Hyundai I40 News

Hyundai Australia has dropped the i40 mid-size sedan and wagon following persistent low sales and ahead of the arrival of the new-generation Sonata in the second half of the year. On sale since October 2011, the i40 was developed in Europe and was sold alongside the i45 of the time, which was renamed Sonata in its next generation. The i40 and Sonata duo was seen as Hyundai’s take on the Honda Accord and Accord Euro situation throughout the 2000s - the i40 was the slightly smaller European take on the mid-size idea, while the Sonata was bigger and better priced.Unlike the Accord situation - in Australia at least - the i40 offered a both sedan and wagon body-styles, and the wagon was the better seller between the two locally. Throughout its life in Australia, the i40 offered two drivetrains - a 121kW/203Nm 2.0-litre petrol, and a 104kW/340Nm 1.7-litre turbo-diesel. The petrol was available with a six-speed auto, and the diesel a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. The wagon was available with both units, but perhaps because of the petrol Sonata, the sedan was diesel-only in its later years.Mid-size car sales shrunk in recent years thanks to SUVs, so much so that in 2012 there were 87,674 examples sold - in 2018, that declined to 46,231. The story for the i40 is the same - in 2012 it sold 2392 units, and last year only 633 were delivered. Flying the mid-size flag for Hyundai Australia will be the new-generation Sonata, which is due to land locally in the third quarter of 2019 with a four-cylinder petrol engine. A turbocharged unit in a rumoured Sonata N-Line may launch in 2020 as well.  

A broken windscreen could create major safety problems for a growing number of new cars.

Hyundai has updated its i40 sedan and Tourer wagon models for 2014, with subtle detail upgrades and new features, and no changes to pricing. Key among the new features is the addition of a Smart Tailgate function to the top-line Premium Tourer models, which enables hands-free power tailgate operation whenever the smart key is detected at the rear of the vehicle for 3 seconds or more. The entire i40 lineup is now equipped with the Drive Mode Select system already found on other Hyundai models, which gives the driver a choice of ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’, or ‘Sports’ modes. These modes vary the shift points of the automatic transmission (where specified), and adjusts the level of steering assistance to suit. The new Elite and Premium models can be identified by their updated wheel packages, with a new 17 inch design on Elite models, and the Premium’s 18s now finished in dark silver metallic. Elite and Premium Tourer models can also be identified by a new shark fin antenna, and the new features add to the Smart Parking Assist and Lane Departure Warning and Assist already standard across the range. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn       PRICING Hyundai i40 Active sedan 2.0 petrol manual - $29,990 Hyundai i40 Active sedan 2.0 petrol auto - $31,990 Hyundai i40 Active sedan 1.7 diesel manual - $32,590 Hyundai i40 Active sedan 1.7 diesel auto - $34,590 Hyundai i40 Elite sedan 2.0 petrol auto - $36,990 Hyundai i40 Elite sedan 1.7 diesel auto - $39,590 Hyundai i40 Premium sedan 2.0 petrol auto - $36,990 Hyundai i40 Premium sedan 1.7 diesel auto - $39,590 Hyundai i40 Active Tourer 2.0 petrol manual - $31,990 Hyundai i40 Active Tourer 2.0 petrol auto - $33,990 Hyundai i40 Active Tourer 1.7 diesel manual - $34,590 Hyundai i40 Active Tourer 1.7 diesel auto - $36,590 Hyundai i40 Elite Tourer 2.0 petrol auto - $38,990 Hyundai i40 Elite Tourer 1.7 diesel auto - $41,590 Hyundai i40 Premium Tourer 2.0 petrol auto - $44,990 Hyundai i40 Premium Tourer 1.7 diesel auto - $47,590

