1 Oct 2011
KOREAN CARMAKER Hyundai added a second mid-sized vehicle to its burgeoning new-model line-up in the shape of the i40 Tourer wagon.
Designed and engineered in Germany as a response to Europeans like the Ford Mondeo, Opel Insignia and Peugeot 508, the i40 arrived in late 2011 with a sizeable premium over the cheapest i45 – its closely related but larger four-door sedan stablemate.
Power for the i40 came courtesy of either a 130kW/213Nm 2.0-litre GDI petrol from Hyundai’s ‘Nu’ engine family or a 100kW/330Nm 1.7-litre common-rail direct-injection four-cylinder turbo-diesel – both of which could be paired to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with standard paddle-shifters.
Only the entry-level Active offered the manual the costlier Elite and Premium variants came exclusively in automatic guise.
Awarded a five-star safety rating, the i40 Tourer had a whopping nine airbags, electronic stability control, ABS with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, cornering brake control and hill-start assist. All awee underwritten by Hyundai’s vehicle stability management system.
Hyundai said the i40’s suspension and steering systems were specifically tuned and calibrated for Australian roads, undergoing thousands of kilometres of local testing.
The car used MacPherson strut suspension up front, while at the rear was a multi-link system. A fuel-saving electric steering system was used rather than a conventional hydraulic set-up.
At 4770mm long, the i40 offered 1719 litres of cargo space with the 60:40 split folding rear seats in the downward position and 553 litres with the rear pews upright.
An i40 sedan is slated for sometime in 2012.
