i40 review

gallag

Sorry, did I say review? I meant rant! I had the misfortune of having on of these as a courtesy car for a fortnight, absolutely terrible car! Even my wife who knows f all about car's and has the attitude "as long as it drives" hated it!

Where to start, probably the challenges of actually entering the vehicle, sometimes it decided not to grant entry! Without ryhm or reason it just went full gandalf "you shall not pass" the only solution being to open the boot and then it decided to let you in the cabin. Of course opening the boot may in itself seem a pretty mundane event but alas no, the boot is weighted in such a way that it will come down on your head the second it gets a chance! I took the locking mechanism to the back of the head and this was the least painful part of the i40 experience!

After negotiating my way into the cabin I was greeted by a seat that reminded me of my wife after 10 years of marriage, it refused to go down! The mechanism had broke on its highest setting causing me to tilt my head to the side! Being a glass half full kind of guy I immediately realised this was no bad thing as it meant I was slightly further away from the worst dash in history, with all the class of Blackpool and the refinement of an Isis executioner it washed me in its majestic blue glow, once my eyes became accustomed to their new surroundings I marveled at the Salvador Dalí inspired layout! A surreal mix of bold angles and the unorthodox placement of buttons and fans, for example adjusting the fan speed required assistance from your passanger!

Then we get on to the seat belts! They were like a game! Nobody likes a boring efficient buckle up! This took effort! Many car manufacturers now just go for a system where the socket is fixed in place firmly, not the old school system where the socked is attached by a bit of seat belt causing them just to flop on the back bench! The front were fixed but lower down, a bit more wedged between the seat and center console than the skin on my knuckles would have liked! After a while I stopped using the seat belts deciding that being ejected from this car at high speed would not be all that bad!

The gearbox! Words fail me. When I left this car back a guy working there asked my opinion, when I told him he confirmed that most people complain about the gear box in these models, I thought it was just a bad egg I had but no. Quite like the door locks, it was pure chance if it would work, sitting trying to fight it into first at a green light with a chorus of horn blasts behind is quite the experience! Then the forced take off in second accompanied by the smell of burning clutch! The steering is as vague as a socialist politicians explanation of their economic policy, again glass half full this just means there will be less of them on the road in the future.

All in all what they have done here is put all there budget into the looks of the car, from the admittedly hansom exterior to the Salvador Dalí dash every penny seems to have went into a modern suit for the old pony running gear! Without question the worst car I have ever had the misfortune of driving! I am not exaggerating here, I have no dog in this fight, I could be spending my time on xhampster or something more interesting that trying to advise you on your next car purchase so listen and listen good, if you are considering one take it for a few days test drive, no doubt the sales man will be torn about this because it will undoubtedly mean no sale but at least he won't have to drive it!

Regards.

Henry Ford III

They have a 7 year warranty though - probably just as well.

pa990

They sound great... must be why the gardai are buying them...

btw, did you have any issues with the brakes failng under heavy usage ?

Tea 1000

How old was the one you had? The reviews in general are fairly positive on them.

gallag

pa990 wrote: »

They sound great... must be why the gardai are buying them...

btw, did you have any issues with the brakes failng under heavy usage ?

Didn't get a chance to test the breaks, thank the God's.


The car was a 2014 with 26000 miles.

pa990

Tea 1000 wrote: »

How old was the one you had? The reviews in general are fairly positive on them.

from personal experience the i40 is an awful bucket of shyte.
The i30 is actually a slightly better car.

if I got one (i40) for free. I would sell it.

It's a horrible car

Kunkka

They do like nice from the outside though it has to be said. Thanks though OP I shall avoid as I am in the market for a new car this year. Also got a good laugh out of the review

Stallingrad

All sounds a bit OTT, I've driven one, and while it didn't rock my world there was little to offend.

Toyotafanboi

So you didn't like the seat belt buckles or the arrangement of the dash.

I'd imagine a lot of people don't bond with hire/ rental car gearboxes immediately so that can be taken with a pinch of salt. I'm also sure you could have avoided getting in through the boot.

5 minutes of my life i'm not getting back right there. You went in with a view to hating it imo.

Stallingrad

Reads like a job interview for Car Magazine, and not a very good one at that.

pa990

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

So you didn't like the seat belt buckles or the arrangement of the dash.

I'd imagine a lot of people don't bond with hire/ rental car gearboxes immediately so that can be taken with a pinch of salt. I'm also sure you could have avoided getting in through the boot.

5 minutes of my life i'm not getting back right there. You went in with a view to hating it imo.