Hyundai will unveil the results of its collaboration Karim Rashid -- one of the world's greatest designers -- at the 2013 Seoul Motor Show. Karim Rashid is known for his creative and unprecedented vision, from product design to interior design, from furniture design to art. He has won the Red Dot award and over 300 other design achievements, catapulting him to international fame. "Karim Rashid's creative design philosophy and the unique individuality of Hyundai PYL (Premium Younique Lifestyle) brand represent a perfect match. Hyundai will showcase the i40 Art Car and a special design collection to offer visitors of the Hyundai booth at the Seoul Motor Show a variety of entertainment," said Won Hong Cho, Hyundai Motor's Chief Marketing Officer. Hyundai has included the i30, i40 and Veloster under the PYL brand umbrella in the domestic market. The concept behind the European mid-sized i40 Art Car styled by Rashid is best defined as ‘the joint between design and technology,’ and the exterior characterized by triangular and rainbow shapes intends to capture the speed and movements of the automobile. The i40 Art Car will work to effectively promote the strategic styling of the PYL segment, highlighting the highly unique qualities of the i40. Hyundai Motor also plans to showcase ‘Karim Rashid's Special Collection of PYL' consisting of four pieces - a wristwatch, a backpack, a carrier bag and a tumbler which will display Rashid's signature simple, unique design while maintaining the traditional function of these everyday items.  

As the eldest in our family, I was a bit like Hyundai. I had some good ideas, and I got there first, but Keith always managed to take what I'd begun and improve things.When I started as a paperboy I was happy to clear around $20 a week, but he lifted that to more than $40 on the same route and put it all in the bank. No frippery or splashing on motor magazines, that's for sure. He was also way better at anything practical, tougher on a football field, and first to head out from home.Just last week I was driving the new Hyundai Sante Fe and was impressed by the design, space, quality and seven-seater practicality. The steering felt wonky and the ride was floppy, but all-in-all it was a very impressive thing. This week I'm in the latest Kia Sorento and almost the same as the Sante Fe - no surprise there, since they're among the Hyundai-Kia clone cars - but a bit better.I think the driver's seat sits way too high for comfort and control, but the Sorento's suspension is massively better and the steering is good. It also feels more 'together' and a little quieter, and the extra refinement in the Sorento means I will always recommend it ahead of the Santa Fe.It's much the same as the Kia Sportage, which I prefer over the Hyundai ix35, the Kia Rio that trumps the Hyundai i20 - and currently holds the Carsguide Car of the Year crown - and the mid-sized Optima which is way better than either the i40 or i45 from Hyundai.Look at the sales figures this year and Hyundai is up by 4.9 per cent over 2011, holding fourth in the charts. Kia is only 11th, but its numbers are up by 26.9 per cent. Kia has the obvious advantage of building up from the basics set by Hyundai in everything from cabin size to engines, but it scores with the styling work by design ace Peter Schreyer and it also has Aussie suspension guru Graeme Gambold on the books.The Schreyer-Gambold double-punch lands every time, which could partly explain a major change at Hyundai that put former Holden marketing boss John Elsworth into the driving seat this week. He's going to lead a more locally-focussed management team tasked to deliver what Australians want in their cars, while holding the prices and value at the level Australians expect from Korean.'He could do a lot worse than to take a look, and a drive, in something with a Keith - sorry, Kia - badge. 

