[bumpkin]

I promised to take a picture to show how the DRL's wrap around the main lamps when dark and don't just have the upside down V,





Not great pix from my phone but they give you the idea.

[2i30s]

sorry for the late post,but that's a very nice motor you've got there
Brian. 

[Dazzler]

sorry for the late post,but that's a very nice motor you've got there
Brian. 

The rest of the car ain't bad either 

[Doggie 1]

sorry for the late post,but that's a very nice motor you've got there
Brian. 

The rest of the car ain't bad either 

It's a funny thing, language.
Steve was obviously talking in "English-speak" and not "Aussie-speak" but I knew what he meant.
"Nice motor, you've got there guv."
Is the same as, "Great set of wheels, mate." 
Or "Nice ride, cobber."

[eye30]

"Nice ride, cobber."

This can mean something else........... not related to motors

[Dazzler]

sorry for the late post,but that's a very nice motor you've got there
Brian. 

The rest of the car ain't bad either 

It's a funny thing, language.
Steve was obviously talking in "English-speak" and not "Aussie-speak" but I knew what he meant.
"Nice motor, you've got there guv."
Is the same as, "Great set of wheels, mate." 
Or "Nice ride, cobber."

I did realise that Dave (I was just being a smart arse) I know that is not like me 

[2i30s]

and Brian is a Scott,do they call a car a motor or only our English vehicle owners. 

[Doggie 1]

 

[bumpkin]

Southern Scots tend to use motor more than us Northern Scots.

[Doggie 1]

And what do northern Scots use?
Motorised carriage? 

[bumpkin]

 

Got me!


CAR.

[accim]

Wow I didn't even know you've bought the i40  Congratulations! Looks great and the car is really nice. Had a chance to drive it twice and really liked it. Which engine is it?

Is there another topic about your purchase? Do you still have the ix20 ?

[Dazzler]

Here is the earlier thread accim where Brian explains the changeover from the ix20

https://www.i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=16042.0

[bumpkin]

Thought it was about time I gave you an update on the i40, six months of ownership and 3500 miles has given me some time to get over the initial excitement of having a new car and give a take on daily driving of her.

I have to say that I have not changed my mind from my initial exuberance, I love driving the i40,  despite it's size it really is very easy to drive around in.

Engine: Despite being the lowest in the range the 1.6 GDi petrol is actually very good, delivering the same maximum output as the 1.7 diesel but more free revving,  the flip side of course being that the diesel option will have more torque from lower down.  Now it has freed up the engine delivers its power well and is certainly more capable than the 1.6 petrol engine was in the i30 or the 1.4 in the ix20.  Coupled to the 6 speed manual box the car gets to the relevant speed limits capably and once at the speed you require cruises nicely, the petrol will even trundle along quite happily at 30 mph in sixth.  The speed limit option from the steering wheel is something which I have used but tend to not bother with, it is something which is probably of more use in areas where you are not familiar with and where you can set the limit to allow you to get on with keeping an eye out the window with an ear on the satnav without having to worry about your speed.  In comparison the cruise control is excellent, easily set your speed on the steering wheel control and leave it to get on with it.  The control once it is enabled is excellent, a push on the button to speed up or slow down is instant with no lag as the computer thinks about what you are trying to tell it. 

Fuel consumption:  the current cold weather in the UK has seen a substantial dip in mpg, the last three tanks of fuel have averaged less than 30mpg which is below the Hyundai figure of 34 mpg by a substantial margin.  I know from driving her long distance that 45+mpg is achievable so I am really seeing the difference that driving with electrics on in cold weather makes.  Having said that the current consumption value I am getting compares favourably with what the ix20 with BlueDrive achieved in the winter months, so given that there is a bigger engine and a heck of a lot more car being pulled around I am not dissatisfied with it.

