Review: Hyundai i40 Tourer 2.0 GDI, a soccer mom’s car



Making a Tourer  look distinctive is not an easy job for a car designer but Hyundai reckons they have done it. The i40 is Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors competitive introduction car into the family orientated D-segment here in Malaysia. Sales has been rather promising since its launch together with the i40 Sedan at the 2013 KL International Motor Show, according to Hyundai.

Hyundai i40 Tourer Review by AutoBuzz.my

The heart of the car is a Nu 2.0L GDI engine which generates 176hp maximum power and 214Nm maximum torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission gearbox, NCAP 5 star rating, 9 air-bags, ISOFIX anchor, ESP, parking assist, power tailgate system, Hill – start Assist control, auto cruise, keyless entry and the list goes on and on.

Read our review on the other variant of i40, the Hyundai i40 2.0 GDI sedan.

QUICK FACTS

Name Hyundai i40 Tourer
Segment D-SEGMENT Large Family orientated 
Price RM178,888


EXTERIOR

The i40’s design, represents water flow while the headlights are inspired by “the falcon’s eye”. It has it’s own original visual identity, which is a good thing.  I prefer the design of the Tourer compared to the sedan, simply because the design flows better. Unfortunately, the flow is ruined by the not so fancy 10-spoke and lock nut designed rims, which is rather unpleasing to the eye, in my opinion. Overall, I find the Hyundai i40 Tourer  as a “polite and well mannered” car. Simple and under-stated.

Hyundai i40 Tourer Review by AutoBuzz.my

 

INTERIOR

The i40 Tourer has a good driving position, the steering controls and the Audio Visual Navigator (AVN) are all within reach. There is however a design flaw, of the AVN. During the afternoon, when the sun is right on top of you, there will be a glare on the head unit, it makes looking at the AVN unclear. That was the first thing I noticed when I picked up the car on a hot afternoon day.

Hyundai i40 Tourer Review by AutoBuzz.my

The driver seat is a 10-direction electrical controlled seat with power lumbar support, good for those long distance “Balik Kampung trips”. Unfortunately, I find the steering has too many buttons on it, it would be better to have the functions built into the meter dash in pages.

For the “Balik Kampung trips”, the kids would love the rear seats because they will be screaming for their favorite cartoon series or educational videos. Don’t worry, you are able to select the rear two screens to play the movie, while the front screen showing the GPS navigation on the AVN. The GPS system in the i40 Tourer is simple to use, unlike some in the market which are pretty confusing. The 6-speakers sound system is slightly above average, you’ll get a decent sounding bandwidth across the frequency range.

The center console has a rather big compartment, I call it the phone charging station. There’s a USB, cigarette lighter and an auxiliary input for music pods. There are 2 particular buttons next to this compartment which I find rather out of place, the sports mode button and the traction control off button. They are way too big too.

A very nice feature for those who are always on the phone and don’t want to get a “saman” is the Bluetooth hands-free call. The AVN is able to store your phone book into the system and your hands do not have to leave the steering wheel to answer calls or to switch calls. It also has a voice recognition system built in. The Bluetooth hands-free is clear, thanks to the microphone placement located at the drivers sun shade. The middle console has 2 cup holders and has a large compartment under the arm rest, to store various DVDs and stuff.

The entire cabin is quiet and you don’t really hear the road noise thanks to it’s all-aluminum ladder frame construction for improved durability, reduced noise and vibration. There are some rather interesting sounds from the Hyundai i40 Tourer, this is also part of the reason I find the i40 is a polite & well mannered car, here’s a clip.

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors added a rather interesting add on for the car’s security. A Safe Drive Recorder. This device will auto record after 30 seconds after you have shut the engine and will record while you’re on the move. Good to keep it always running, you’ll never know when you might need evidence of an accident. It will record motion and audio together but the storage will be based on the size of the sd card.

 

If you’re moving big bulky long stuffs, the rear seat backrests feature a 60:40 split. If that’s not enough, the i40 offers a maximum 1,719ℓ of trunk capacity. You’ll be able to carry your bicycles or do some major household shopping with that amount of trunk space.

A friend of mine, asked me for a favor. Could you help me move a single bed mattress to somewhere nearby ? I asked him: Single or twin bed mattress ? Single Bed. Drove over to my buddies place, move the bed into the car with ease. Here’s a picture of an actual single size mattress fitted in the i40 Tourer, a perfect fit.

Hyundai i40 Tourer Review by AutoBuzz.my

 

Hyundai i40 tourer matress 1Hyundai i40 tourer matress 1There’s even a floor rail system which helps keep your luggage or items safely secured. Under the truck space are some hidden trays which allows you to store some magazine’s or some old newspapers.

As standard the i40 Tourer  comes with a useful cargo net that fits together with the tonneau cover and would prevent high-up items from sliding forwards towards the heads of rear passengers under hard braking. Be warned, you are not allowed to transport items which are above the window frame, the authorities just might issue you a “saman”.  For dog lovers, this would be great feature. You can now drive your dog to your favorite park for walks with ease.

The i40 tourer, surprisingly comes with a full size 17 inch spare tire. Most automakers has resolved the unnecessary weight with a space saver tire or run flat tires, makes me wonder why the i40 has a full size spare.

The Panoramic Sunroof is a nice feature for the Tourer, but how many times does an average Malaysian driver use the sunroof ? I have a sunroof in my current car, I have only open it about four times in the last 2 years. The Hyundai Panoramic sunroof comes with a wind deflector, once you switch open the sunroof. A nice add on feature, which deflects wind noise while driving up Cameron Highlands or Bukit Tinggi. That would be the only time I guess, I would use the sun-roof.