Yes, but why? That's the question dangling over Hyundai's new sedan, the four door take on the generally well-received i40 wagon. Again though, why, when the already much bigger i45 is around for much the same price? Hyundai's answer, in not so many words, is that the i40 is better. The sedan, like the five door sibling, hails from Hyundai's German R&D facility and the pencil of chief designer Thomas Burkle. It comes with decidedly European flavoured engines --  not least the diesel --  with suspension and steering bespoke for Australia. It is not, in other words, the big, sloppy, motion sickeness inducing i45 -- the least resolved car Carsguide has driven in recent years. "That was designed in California for the American market," Hyundai spokesman Stephen Howard says. "This is smaller. It is on a different platform to the i45. The i45 is made more for comfort, the i40 sedan has a more dynamic ride". It is also, for the moment, more dynamic than the i40 Tourer. Taking a cue from the book of susbidiary brand Kia, Hyundai sought bespoke tuning for this market, bringing in engineers from its Korean base to experience local conditions. "Those settings will come into the Tourer when the current stock in Australia is run out," Howard says. "There's major incentives and driveaway deals on those at the moment." The four mirrors the Tourer's spec levels -- Active, Elite and Premium -- and two four cylinder engine choices. The 2.0 direct injection petrol will doubtless sell more, but our pick would the hardy 1.7 turbo diesel with its 100kW/320Nm in auto form. Prices starts at a symbolic $29,990 for the manual petrol Elite few will buy up to an ambitious $44,590 ask for the the top spec diesel auto. Both transmissions have six speeds, though auto only from the Elite up. Standard kit dependent on the spend is impressive, running to nine airbags, cornering headlights and sat-nav system with SUNA capability displayed on a 7-in screen. The value equation is emphasised by Hyundai's standard five yearr/unlimted km warranty -- something most rivals cannnot or won't match. Unusual though it seems for the sedan to arrive after the wagion, this only comfirms the i40's Euro accent -- there the five door is always first out of scuplture's clay. Burkle has said he wanted to get away from the conventional three box sedan shape and that fluidly aerodynamic silhouette is about as far as a four door compact can escape -- though it's not miles away from Moray Callum's Focus sedan for Ford. Our first drive -- and we've a special one lined-up -- is ahead of us, but we'll hazard that here's another Korean car to steal Japanese thunder. Hyundai i40 Sedan Price: $29,990-$44,590 Warranty: 5 years/ unlimited kilometres Resale: NA Service Interval: 12 months/15,000km Safety Rating: Five star (Tourer) Engine: 2.0 litre 4-cyl petrol 113kW/214Nm; 1.7-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel 100kW/320Nm Transmission: 6-speed auto or man; FWD Thirst: 7.5L/100km petrol; 5.6L/100 diesel (autos) Dimensions: 4.7m (L) 1.8m (w) 1.4m (h) Weight: NA Spare: full-size  

Hyundai says the three years of free navigation map updates to the new generation Hyundai i30 and i40 sedan are a first for the Australian automotive industry. The free updates will also be added to all coming Hyundai cars with sat navs, including fresh stock of current models.  The NAVTEQ MapCare plan includes 7-in colour display, touchscreen, address input, lane guidance, speed limits warning and multi-route planning. “The inclusion of the NAVTEQ Mapcare programme and SUNA live traffic update software confirms we are not only delivering advanced technology in our vehicles, but ensuring our customers are always one step ahead with on-going support and data maintenance,” Hyundai product manager Andrew Tuitahi says. The updates are provided for those who service their vehicle at a Hyundai service centre, allowing for a maximum of two updates delivered on an annual cycle within the three years.   Rebeccah Elley on Google+

Hundreds of new and updated cars arrive in Australia each year but only one is good enough to make the honour role for Carsguide COTY.This time around the prize fight is tougher than ever, with new arrivals for 2011 covering every size and price class, from the ordinary Chery J1 from China to the exotic Ferrari 458 Italia from Italy. Neither of them makes the COTY cut, but that's another story ...The reach for COTY 2011 contenders actually stretches back to the final months of last year, to include a couple of cars that just missed the 2011 cutoff, and this time around the newcomers must have hit showrooms by December 1.So, unfortunately, the all-new Toyota Camry is a non-starter. It's the same for the make-or-break four-cylinder Falcon.But the class of 2011 covers all the bases, from affordable mini cars through family and prestige cars to a hot new coupe. The hopefuls come from Europe, Asia and Japan, as well as right home in Australia.Setting the field for 2011 was not easy, particularly with the outgoing champion - the Volkswagen Polo - still casting a considerable shadow.But each of the COTY judges, who cover the Carsguide contenders and drive them in all conditions from coast to coast, has called up their personal favourites from Alfa Romeo through to Volkswagen to help guide the selection process.Then it is the final cull by the COTY veterans to produce the top 10 for a gruelling two-day shootout to consider everything from design and safety through to value and their driving ability on a wide range of roads from Ford's You Yangs proving ground to freeways, suburban streets and gravel roads on the outskirts of Melbourne.The field is set, the race is about to be run, but we cannot get ahead of ourselves.So here are the 10 COTY contenders ... now it's over to the judges: 