Ride - said it before and will say it again, I love this car.  The steering is reported as being a bit vague by the motoring press, but then they seem to want something which drives like a super car, not a family tourer!  The steering is more than adequate for the average motorist, with a reasonable amount of feedback which whilst not as positive as the i30 was, still works just fine, even on the twistier country roads which we have in the North of Scotland.  The car is exceptionally quiet and smooth, the suspension is just set up beautifully for UK roads, potholes are soaked up nicely with no residual "bounce" after hitting an uneven surface which given the size of the body is impressive.

Features - The mid range UK Style model is loaded with goodies and for me strikes just the right balance between features and cost.  As you approach the car with the key in your hand the technology starts to work, if you have the take me home lighting switched on then pushing the unlock button in the dark will unlock the doors and switch on the headlights, tail lights and interior lights.  Of course you don't need to push the button on the fob, the keyless entry allows you to leave the key in your pocket and simply push the button on the door handle, this though does not switch on the head or tail lights, the car doesn't need to direct you towards it, you are already there!  Opening the door reveals a well lit cabin, two lights in the front overhead, one large dome light in the centre and a lamp for driver and passenger footwells let's you see everything just perfectly and the front doors also have a red light in the back edge which illuminates when the door is opened.  One feature i really find handy is the length of time the interior lights stay on for before dimming even after all doors are closed, there is a good 30 seconds of maximum light which is great for allowing an eight year old time to get the seatbelt on.  Keyless stop start technology continues inside the car, starting the engine using the button automatically dims the interior lighting to off, a quick push of the AutoHold button and drive away.  The piano style pedal took a moment to get used to but is actually just fine and is very comfortable to use once you train yourself to use the whole foot rather than the ball area of the foot.  Auto lights and wipers are as the i30 version, nothing to report there, no more than heated door mirrors etc, all functional and handy (or lazy if you want to look at it that way!)

Dual zone climate control with automatic logic for defogging the windscreen works really well, it can of course be overridden by the simple push of the from window heater, which is usually required in really frosty conditions until the system works out what it needs to do.  The electronically adjustable drivers seat must be configurable for just about every shape or size of person out there, even the height of the seat can be put to somewhere which is comparable to the ix20, which is pretty clever.  One option from the Premium which would be handy here is the memory function, because both Kim and I drive the car it would be good to have two presets and simply push a button to get back to where you were, but there you go.  The passenger seat is also very configurable including height boost, but this is all manual at that side of the car.

The rear seats do not slide forward or back as they did in the ix20, but the backs can be altered between a more upright or reclined position. 

Much criticism can be found online of the Hyundai media system and in particular the shortcomings of the satnav, but I have to say that I find it not too bad at all, particularly with the recent software update enabling traffic alerts and detours.  It has always found where I am looking for and the maps seem very up to date for my area, with even fairly recent speed restrictions programmed properly into it.  Trawling other manufacturers forums reveals that there is a general dissatisfaction with most built in units, so for Hyundai to be under the kosh for it seems to be to be rather unfair.

The Style and Premium versions have 4 parking sensors in the front bumper and another 4 in the rear bumper and I find them very accurate, particularly when I read the problem Alan had with his i30 ones.  Coupled to the reversing camera, the car is really easy to pop into that elusive parking spot, the front sensors can be switched off in the cabin, but automatically come in when you put the car into reverse.  I can see why they decided to put the camera into a pop out behind the badge on the new i30 though, it is very easy to find that the image from the camera is blurry due to road film or salt.  As stated before neither Kim nor I are particularly tall and the sensors and camera are absolutely invaluable for us for manoeuvring a large car, I suspect Kim would not have been overly happy had I chosen to go for the Active as I was first considering.  One thing we have both noticed is that in fact the i40 is easier to park than the ix20 was, the ix20 dash tapers towards the front of the car, which actually made it tricky to park in a straight line, strange but true!

