HYUNDAI i30 2018 Problems

The ABS warning is for a problem with the anti-lock braking system (that's what it stands for) and the image of a serving car is to warn you that there’s also potentially a problem with the car’s stability control. So, no, it’s not the transmission at fault here.

Both the ABS and stability control are crucial safety systems and the car really shouldn’t be driven until these problems have been checked out and rectified. The first thing to do is take the car to a workshop and have it electronically scanned. The onboard computer will have logged the faults as they were detected and will be able to identify the problem areas to give the mechanic a head-start on working out what’s wrong.

The i30 should be fine for this sort of towing. You won't be placing too much stress on the car's mechanicals, and Hyundai rates the i30 to tow up to 1300kg. But there's a catch.

And that is that you're more likely to be limited by the trailer rather than the car itself. That's because that 1300kg limit is on the proviso that the trailer is fitted with its own brakes. Without a braked trailer, Hyundai reduces the towing limit to 600kg. The average box trailer doesn't have brakes, so that lower figure is most likely going to be your limit. Admittedly, that is still probably more than enough for what you have in mind.

A Golf with that mileage after just three or four years on the road is a bit of an anomaly. How has the car been used? Was it a delivery vehicle in a previous life? I’d be asking some tough questions and diving deep into the vehicle’s service history to find out how it’s been driven and serviced before taking the plunge, because that mileage is about double what I’d expect from this make and model.

The biggest potential reliability glitch with this car is the DSG transmission. While VW claimed that all the evils were fixed by the time the Golf 7 came out in 2013, experience suggests that there are still some examples of this gearbox giving trouble. Symptoms include a loss of drive, poor shift quality, shuddering on take-off and a gearbox that seemingly loses the plot on occasions.

And I’m afraid your alternative rings a few alarm bells as well. The Hyundai also uses a double-clutch style transmission and while it hasn’t suffered the litany of problems that the VW unit has caused over the years, it’s still a bit of an unknown quantity. Certainly, some customers seem to be unhappy with the unit in terms of its longevity and replacement clutch packs are not unknown.

Also, you seem to have a knack for finding cars with double the expected kilometres on board. I’d expect a 2018 i30 to be showing closer to 25,000km than the 50,000km on the one you’re considering. Cars with higher than expected mileage can be bargains, but you’ve really got to dig into their past to ensure they haven’t been abused or suffered from poor servicing.

This is always a tough one, because there is no law that requires a carmaker to replace a car or refund the cost of its purchase. It comes down to negotiation between you and Hyundai. Hyundai has told you they will fix your car, and providing they do that they will have lived up to their responsibility, but I understand your concerns. I would suggest you lodge a claim with Hyundai with all the supporting information you can assemble, and trust that they will come good with a goodwill gesture that satisfies you.

Check the tyre pressures and make sure they correctly set, and have the wheel alignment checked.

The Mazda3 generally has a slightly higher trade-in value.

For starters you should tell her not to drive into floodwaters. I would suggest a small hatch, something like a Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, or Hyundai i30. All are reliable, economical, safe, and within your budget.

Everyone should check his or her new car before taking delivery of it, no matter the brand. You shouldn’t just assume that because it is new that it is without flaw. Having taken delivery you have much less power to have problems corrected, leaving you in the situation of having to negotiate with the dealer and the carmaker to get a satisfactory outcome. If you feel they are not interested in your concerns you should contact your state’s consumer affairs department and seek their advice.

The dealer would have been aware of the upcoming updated model, but he would probably have been under an embargo that would prevent him from talking about it.

However, he should have told you, at least off the record, that it was coming, particularly because you asked about it.

That's a fascinating pair of options April, but both are indeed very good cars. It's a struggle to match the official fuel consumption figures with any new car, but I've just spent three months living with the VTi-S and experienceced an 8.5L/100km average with largely urban and loaded driving, which was better than the Tiguan 2.0-litre, Escape 1.5 and CX-5 2.5 litre I've lived with previously. So you'll have to work hard to get worse than that figure. The extra space of the Honda is a big drawcard, but you'll have to judge that for yourself. My only real gripe with the VTi-S is the lack of active safety gear like AEB, which is set to be rectified with an updated version in future. The i30 SR comes with all the important safety gear standard.