Ah.. you really have to drive it it believe it.

To adjust the air, you have to lean forward and over to the passanger side.
Likewise, there is a button on the passenger side to adjust the steering mode..
why would the passenger need to adjust the steering mode ??


its just so badly laid out.

Horrible horrible car

Odyssey 2005

After negotiating my way into the cabin I was greeted by a seat that reminded me of my wife after 10 years of marriage, it refused to go down!

Hey OP speak for your own wife.:)

Toyotafanboi

pa990 wrote: »

Ah.. you really have to drive it it believe it.

To adjust the air, you have to lean forward and over to the passanger side.
Likewise, there is a button on the passenger side to adjust the steering mode..
why would the passenger need to adjust the steering mode ??


its just so badly laid out.

Horrible horrible car

It's on the left hand of the center console, yes, but it's really not 'that' bad.

by that arguement, any car with any buttons left of center on the center console is woeful too. Maybe it's not ultimately ergonomic but symmetry can play a big part in style.

jimgoose

Mmm. All "style" and gadgets and very little actual proper car. I suspected as much. Not that most buyers in Ireland care, mind.

jimgoose

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

...I'd imagine a lot of people don't bond with hire/ rental car gearboxes immediately so that can be taken with a pinch of salt...

Dunno, it happens. Mate of mine has a 2006 Alfa 156 and he'll tell you himself the shift is like stirring coal. He'd know - he also drives a fully rebuilt '94 Quattro. I personally like my own 1892 Winchester Lever-Action.

Toyotafanboi

jimgoose wrote: »

Dunno, it happens. Mate of mine has a 2006 Alfa 156 and he'll tell you himself the shift is like stirring coal. He'd know - he also drives a fully rebuilt '94 Quattro. I personally like my own 1892 Winchester Lever-Action.

i agree, some cars offer very sloppy gear shifts, we had a fiesta before that was nothing much more than pot luck.

i'm just not going to buy into a review written by a man, who, when the unlock button for the central locking wouldn't work, decided it would be easier to get in through the boot that put the key into the drivers door and unlock it manually.

EazyD

I find it hard to believe that anyone buying one does so because they want that specific car. Cheap list price, cheap tax, Irish people lap it up.

gallag

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

i agree, some cars offer very sloppy gear shifts, we had a fiesta before that was nothing much more than pot luck.

i'm just not going to buy into a review written by a man, who, when the unlock button for the central locking wouldn't work, decided it would be easier to get in through the boot that put the key into the drivers door and unlock it manually.

And I am not going to be lectured by a man who cannot read lol, I just had to open the boot then the doors would work, also I didn't see a key hole?

Why are you so angry? It's just my light hearted opinion on a cap car, I could understand your anger if I was slating a Toyota lol

Are you by any chance an owner or selling a i40?

gallag

Just Google i40 central locking there, seems many cars have problems.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=off&site=&source=hp&ei=BM3UVIPoHOncywOC0IGAAQ&q=i40+central+locking&oq=i40+cen&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.1.1.0i19j0i22i30i19l4.1583.5901.0.7275.9.8.1.2.2.0.525.1965.2-6j5-1.7.0.msedr...0...1c.1.61.mobile-gws-hp..1.8.1517.3.tVdev2EX4eQ

Also Google i40 gearbox problems

https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=off&site=&source=hp&ei=DcrUVNGsG4ejyAO3hILwBA&q=hyundai+i40+dashboard&oq=hyundai+i40+dash&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.1.0.0l3j0i30l2.2008.11746.0.14662.18.17.1.8.8.0.521.4200.0j1j12j2j0j1.16.0.msedr...0...1c.1.61.mobile-gws-hp..1.17.2290.3.896jWZ6zIFk#safe=off&q=hyundai+i40+gearbox+problems

Hardly seems am a renegade in my views lol

Toyotafanboi

gallag wrote: »

And I am not going to be lectured by a man who cannot read lol, I just had to open the boot then the doors would work, also I didn't see a key hole?