The i40 Tourer is Hyundai's latest step up the quality scale, and easily the best-looking car the Korean brand has brought here.The body styling is fresh and has enough complexity to keep the eye interested but avoids being fussy, with the only discordant note the overdone arabesque of the daytime running lights.It's well-packaged, with acres of room in the rear seat and more than ample cargo space under the fast-back rear hatch.The cabin experience got big ticks for equipment and fit-out, but it was marked down for the cheaper quality impression of the gearshift paddles on the steering wheel.Hyundai has made a big effort on the steering and suspension, with in-house calibration and settings aiming to improve it for Australian conditions. We found it capable on the initial launch drive, but under the harder torture of the proving ground tracks the dynamics felt dulled and the steering too light.The electronic stability control program was invoked quite heavily going through corners, and even tipped in during some of the less sharp sweepers.While the diesel engine was capable enough, its outputs are still undermined by the weight of the car, and in the end it lacked the lustre to make the podium.Price: (as tested) $35,440Engine: 1.7-litre 4-cyl turbodiesel. 100kW/320NmTransmission: six-speed automaticThirst: 5.6L/100km (ADR), 149g/km.

And the Korean brand is taking the fight straight to the Ford Mondeo and Mazda6 wagons, with pricing and spec designed to lure their buyers. “Yes, we’ve got our eyes on the Mondeo wagon particularly,” Hyundai spokesman Stephen Howard says. The i40's $32,490 base price --  just $450 less than the Ford wagon’s entry point and $2250 less than the Mazda6 – puts you in the 130kW/213Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine with a six-speed manual transmission that appears only in the base spec. Adding $2000 gets you the six-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifters on the steering wheel, and a further $2000 swaps the petrol engine for the all-new 100kW/325Nm 1.7-litre CRDi turbodiesel across the range. The Hyundai’s three trim levels - Active, Elite and Premium – open with a standard list that includes nine airbags, daytime running lights and ‘static bending’ headlamps, electronic park brake, Bluetooth, cruise control, 16-in alloys wheels, full-size spare and premium steering wheel with audio and phone controls. The auto-only Elite spec is $39,490 for the petrol, and includes premium audio, 17-in alloy wheels, larger disc brakes, alloy pedals, foglights, front and rear park assist, powered driver’s seat and rain-sensing wipers. The same drivetrain in Premium spec is $44,490, and includes 18-in wheels, heated/cooled leather seats front and rear, adaptive cornering high-intensity headlights, reversing camera, panoramic glass roof and extra cosmetic garnish. Hyundai believes buyers won’t be deterred by the higher pricing of the flagship. “We think the Premium spec will do well here, but we expect the petrol automatic drivetrain will be the most popular at all spec levels,” Howard says. The brand new wagon is shipping into Australian showrooms to go on sale in October. The German designed and engineered i40 is the latest to come from Hyundai's 'Fluidic Sculpture' design language, and features the signature hexagonal front grille and swept back headlights with curvilinear LED daytime running lights. Pricing Hyundai i40 Tourer Active 2.0-litre GDI petrol engine  six-speed manual transmission $32,490 2.0-litre GDI petrol engine six-speed automatic transmission $34,490 1.7-litre CRDi turbo-diesel engine six-speed manual transmission $34,490 1.7-litre CRDi turbo-diesel engine six-speed automatic transmission $36,490 Hyundai i40 Tourer Elite 2.0-litre GDI petrol engine six-speed automatic transmission $39,490 1.7-litre CRDi turbo-diesel engine six-speed automatic transmission $41,490 Hyundai i40 Tourer Premium 2.0-litre GDI petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission $44,490 1.7-litre CRDi turbo-diesel engine six-speed automatic transmission $46,490