HYUNDAI’S i30 supermini has become the first Korean car to scoop the honours in an influential British reliability survey.
The keenly priced rival to the Ford Focus came out on top in this year’s Driver Power awards run by Auto Express magazine.
The i30, which is priced from £12,300 and can average 60 miles to the gallon, beat all other brands, including several prestige marques and last year’s winner, the Jaguar XF which took second place in this year’s poll.
It’s the first time a Korean car maker has won in the nine year history of the survey.
As a brand Hyundai made the biggest overall leap up the charts, jumping 12 places to finish sixth.
Auto Express editor-in-chief David Johns said: “This is a huge breakthrough for the brand. Over the years, owners have told us how reliable their cars are and what good value they are too. But this is the final proof that they can now match that with real all-round satisfaction.”
The i30 has already become an award winner. It was voted most reliable medium-sized car in a poll published by consumer magazine Which? late last year.
Hyundai UK’s managing director, Tony Whitehorn, said: “Thousands of new buyers have defected to Hyundai recently and they are genuinely surprised at the quality of the cars. Owners are recommending Hyundai to their friends and neighbours and it is through this word-of-mouth recommendation that the brand is becoming so popular so quickly.”
2010 Driver Power Top 10
1. Hyundai i30
2. Jaguar XF
3. Skoda Octavia
4. Volkswagen Golf MkVI
5. Renault Mégane MkIII
6. Land Rover Discovery 3
7. Rover 75
8. Mercedes E-Class (2002-2009)
9. Toyota Prius (2003-2009)
10. Jaguar S-Type