The Hyundai i40 is a D-segment large family car initially produced by Hyundai for the European market. The South Korean automaker unveiled the i40 sedan at the Barcelona Motor Show in 2011. In September 2011, Hyundai launched the wagon version of the i40 in the European and South Korean markets and released the sedan variant early in the following year.
Production takes place in South Korea, Russia, and Argentina in the same platform that underpinned the Sonata. New Zealand and Australia received the i40 wagon variant with three trim level specs in 2011 and the sedan variant in the following year. In Malaysia, the i40 was a bit slow to launch, with the sedan and tourer variants finally coming into the market in 2013.
In 2019, Hyundai stopped marketing the i40 in New Zealand and Australia due to a slump in sales, with plans for the car to leave the UK market as well.
Design
Like many of its siblings, the i40 takes the fluidic sculpture design language of Hyundai. Head designer, Thomas Burkle, says that the design of the i40 is evidence of Hyundai moving away from the three-box saloon design.
i40 Wagon
The i40 wagon was designed to compete with the likes of the Ford Mondeo and the Mazda6 wagons. The base version of the i40 is significantly lower in price than the base version of the Ford. The price gap with the entry-level Mazda6 is even greater, making the i40 a very competitive model in this market segment.
Trims
The Hyundai i40 has three trim levels— the Active, the Elite and the Premium. Included as standard equipment features are nine airbags, cruise control, 16-inch alloys wheels, daytime running lights and 'static bending' headlamps, premium steering wheel with audio and phone controls, electronic park brake, and Bluetooth connectivity.
The Auto-Elite spec for the petrol version and comes with larger disc brakes, alloy pedals, foglights, powered driver's seat, premium audio, front and rear park assist, 17-inch alloy wheels, and rain-sensing wipers.
The Premium spec comes with reversing camera, heated/cooled leather seats front and rear, adaptive cornering high-intensity headlights, 18-inch wheels, panoramic glass roof, and extra cosmetic garnish.
Engines
The powertrain options available for the i40 depends mostly on the market. Below are the specs of the available engines:
Gamma 1.6 GDi (Petrol)— 99 kW, 165 Nm
Nu 2.0 GDi (Petrol)— 131 kW, 214 Nm
Nu 2.0 MPi (Petrol)— 131 kW, 214 Nm
UII 1.7 CRDi (Low, Diesel)— 85 kW, 250 Nm
UII 1.7 CRDi (High, Diesel)— 102/104 kW, 324/320 Nm
The Nu 2.0 GDi and Nu 2.0 MPi engines both come with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. The Gamma 1.6 GDi and the low UII 1.7 CRDi engines come with no other option but the 6-speed manual gearbox. The high UII 1.7 CRDi, on the other hand, comes with 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic, and 7-speed DCT options.
Safety
Here are the Euro NCAP test results for the i40:
Overall: 5 stars (97 points)
Adult occupant: 92% (33 points)
Child Occupant: 86% (42 points)
Pedestrian: 43% (16 points)
Safety Assist: 86% (6 points).
Awards
In 2011, the Hyundai i40 won the 2011 Eurocarbody Golden Award.