Whisper it quietly in front of Ford and VW fans but Hyundai is coming up hard on the outside.

Massive rises in all-round quality have put the stylish i30 model in pole position to take on Focus and Golf in the biggest market for cars in Britain, with the lure of a five-year warranty as very big carrot to the buyer.

The i30 is close cousin to the Kia cee'd, as Hyundai now owns both brands, with the i30 aimed at appealing to the more sophisticated buyer – a similar philosophy to the SEAT/VW scenario.

Now boasting superb build quality and vastly improved interiors, Hyundai can truthfully be described as a serious challenger to the fully established European marques and the i30 is my surprise package of the year – I was deeply impressed.

Should we really be that surprised, though? Hyundai's multi-award winning Santa Fe has already proved that the company can build a car capable of beating the best that Europe can offer in the SUV segment.

As a family car, i30 has everything you are looking for – exceptional interior room and oddments space that shames some so-called 'lifestyle' estates, one of the longest wheelbases in class, excellent ride quality and engaging driving responses.

The good news starts from the moment you first clap eyes on the car – it's a long, handsome five-door hatchback with sharp styling, wickedly slanted headlamps, deep windows and an elegant tail, with nice touches like the smart bee-sting roof aerial and a Hyundai tailgate badge that doubles as the opening handle.

Well-padded plastics, smart detailing and classic black underpins the design of the i30's undeniably up-market interior and a low-level dashboard affords the driver superb forward vision.

Doors open extra wide for easy access and they shut with a reassuring, positive thud.

The fascia has unusual cutaway sections at each end to give an impression of even more spaciousness and a neat, compact centre stack houses the simply-worked CD-tuner, info panel, single climate control, heating and ventilation and minor switchgear.

Hyundai has sensibly opted for VW-style blue dashboard panel lighting, which is functional, relaxing and cool, and thoughtfully includes a 'dark' button which allows the driver to mask displays at night to avoid distraction.

Families will appreciate an outstanding number of nooks and crannies to store oddments – there's even a sunglasses locker at roof level.

The i30 is amazingly spacious, boasting huge rear legroom, comfortable headroom and plenty of width, while the ample boot gains a big amount of extra luggage room when the seats release simply on a tag and tumble to make a completely flat load platform. We like that.

On the move, the i30 proves an involving and spirited drive which invites the enthusiast to put it through its paces and enjoy the fun.
Steering feels deceptively light when manoeuvring but the clever electrical system firms it up well on the move.

The 1.6 CRDi Premium Auto diesel model I tested (£16,595) is smooth and fast, with an energetic surge of overtaking thrust as a big bonus. The auto changes ghost in silently and it makes for a very sophisticated ride, with the diesel driver expecting to be returning nearly 50mpg overall.

With minimal wind noise, low road rumble and sweet power distribution, the i30 is a thoroughly civilised car and its excellent, composed handling is a big bonus.

With a generous spread of equipment even in the entry level models, these Hyundais can, and will, soak up sales in their class when word spreads about just how good they are. Believe me, Hyundai is going places fast.

At a glance:

• Hyundai i30 five-door hatchback range from £10,995-£16,595.


• Full five-year unlimited mileage warranty, 10 years anti-perforation and three-year Hyundai RAC Assistance.


• Designed and built with European customers in mind.


• Three trim levels, all with exceptional safety and specification.


• ESP, alloys and air conditioning on every model.


• Generous, easy access luggage space.


• Over 20 dedicated storage compartments for everything from sunglasses to CDs.


• Fascia gently backlit in blue, with 'dark' function to mask off at night if necessary.


• Passengers protected by dual front, side and curtain airbags in all models in the i30 range.


• A range of newly-developed engines, including two state-of-the-art diesels.


• Five- and six-speed manual gearboxes and four-speed automatic transmission are available, depending on model.


• Outstanding ride and handling with excellent levels of refinement.