Hyundai i30. How can a moden car be so slow but so thirsty?

[MitchT]

The OH has ordered a 2.0 Focus diesel as a company car, however, it's on hold because she really wanted a car allowance so she could continue running her BMW 120d, which she loves, and they're now considering giving her this instead, even though they originally said she had to take a company car. While the deliberations continue she's using a Hyundai i30 which they've given her as a stop-gap. Not to put too fine a point on it, the thing is bloody dreadful! It guzzles more petrol than my 14 year old BMW E36 but is excruciatingly slow - there's no performance whatsoever to compensate for its voracious appetite for petrol and she spends most of her time stuck behind dawdlers because the wretched thing doesn't have enough power to overtake safely. She's now thinking of leaving it at home and using her 120d which costs about the same to fill up but goes a hell of a lot further on a tank and is plenty fast enough to stop her from falling asleep through abject boredom or stabbing herself in the eyeballs through sheer frustration! I don't know what the engine size on this particular i30 is as there's nothing anywhere on the car to indicate this, all I do know is that I didn't think it was possible for a modern car to be this slow. Has anyone else here driven an i30? What did you think?

[LuS1fer]

What do you call a voracious appetite for petrol?

Why are you comparing diesel with petrol?

Why are you comparing a Hyundai with a BMW?

I hired a 1.6 diesel Kia Cee'd, the equivalent and it wasn't particularly slow. Not a great car but a reasonable "utility" for someone with no expectations.

[MitchT]

I know what you're saying, but I'd just expect a car with so little power to be very economical, otherwise, what's the point?

[hedges88]

What model i30 is it?

If it's the 1.4 100BHP then it's just likely to be the Small Engine/Heavy car scenario where the engine is subjected to high loads due to it's lack of power and the cars weight to drag along

[Strawman]

Maybe it is broken, the basic 1.4L version is slow at nearly 13 seconds to 60mph, but should return 47mpg in mixed driving which isn't that thirsty

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-fi...

[MitchT]

hedges88 said:

What model i30 is it?

I don't know and I've no idea how to find out!

Strawman said:

..should return 47mpg in mixed driving which isn't that thirsty

She's definitely not getting that. Most of her commute is on the motorway in 50mph-ish traffic, so she should be getting good fuel mileage.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

MitchT said:

hedges88 said:

What model i30 is it?

I don't know and I've no idea how to find out!

Set #1 cylinder to bottom dead centre. Then, using a measuring jug, pour water into the cylinder through the spark plug hole. Note how much water you can pour in, then times by 4.
Then we'll know the engine CC at least.

Do it now.

[TangerinePool]

Currently using a 1.6 oil burner i30 as a daily (I know, I know but it's a long way to work) and am very impressed with it. It is a proper little 'typical' commuter diseasel and for the job it does I just cannot fault it. Decent pull for 126HP, great MPG and only gripe being a little 'stiff' ride wise but nothing like the Type R I had previously!

I do intend to offset all this gayness when I've saved for a weekend car (M6 I hope) during the winter price drop.

Edit to

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

Set #1 cylinder to bottom dead centre. Then, using a measuring jug, pour water into the cylinder through the spark plug hole. Note how much water you can pour in, then times by 4.
Then we'll know the engine CC at least.

Do it now.

Edited by TangerinePool on Monday 23 September 13:37

[J8 SVG]

The Hyundai i10 I had as a courtesy car last year had the model and engine details on a sticker under the tyre pressure chart on the drivers door frame

[Garett]

Search the DVLA tax disc website for the details of the car, all you need is the number plate.

[radiodanno]

Have to agree with OP. We have a 1.6 estate at work. It's not glacial, but it is noise and no go. We have an automatic and it returns an indicated 34 on a run at 70. No overdrive but nonetheless poor.

Ride is firm and front seats don't go back nearly enough.

The ix35 on the other hand is simply brilliant. I would say the best I've driven in class.

[radiodanno]

Just to add, the automatic box is pretty slow to respond too.

Also I got 47 on a run from my 2004 Avensis and 43 from my 1999 model, so for a 2011 car it really is off the pace.