The boot space can only be described as voluminous and has swallowed everything I have thrown at it, including a summer tidy out of the house loft, where I removed the security shelf and rear net, chucked down the rear sets and filled her up three times to take loads of cardboard, polystyrene and other general junk to the recycling centre.   Those three trips would have been 5 or 6 with the ix20 and 7-8 with the i30.  As a golfer there is the constant threat of grass in the boot of my cars, the type of carpet used in the i40 is that which kind of holds on to grass like Velcro, however I used my birthday money to buy myself a boot liner with one inch lip and also used the change to buy the door striker covers like Mishas.

Overall then, I have not changed my opinion of the i40, a simply beautiful car to look at, which I have noticed does turn heads, a great car to drive, I have not seen any of the issues that some i40 owners have experienced, there have been reports of lifting roof rails, serious leaks in the passenger footwells associated with a gutter not being sealed properly, clutch replacements on the diesel models as the first two gears were really notchy, wind noise from drivers door and the active cornering lights not working correctly on the Premium model.  Mine has been faultless, as have some of the others I am aware of, but the faults which have been reported suggest that the i40 may not be the breakthrough car in its segment that the i30 has been, Hyundai may have to go through a couple of incarnations of it whilst paying attention to their quality control in order to break the Mondeo, Insignia, Avensis, Passat market.

[Dazzler]

Brilliant report thanks Brian.. I'm sure I would have been more than happy with one.

It is a shame the local Hyundai Dealer charges crazy prices for the higher models 

Not a lot on the roads in Tassie yet, but the higher models really do catch the eye when you do see one 

[Phil №❶]

quite happily at 30 mph in sixth.

Scotsman 

Very comprehensive, Bumpkin 

[Doggie 1]

Excellent report, even worthy of rivalling Alan's great informationals. 

[bumpkin]

Got a bottle of Greased Lightning amongst my Xmas pressies, used it this morning after a wash (I am not keen on going completely waterless!).

Bloody good stuff guys, really quick to use, particularly at this time of year, the less time spent in the cold the better!

Some photos for you.

[Asterix]

Excellent report, even worthy of rivalling Alan's great informationals. 

 

The car looks very nice, Brian..

[Dazzler]

  Nothing looks nicer than a shiny black car 

[Doggie 1]

Got a bottle of Greased Lightning amongst my Xmas pressies, used it this morning after a wash (I am not keen on going completely waterless!).

Bloody good stuff guys, really quick to use, particularly at this time of year, the less time spent in the cold the better!

I can see in one of the photos that you look quite clean and shiny but a direct photo of yourself after applying the product would have shown us much more clearly how good it was. I take it you have to be in cold water too?   

[2i30s]

your reflection in the door speaks for itself. 

[bumpkin]

A few before and after shots of the mess that road salt makes of our cars and the fruits of a Sunday afternoon getting rid of the offending muck, apologies for the low res mobile photos, but you'll get the idea!

[Dazzler]

Top job Brian 

[Phil №❶]

 

Seems a shame to take it back out on the road after all that. Looks real nice though. 

[Doggie 1]

Looking good.
Black is nice when it's shiny.

[bumpkin]

Across to my dealer yesterday, first warranty repair

Both front wheels showing significant signs of pitting, the i40 produces a lot of brake dust which despite my best attempts at protection had eaten into the spokes.  Front wheels have been replaced.

In the meantime though I have had to report the leather peeling on the steering wheel, pix have been taken and sent to Hyundai, so I will have another visit to get that replaced coming soon also.

[Doggie 1]

Good to hear they replaced them though. 
They'd have to know about the leather on the steering wheel issue.

[Dazzler]

Across to my dealer yesterday, first warranty repair

Both front wheels showing significant signs of pitting, the i40 produces a lot of brake dust which despite my best attempts at protection had eaten into the spokes.  Front wheels have been replaced.

In the meantime though I have had to report the leather peeling on the steering wheel, pix have been taken and sent to Hyundai, so I will have another visit to get that replaced coming soon also.

Does you model have the Plastic Chrome inserts like the Premium i30 did over there Brian (or was it eating into the alloy) 

[bumpkin]

No inserts Dazz, eating the wheels from behind the spokes!