Hyundai i30 3-door hatchback: exterior, interior design

The new generation Hyundai i30 5-door and i30 wagon models were very much inspired by Hyundai’s fluidic sculpture design, and now the 3-door i30 is getting the same treatment.

The design philosophy is drawn from the flowing lines found in nature and modern architecture. Those images have led the Hyundai design team to create a line of vehicles that embody those very features.

Hyundai has added a dynamic, sporty element into the design of the new generation i30 3-door, visually setting it apart from its 5-door sibling.

http://www.hyundai-blog.com/i30

Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre said that all three of the models in the Hyundai i30 lineup were conceived at the same time to ensure that the design principles of each would have a coherent design.

He went on to say that the 3-door was the one that was likely to receive the most emotional response because of its more dynamic look.

Despite wanting to have a “family” resemblance, he said that the goal was always to make the 3-door different in ways that would make it clearly different from the 5-door model.

One of the most noticeable differences can be found in the trademark Hyundai hexagonal grille. The bar and the mesh at the center of the grille are now finished in black, which helps accentuate the body-colored shape.

The bumper has been lowered somewhat and included a body-colored section at the lower edge of the grille. New, sportier looking fog lamps have also been added with round spots connected to LED daytime running light strips.

The lights can be found inside an angular housing that is backed by the same style of mesh that is found in the grille.

The 5-door i30 is known for having an athletic profile, but the 3-door’s is even more so, courtesy of a sharply raked beltline that displays more of a glasshouse silhouette. It’s that more than anything that gives the 3-door a sportier overall look, despite having the same overall dimensions of the 5-door.

The lower bumper in the rear has been given a new look, including horizontal, sculpted fog lamps which are different from the upright look of the 5-door.

The housing has more of an angular shape, giving the entire rear end a wider, sportier look, with the whole design finished off by a black insert at the bottom of the bumper.

Hyundai has added a few other featured to help buyers really see the differences between the three and 5-door models. Included among those is the addition of 16-inch alloy wheels on the 3-door model.

Buyers of the all-new Hyundai i30 3-door hatchback can also opt for an interior color package that will give their car a little splash of orange. The color comes in the form of stitching that shows up on the steering wheel, gear shift knob and door armrest.