2015 Hyundai i40 Tourer Premium Review

Simon Lai road tests and reviews the 2015 Hyundai i40 Tourer Premium.

Station wagons are a rare sight nowadays especially advent of the SUV which has grown in popularity as a family vehicle that’s handy for carrying people and cargo. But I still think they have a place on our roads.

I was thrown the keys to the 2015 Hyundai i40 Tourer Premium a 1.7 turbo diesel station wagon perfect for long distance travel as is reflected in its moniker.

Subjecting to more driving than usual it was still very economical at 7.4L/100km albeit I wasn’t carrying a constant load.

Of course the selling point of the Tourer over the i40 sedan is the storage space with a maximum capacity of over 1600 litres with the seats folded down (although it’s worth noting they down fold down completely flat).

I happened to buy a piece of furniture during the week under my care and the Tourer was perfect for the job. And if that isn’t enough space, there are roof rails on the top for you to secure any extra objects.

The boot comes fully equipped with useful fixtures to help carry items including an adjustable luggage rail system with tie down straps and anchors, a retractable safety net behind the passenger’s head plus a cargo blind and cargo net.

Hyundai has two medium sized cars in its stable; the Sonata and the i40. The Sonata is more comfortable and fun of the two while the i40 is the more pragmatic. But that’s not to say it’s boring.

The drive, while not as spirited as the stimulating Sonata, is still no slouch. The turbocharger gives it a little extra and the diesel has surprising get-up and go aided by a beefy 340Nm of torque. And don’t forget it also has a Sports driving mode if you want to let loose.

However, it is let down by the slightly confused transmission with its late changes especially at slower cruising speeds. No so much of a problem with the pedal to the metal.

In terms of the interior it’s somewhat simplistic but still sleek and functional. The dashboard forms a curvy line from door to door and the centre dash is a V-shaped configuration not dissimilar to the i30.

The panelling is black and dark grey plastics with some metallic inserts and glossy black highlights which extend to the rear vents adding more sophistication than usual.

What you get, as well as the features in the Active variant, is a star-gazing full panoramic roof, electric park brake, heated and powered front seats, dual zone climate control, leather appointed seats and a smart powered tailgate.

The instrument cluster also has an LCD display with better graphics and the touchscreen is also larger at 7 inches.

Always a welcome addition too is parking assist taking away the difficulty and stress of parallel parking.

Other features include, auto defog on the windscreen, auto dimming mirror, rain sensing wipers and a cooling glove box.

The Tourer is available in both petrol and diesel as well as Active and Premium models. The Premium retails for around $43,990 while the Tourer range starts at $32,490 which buys a 2.0 litre petrol Active.

The Hyundai i40 Tourer Premium is a great versatile and comfortable vehicle and got my partner’s tick of approval as a viable option for our future needs. It should be on everyone’s list for consideration as a serious alternative when looking for a new SUV.

We’ll have a look at the i40 sedan in coming weeks.