardly any manual cars now. But for the few beacons of hope trying to save this rare animal from extinction we’ve made a list of new cars still with manuals that are for sale in Australia. But for how much longer?

This week we are publishing our top 5 list of Cherries - those cars known to be reliable and generally free from manufacturing and engineering faults.