Why are you so angry? It's just my light hearted opinion on a cap car, I could understand your anger if I was slating a Toyota lol

Are you by any chance an owner or selling a i40?

only ver highly spec'd i40's have keyless, so i'd be very sure you had a keyhole in the drivers door.

i'm not angry. it just gets tiresome, in every walk of life. whatever company is on top, people try their best to put down, then everybody hops on the bandwagon, very few of whom have first world experience of the subject matter.

next you'l be telling me that the 1.3 diesel that Fiat use is unreliable but the one Opel uses is a much better unit because it's German or that you keep losing the back end of your BMW Active Tourer in the frost.

the harsh reality is that the i40 is an OK car.

gallag

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

only ver highly spec'd i40's have keyless, so i'd be very sure you had a keyhole in the drivers door.

i'm not angry. it just gets tiresome, in every walk of life. whatever company is on top, people try their best to put down, then everybody hops on the bandwagon, very few of whom have first world experience of the subject matter.

next you'l be telling me that the 1.3 diesel that Fiat use is unreliable but the one Opel uses is a much better unit because it's German or that you keep losing the back end of your BMW Active Tourer in the frost.

the harsh reality is that the i40 is an OK car.

There was no keyhole on the drivers door.
Is that a strawman argument? The whole fiat/opel/BMW argument you seem to be having with yourself, it is isn't it?

Toyotafanboi

gallag wrote: »

There was no keyhole on the drivers door.
Is that a strawman argument? The whole fiat/opel/BMW argument you seem to be having with yourself, it is isn't it?

not at all.

personally i just get weary of the automotive generalisations. not even so much in your opening comment, as the people who are going to follow suit with the "korean rubbish, just what i expected" comments.

Hyundai seem to be making a decent fist of things overall and are willing to stand over their work. i'm going to stay open minded to them until the produce a notably bad car. the ground they've covered over the last decade is remarkable!

Idbatterim

After negotiating my way into the cabin I was greeted by a seat that reminded me of my wife after 10 years of marriage, it refused to go down!

10/10! Top laughs!

jimgoose

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

i agree, some cars offer very sloppy gear shifts, we had a fiesta before that was nothing much more than pot luck...

As the Bard put it: the worst is not, so long as we can say, this is the worst. Remember the Fiat 127? The only time I ever heard my dear mother swear like a wounded Dutch pirate after too much grog was while trying to get reverse in that thing! :pac:

Tea 1000

I'm curious to drive one now. The OP was a rant, not a review, but some points are valid to be fair, ergonomics being one. A couple of reliability issues to watch out for also. But I doubt the car drives that poorly.
It can't be as bad as a Chrysler Neon I had the misfortune of driving once for example. Now that car was so bad, you didn't even bother to consider whether the dash was well laid out or not.

colm_mcm

pa990 wrote: »

Ah.. you really have to drive it it believe it.

To adjust the air, you have to lean forward and over to the passanger side.
Likewise, there is a button on the passenger side to adjust the steering mode..
why would the passenger need to adjust the steering mode ??


its just so badly laid out.

Horrible horrible car

It's dual zone climate so there's controls on both sides.

Shur my car has the passenger side controls for the heat on the door.

As for the driving mode button, its not as if its a button you'd use a lot, and its not as if its under the seat or in the boot. Its beside the gear lever.

gallag

colm_mcm wrote: »

It's dual zone climate so there's controls on both sides.

Shur my car has the passenger side controls for the heat on the door.

As for the driving mode button, its not as if its a button you'd use a lot, and its not as if its under the seat or in the boot. Its beside the gear lever.

Not in the one I had bud, fan speed at the passenger side angled away from driver and temperature on driver side.

jimgoose

colm_mcm wrote: »

It's dual zone climate so there's controls on both sides...

...of the centre-console, in the case of people who aren't reproducing a "car" after having one described to them by aliens!

Foreign Sports

I currently own a 2012 i40 UK style model (136hp) and bought it second hand in 2013.

Granted, it's not the most exciting car to drive, and I do have occasional problems with first gear (mostly when cold).

However, it's far from a bad car. I've put 30000 miles on mine and the only issues so far have been slightly warped front discs (replaced with new pads under warranty) and a stuck parking sensor which was also replaced under warranty.

I'm getting nearly 60mpg out of it on average and never needed to gain access via the boot!

With that said, i'm getting of it shortly :rolleyes:

Greyfoot

We have a full extras auto i40 here with low(15kish) mileage, never had a problem with it. Its big, comfortable, leather seats are actually very good quality, as someone already said climate controls are on both side. I can't comment on built quality yet as apart form an oil change no service was done on it. Hyundai and Kia actually make pretty good cars, they all reliable up to around 75k, thats when money need to be throw at them.

colm_mcm

jimgoose wrote: »

...of the centre-console, in the case of people who aren't reproducing a "car" after having one described to them by aliens!

This is hardly Mastermind.

If you've ever used a tap you'll be familiar with the red for hot, blue for cold idea

gallag

colm_mcm wrote: »

This is hardly Mastermind.

