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Big families, small businesses and
anyone with lots of friends can rejoice – at last there is a classy way
to carry eight people and luggage in a car that costs less than £20,000.
Unlike most MPVs, which only have room
for seven people, the i800 can comfortably accommodate eight. In
addition the big Hyundai will still have room for all their luggage. In
fact the i800 has 851 litres of space in the boot even when loaded with
passengers; that’s twice as much as some estate cars!
The Hyundai i800 features a pair seats
in front and two benches behind, each accommodating three adults in
comfort with uncompromised head and legroom.
Both rear benches feature a 60:40 split-fold and recline while the
centre row also slides forwards or backwards to tailor space as
required. All of the rear seats are accessed by pair of sliding doors,
making access easy wherever the i800 is parked.
Once inside, the ambience is far more
car-like than other ‘minibus’ style rivals, with two-tone interior trim,
privacy glass, a six-speaker audio system and ducted air conditioning
throughout. Individually-controllable overhead vents in the rear make
sure all of the occupants can keep their cool.
It’s not just the luxury inside that makes the i800 comfortable. Rather
than using the same chassis as a commercial vehicle, the stylish new
people carrier has a purpose-made coil sprung rear suspension system
with five locating links to ensure optimum ride quality and
manoeuvrability. Alloy wheels are also standard.
Bringing power to the people carrier is a new 2.5-litre four-cylinder
CRDi diesel engine, which is intercooled and features a
variable-geometry turbo. Peak power output is 170PS with a massive 392Nm
of torque; enough to ensure that the i800 never feels sluggish even with
a full load. Balancer shafts also mean that the engine remains smooth
and refined at all times.
Despite the impressive performance,
this engine is also capable of remarkable economy with a combined figure
of 33.2 mpg. Thanks to a 75 litre tank, it means the i800 driver could
go more than 560 miles between fill ups.
When carrying passengers, safety will always be a prime concern. With
this in mind the i800’s sure-footed rear-wheel-drive handling is backed
up by ESP and traction control systems plus dual airbags. In addition,
all occupants have three-point seatbelts on offer.
The i800 will go on sale on 20th June
costing £19,495. It will be joined later in the year by a lower power,
lower specification version at an even more competitive price.
As with all Hyundai cars, the i800 will
be covered by a five year, manufacturer backed, unlimited mileage
warranty.
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