AFTER a successful five-year run, Hyundai’s i30 has undergone a complete makeover, gaining a new look, redesigned interior, more space, better safety, and big changes under the skin.

The previous model was a solid effort that changed perceptions of the brand, but Hyundai is shooting even higher for the new model, with the obvious aim of class leadership.

So the question is: has the Korean giant gone far enough to take on Australia’s best small cars? Here we put the range-topping Premium CRDi automatic under the microscope.