If you've ever used a tap you'll be familiar with the red for hot, blue for cold idea

Again, in the model I had it was single zone and fan speed to the left, temperature to the right! Not the biggest of deals compared to the other problems granted.

colm_mcm

The broken seat was probably the biggest issue, I drove one of these about 4 years ago and to be honest I didn't think it was bad at all - and I'm normally critical of this kind of stuff.

gallag

colm_mcm wrote: »

The broken seat was probably the biggest issue, I drove one of these about 4 years ago and to be honest I didn't think it was bad at all - and I'm normally critical of this kind of stuff.

I agree the broken seat would have exaggerated problems but I am not a car snob! My car is a soda superb! Previous were smax, vxr vectra, passat even thinking back to escorts and novas I had nothing was as bad as this! The guy working where I dropped it of said their whole fleet of i40's were generally negatively reviewed on return! All ill say is to anyone thinking of buying one make sure you test drive!

colm_mcm

I'll probably get a kia optima as my next car.
You probably wouldn't like it

Ludo

So you got a crap courtesy car which has probably been used and abused by hundreds of people who don't care about it and as a result it had issues. And you use this to slate the entire model? Sorry but maybe test drive a new one and then come back with a proper "review".

Hellrazer

Greyfoot wrote: »

Hyundai and Kia actually make pretty good cars, they all reliable up to around 75k, thats when money need to be throw at them.

Have to disagree there.

Kias 7 year warranty has an upper limit of 150k.

Hyundais 5 year warranty is unlimited mileage.

You don't need to throw money into them at 75k as anything that goes wrong other than normal maintenance will be covered under warranty.

colm_mcm

Diesel i30 here on 160,000 and no issues apart from TPMS sensor breaking and a sticky caliper.

bazz26

Where was the 75k figure pulled from?

colm_mcm

Bloke said. Down the pub.

Voodoomelon

75k is the new 100k for falling apart don't you know.

delly

Surprised to hear such a bad review, as I've always looked at the i40 and thought they were a nice piece of kit. As always, test drives are needed before buying any car no matter how good they look.

I'm a year into my C'eed ownership and have racked up 42k. It has been a great first year and I really enjoy driving it. Enough creature comforts and reasonable power for overtaking as well as motorway driving.

jimgoose

colm_mcm wrote: »

...This is hardly Mastermind...

Correct.

PADRAIC.M

Well when I used to work in a Hyundai main dealer the i40 was pretty trouble free!

Cee-Jay-Cee

Aaaaah but how much is the tax on it OP ?? ... as that is the biggest question a prospective irish driver will ask. Looks come next followed not really closely by economy (which will be fully forgiven and ignored if it has cheap tax) and driving feel is also only a very minor consideration so long as its got cheap tax.

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'll probably get a kia optima as my next car.
You probably wouldn't like it

I was all for one until I was told they had a horribly uncomfortable seat. That and the engine is underpowered and I've been lead to believe not as reliable as they'd like you to believe

NIMAN

How dare the OP slag off Hyundai's, don't they know they are the 2nd best cars in the world, after Kia !!

Bigcheeze

Am I the only one who read the op in a Clarkson voice?

Old diesel

Had a look at the OP - no mention of it having being edited - it normally comes up on the bottom if you've edited.

On that basis - I think its worth noting that even the OP themselves readily admit in the first line that its rant rather then a "review"

"did I say review - sorry I mean rant"

My reading of the OP is that the i40 he/she had was fitted with keyless entry that didn't work as it was supposed to and the only way to bypass it that they could figure out - was to unlock the boot.

At the end of the day - people drive cars and take a dislike to them even though for many the cars are perfectly nice.

The OP found the car annoyed them - and felt the need to have a rant about it - that's how I read it

lanno90

Ive had an octavia combi ambition since 2012. Ive clocked 178000 on it without missing a heartbeat. Plenty of tyres and regular servicing though.
Will be replaced in June by new model but I hear its got a smaller tank so obviously expecting my range to shrink.the new manufacturers have deffo made others have to up their game but its resale value of these in the future id be interested in.

kop-end

lanno90 wrote: »

Ive had an octavia combi ambition since 2012. Ive clocked 178000 on it without missing a heartbeat. Plenty of tyres and regular servicing though.
Will be replaced in June by new model but I hear its got a smaller tank so obviously expecting my range to shrink.the new manufacturers have deffo made others have to up their game but its resale value of these in the future id be interested in.

Really ??? I did'nt know it was changing this year, I was goping to commit to a new Octavia in May but may hold back if there is a new model due....