[Dazzler]

This makes for interesting reading..

Pretty much my thoughts after having a drive too...

http://canberratimes.drive.com.au/motor-news/she-says-he-says-hyundai-i40-20120831-2540l.html

[Doggie 1]

Yes, the Premium price certainly puts it up there amongst its competitors so it has to be able to properly compete.

[Marca]

i40 Sedan

More info

Hyundai Australia has announced the arrival of the i40 sedan, expanding its range of mid-sized passenger cars to three distinct models.
The i45 has been on the market longest, while the i40 Tourer launched here in 2011. Now, the i40 sedan provides the i45 with a slightly smaller, slightly sportier sibling - a model strategy similar to Honda's twinning of the Accord and Accord Euro.

http://themotorreport.com.au/54422/2012-hyundai-i40-sedan-on-sale-in-australia

[Dazzler]

Thanks Marca that was from the original release in Australia back in June.. I've had a drive of the Premium Model and posted a short review on here. We even have a new member that owns one..

They look brilliant, and are very economical but performance is only average unfortunately 

 

[bumpkin]

Interesting reading

BUT

If you are buying a car like this is performance really the most important factor (as this article suggests)?
All of the manufacturers have optimised engines resulting in cars like the i40 which were once pulled along by 2.5-3.0L engines, coming down to the 2.0L being the top end with 1.8 being the entry level to what we have now with 1.6 being entry and 1.7 or 1.8 being the higher end.  This has gone as far as the 1.0 EcoBoost Ford engine (which has just completed the fastest (and perhaps most frugal?) lap of the Nordschleiffe.  With fuel prices where they are, people want the comfort and frugality, if you want performance then you need to buy Jaguar, Aston Martin etc and your pocket will know about it, really who has ever walked into a Ford showroom, seen a Mondeo estate and thought "I bet that shifts!"??

Why are the motoring press in the pocket of all the other manufacturers?

Are we seriously expected to believe that the 125hp VW Passat outperforms the 135hp i40?  Somehow I don't think so, performance will be very similar between the two.

It does surprise me to see that the Toyota and Honda are cheaper in Oz though, I will have a look at the UK sites to check pricing vs options for those two later

[bumpkin]

OK, bit of research later and I find the following for the UK market.

My i40 Style 1.6Gdi 133hp recommended OTR price is £20,450

Toyota do not sell the Camry in UK, closest we get is the Avensis, closest spec to the i40 is the TR with 1.8 V-Matic engine producing 145hp (the i40 has a gross weight of 2030kg, the Toyota 2000kg, so 30kg lighter and 12 bhp more, does that really equate to a different driving experience in terms of performance?)

Cost for the Toyota is £22,710 and that is missing keyless entry and operation which the i40 has.

Honda Accord Tourer has 153hp and is the lightest at 1953kg, so perhaps a performance benefit in comparison to the other two, however the closest spec to the i40 does not have rear electric windows, rearview camera, auto dimming rearview mirror, subwoofer or sat/nav system.  Price for this baby is £24,925 or if you add the sat/nav £25,540

[Dazzler]

Thanks for that Brian 

It definitely seems like Hyundai models are more closely priced to their Japanese Competitors over here

[bumpkin]

Here are some other facts from the four competitors to the i40 1.6GDi

Model                                                        Max Power                Torque                       0-62     Max      Combined  CO2
                                                                                                                                    (secs)  Speed    Economy
                                                                                                                                                             (mpg/
                                                                                                                                                              l/100km)

Hyundai i40 1.6Gdi Tourer                        133hp@6300rpm      121lb/ft@4850rpm      11.6     121      42.8/6.6      155

VW Passat 1.4 TSi Estate                         120hp@5000rpm      148lb/ft@1500rpm      10.6     126      46.3/6.1      142

Toyota Avensis 1.8 TR SE GT Estate          145hp@6400rpm      132lb/ft@4000rpm       9.4     127       42.8/6.6     152

Honda Accord 2.0i VTEC Tourer                 154hp@????rpm       142lb/ft@????rpm       10.7     130      38.7/7.3     170


The i40 is without a doubt the slowest in the group, most telling in the torque figures particularly for the VW, but that is the only "twin charged" vehicle in the group.  A quick check on the VW shows that the UK price for a comparable model is £21,805 minimum, adding options to equalise spec fully will obviously bring that up too.

None of the figures I have seen make me wish I had looked at them any closer, the higher price does not, in my opinion get offset by significantly cheaper running costs or the fact that I can get to 60mph a couple of seconds quicker.  Coupled to the fact that my £21,450 i40 "only" cost me £15,480 I reckon I am quids in

[beerman]

I get on the freeway set the cruise for 120, drive then get off the freeway into heavier traffic.

The 0-100 speed really wouldn't phase me, economy and nice drive would be more important to me. If you want a rocket, are you really going to be looking at this kind of car anyway?

The Wagon seemed to get better reviews, and no one complained about the response there. Is it a sedan thing?

[Dazzler]

I get on the freeway set the cruise for 120, drive then get off the freeway into heavier traffic.

The 0-100 speed really wouldn't phase me, economy and nice drive would be more important to me. If you want a rocket, are you really going to be looking at this kind of car anyway?

The Wagon seemed to get better reviews, and no one complained about the response there. Is it a sedan thing?

I have driven the Petrol i40 Tourer and more recently the i40 Premium CRDi Sedan...

I think it is about expectations ...

When I drove the 2.0 GDi Petrol I was more interested in the total package .. I like the syling a lot (although I like the look of the sedan even more)

Loved the interior, great driving position, heaps of creature comforts, nice ride and handling compromise etc.. I found the peformance to be about what I expected from a 2.0 litre in a large car..

Prior to driving the Sedan, Like those in the review, I had driven some other competitors with better performance..

Again impressed with the Styling, features, comfort, ride etc.. BUT, it did not meet my expectations in the performance department.. I stll think it may have been the Auto box though as there is something like 1.4 Seconds difference in the  0-100kph times.. It just didn't have the push in the back you get from the CRDi manual in the overtaking band (say 80 - 110Kph)

I like to be able to get past a slower car on the highway quickly and safely like you can in a manual CRDI i30 or my current car..

I could live with an Auto i40 CRDi sedan and would be very proud to park one in th driveway (particularly the premium) but I doubt I would end up with the feel good factor that I get out of the Hybrid or our previous 2008 CRDi Manual i30.

* I wonder why many Hyundais are much slower 0-100 as an auto than as a manual.. (these days many competitors times are similar for both transmissions??)

[Phil №❶]

Interesting comments Dazz, it probably come down to a simple case of Weight / Engine / Gearing. Comparing 2.0l petrol with diesel is going to have significant differences in W/E/G. Personally, I don't care too much about 0-100 times but 50-100 is very important, for the overtaking situations you've already described. I would imagine that the I40 is designed specifically for people like me who are happy to be overtaken by "rocket hybrids"  . I would live quite happily with an I40 Diesel Auto in my driveway any day. (Note to Hyundai,,,,,,,,, please,please) 

[Dazzler]

I have only lived with three Autos I think (2 by 6 Cyl Company cars) and the Hybrid which is actually CVT and of course has electric to supplement the 4Cyl Petrol and so it is no surprise i teld to find a standard 4 Cyl auto a bit sluggish