Hyundai i40 Wagon

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WAGONS are typically developed from the sedan model.

However, Hyundai's new i40 sedan hits the world stage next week almost three months after the Korean company debuted its i40 estate (wagon).

Hyundai Motor Company Australia product communications manager Ben Hershman explains that the European market dictated the about-face.

"In Europe the wagon represents a very strong percentage of sales in the D segment, so Hyundai decided to engineer the wagon variant first,'' he says.

The i40 wagon debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March and Hershman says it will arrive here later this year.

The mid-sized i40 sedan version will debut at the Barcelona Motor Show next week, (MAY 12) but there is no confirmation it will come to Australia. Marketing director Oliver Mann says they are still reviewing the business case for the i40 sedan.

"We are hoping to make a decision later in the year," he says. The i40 has been designed and engineered at Hyundai's research and development centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

The drawings released by Hyundai show a handsome vehicle with heavily creased accent lines that swoop along the sides for a dramatic effect. Hyundai refers to the design DNA as ``fluidic sculpture'' which was introduced on the ix-onic concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.

Chief designer Thomas Burkle says they wanted to move away from the three-box saloon design.



"By sculpting a low, elongated roof line, we've given the i40 saloon a striking coupe-like silhouette,'' he says.

The mid-sized car has a 2.77m wheelbase and Burkle says the interior has been shaped ``to deliver practicality and comfort to the driver and passengers in a high-quality package''.

[Franco Cozzo]

Not bad, looks better than the i30 CW wagon I reckon.

[Road_Warrior]

That's not bad looking...any idea of powertrains? A TDi variant could give the Mondeo wagon a bit of a problem.

[Kryton]

Does look good.
I would expect there to be a TDCi variant as well.

[LeadFoot81]

That's fairly sexy. Hyundai sure have come a long way since the nineties.

[uranium_death]

That looks awesome. Chuck in the I6 and the ZF, and it would be even better...I would assume at least - Hyundai engines don't do it for me...

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Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

That's not bad looking...any idea of powertrains? A TDi variant could give the Mondeo wagon a bit of a problem.

The new Hyundai i40 can have 9 engines, some with the drivetrain shiftronic as the hyundai i40 2.0 with 150hp, and the i40 2.4 178hp.

Hyundai i40 1.6 GDi
Hyundai i40 2.0 150 hp
Hyundai i40 2.0 150 hp Shiftronic
Hyundai i40 2.4 178 hp
Hyundai i40 2.4 178 hp Shiftronic
Hyundai i40 2.0 GDi
Hyundai i40 2.4 GDi 201 hp
Hyundai i40 1.7 CRDi 125 hp Stop&Go
Hyundai i40 1.7 CRDi 140 hp
Hyundai i40 1.7 CRDi 160 hp

Which ones will come here, if i40 comes here, will be interesting.

[Polyal]

It does look good, the rear is very angled, I wonder what the rear room is like vs a mondeo.

[SEZ213]

The hyundai has the blonde effect for me...looks alright from a distance - when you get up close...it's hideous.

When the i30 was first released, and even the i35, they looked like decent cars. The more I saw them, the worse they looked...

When I covered half the car, the rear end looks like a mazda soft roader, while the front end appears to be a smiling snake...urghhh

Each to their own though...

[Mr Hardware]

opinions on visuals aside, anyone whose done big kays in an i30 will agree they're damn decent
the i40 should be interesting.
HYUNDAI BUILD ME A MIDSIZE SEDAN WITH SANTA FE TD RUNNING GEAR PLS
5-speed auto, 436nm, 7.xL/100klms? YES PLS!

[CODSASR]

would take a KIA over hyundai any day

[Mechan1k]

That's not bad .... I think it actually looks better as a wagon than the i45 sedan does .. the lines seem to be more flowing.

Hyundai has come a long way really.