PERFORMANCE
In the heart of the i40 is the new and highly fuel efficient Nu 2.0 with Multi-Point Fuel Injection with the output of 177ps/6,500rpm and peak torque measures 214 nm/4,700rpm. The i40 would feel great with 185ps and 250nw of torque, but yet again. Some of us writers and car enthusiasts are always looking for the perfect car. In reality it doesn’t exist, not for this price bracket that is. The i40 Tourer feels sluggish for small little hill climbs, example Bukit Damansara and Bangsar. It could seriously do with some fine ECU reconfiguration.

Hyundai i40 Tourer Review by AutoBuzz.my

Hyundai did not give the i40 a sports suspension, which has enough compliance to deal quietly and comfortably with speed bumps and potholes at everyday city driving. The sports mode button doesn’t adjust the suspension to sports mode, it just allows you to have a higher rpm gear change. On a good note,the i40 Tourer has an impressive braking system. The type which gives you the confidence on the road.

THE DRIVE.

The i40 Tourer is missing the driver involvement and dynamic composure if compared to the other mass automaker market.

Driving the i40 is a perfectly acceptable experience for your city round and about.The controls are light enough and easy to get on with, and its handling is precise and predictable. Three point turn, easy-peasy even for a car of this length. It has a minimum turning radius of 5.47 meters.

Hyundai i40 Tourer Review by AutoBuzz.my

It’s only when you begin to ask more of the car, you’ll discover the dynamic shortfalls. For example, the Motor-Driven Power Steering system is light and responsive enough in town, takes away the unwanted weight but on the highways, the system doesn’t adapt to the speed that you are traveling on. The car’s body also feels a little too easily disturbed by small movement of the steering while on the highways.

The 6 speed automatic transmission, for your daily drive around the city, D mode is smooth and efficient enough. Just bare in mind, going upto Genting Highlands on a full load will take a slightly longer time then expected. If you’re on the highways and in need for some speed, you are able to use the paddle shift to shift down the gears but you have to use plenty of revs to really get it moving.There will be a slight jerk on the down shifts and I noticed the i40’s rpm tends to lag at the same gear before it actually shifts down. Changing gears on the paddle shift  feels “clunky”, a very plasticky feel.

IS IT FOR YOU?

I can conclude that the i40 Tourer is a car for “the soccer mum” or the above average family car. Fetching the kids for their various classes, while keeping them entertained in the car and providing ample space. The i40 Tourer excels in that manner. If you’re not really into the driver involvement, speed and power, the i40 Tourer would be a rather adequate family car.

COMPARISONS

In Malaysia, there aren’t many tourers or station wagons which matches the price range of the Hyundai i40 Tourer. The closest would be the Mazda 6 Tourer but at RM 193,832.40. The Mazda 6 Tourer has a much aggressive look and  stance, kinda reminds me of the awesome powerful wagon, the Audi RS6 Avant.

Then there’s the AWD 2.0 turbocharge Subaru Legacy, which comes at a hefty RM 242,819.40. If there was a drag race between this 3 cars, the Subaru Legacy would win hands down, followed by the Mazda 6 Tourer and finally the Hyundai i40 Tourer. But then again, it’s a family car. The Hyundai i40 Tourer would win in pricing, accessories and built in gadgets.

Hyundai i40 Tourer Mazda 6 Grand Touring Subaru Legacy Station Wagon
ENGINE
Type Nu 2.0 GDI, In-line 4-cylinder DOHC, 16-Valve   SKYACTIV-G 2.5, In-line 4-cylinder DOHC, 16-Valve 2.5 Boxer engine, Horizontally-Opposed 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC 16-valve,Turbocharged petrol engine
Displacement cc  1999 2196 2,457
Bore x Stroke mm  77.2 X 90               89.0 x 100.0               99.5 x 79.0
Compression Ratio
Max Power ps/rpm 177 / 6,500  185/5,700 210 / 6,000
Max Torque Nm/rpm 214 250  350
Carburetion System
Fuel Tank Capacity L 70  62  65
STEERING
Type Motor-Driven Power Steering  Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS)  Hydraulic power steering system
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission 6 speed Automatic  SKYACTIV-Drive 6-Speed AT Variable Torque Distribution AWD system
Gear Ratio?
SUSPENSION
Type MacPherson / Multi-link  MacPherson / Multi-link 4-wheel independent, Coil suspension, MacPherson strut type front4-wheel independent, Coil suspension, Double wishbone type rear
BRAKES
Front Ventilated Disc  Ventilated Disc Ventilated disc brakes
Rear  Solid Disc Solid Disc  Ventilated disc brakes
Diameter – Front mm  320
Diameter – Rear mm  300
TYRE & WHEELS
Tyres 215/50R17 225/45 R19  225/45R18
Wheels  7.5JX17  19 x 7.5J  18×7″ 1/2J
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS
Overall Length mm  4770 4800 4,775
Overall Width mm  1815 1840 1,780
Overall Height mm  1470  1480 1,535
Wheelbase mm  2770  2750 2,750
Ground Clearance mm 150
Max Kerb weight kg  1,470–1,659  1,506 1,560
Luggage Capacity (VDA) L  553 / 1719 522 / 1,632 1,690
FUEL
Grade min. 95 RON min. 95 RON min. 95 RON
Consumption  L/100 km  L/100 km  L/100 km
PERFORMANCE
Max Speed km/h  200 210 250
0 – 100km/h sec  9.7 9.3
PRICE RM  178,888.00 193,832.40 242,819.40

 

WILL I BUY IT?
No. To sum it all, the Hyundai i40 Tourer is a rather polite and well mannered styled Tourer car with a very practical cabin of decent quality, attractive design in some parts,  and an impressive accessories, but it is a less rewarding to drive than I’d hoped.

Read our review on the other variant of i40, the Hyundai i40 2.0 GDI sedan.

[divider]

IMAGE GALLERY