Comfort 1.6 CRDi automatic

Could be a good car, many quality control issues so could be better.

What do I like about my i30?
Its well built, well thought out, drives & rides very well, is agile, corners & handles very well indeed (almost as good as a Focus), the guarantee is good, it is quite quick for a 1.6 diesel, well equipped, passengers comment favourably. It was very good value when bought at a day old /delivery miles via a broker.
What do I dislike /could be better?
Seats are hard after a long journey, head restraints are too far forward and take some getting used to, fuel economy is disappointing (about 40mpg overall despite relatively gentle use), it is noisy - I think both from 16" Hankook tyres and wind noise, auto gearbox is ponderous and needs care pulling away @ junctions etc, interior is drab (black & black), steering offers little feel & feedback when driven enthusiastically. I would have liked to have been able to specify height adjust on passenger seat (like the Cee'd) and a full size spare wheel at order but couldn't.
Having had a dealer visit for warranty niggles, then a 1st service (and some of the same warranty niggles) at a 2nd dealer, my dealer experience is not brilliant, maybe the 2nd dealer will be OK - time will tell. I had difficulty and long delay getting mud flaps for my facelifted car - Hyundai customer services were unhelpful /unable to help.

Update April 2014.
My i30 is now approaching 4 years old. The cars story may be slightly woeful! On the plus side, it now averages about 45 mpg, it is (surpringly) fairly comfortable on longer trips, passengers remark positively about the car, and the dealer that I ended up with from 1 year has performed well, although I have now moved and seek another ..... Ohh and it doesnt use any oil, and I have had no issue with the dreaded dpf.
On the (rather overwhelming) down side, it has had new:
auto gearbox
instrument cluster
steering column & eps
gearbox control cable
drivers door catch
window motor
radio
All fitted thankfully under warranty. And this is a cossetted, carefully driven car with about 40,000 miles (still on 3 of original Hankook tyres). Many of my previous cars have been kept well into old age (into their teens), but I am somewhat fearful of this i30!
The car has settled into its life - it is still noisy, it creaks and rattles - maybe in part due to all of the dismantles, the paintwork is quite fragile (compared with Vauxhall, Ford, Nissan etc), but it does the job.
Will I buy another - sadly no.

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