Hyundai Grand i10 vs Hyundai i30

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Hyundai Grand i10 in South Africa

Hyundai Grand i10

1.2 Fluid Petrol Manual
ZAR 242,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 114 Nm ⛽ 16.5 km/l
VS
Hyundai i30 in South Africa

Hyundai i30

1.0T Fluid Petrol Manual
ZAR 468,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance i30
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality i30
🔑 Ownership Tie
Grand i10 starts ZAR 432900 cheaper Grand i10 from ZAR 218,900 · i30 from ZAR 432,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Grand i10 i30
Engine Power 61 88
Torque 114 172
Engine Size 1197 998
Claimed Mileage 16.5 16.9
Ground Clearance 170 135
Boot Space 235 395
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 975 1285
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

i30

56
/ 100
+4
pts
#2

Grand i10

52
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Grand i10 and i30 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance i30 +3 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality i30 +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

i30

Performance 8/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 10/20
Ownership 20/20

Grand i10

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Grand i10

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

i30

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Grand i10

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

i30

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Grand i10 i30
Length 3665 4340
Width 1660 1795
Height 1520 1455
Wheelbase 2385 2650
Ground Clearance 170 135
Kerb Weight 975 1285
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 235 395
Rear Track Width 1420 mm 1546 mm
Gross Vehicle Weight 1410 1780 kg
Front Track Width 1435 mm 1569 mm
Turning Radius 4.9 m 5.4 m
Towing Capacity 300 kg (Unbraked) 1200 kg (Unbraked)
Load Bed Length Not Applicable Not Applicable
Load Bed Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Boot Space Seats Folded Available Available
Number of Doors Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Grand i10 i30
Engine 1.2 MPI DOHC 1.0 T-GDI Turbo
Engine Type Petrol Petrol
Displacement 1197 998
Cylinders 4 3
Power 61 88
Torque 114 172
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Direct Injection
Turbocharger No Yes
Top Speed 171 190
0-100 km/h 12.8 10.8
Power @ RPM 6300 5500
Torque @ RPM 4200 1500
Valves per Cylinder 12 12 (4 per cylinder)
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 9.9:1
Engine Position Front Front
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Available
Engine Type Config Inline Inline
Variable Valve Timing Yes Yes
Cylinder Bore Available Available
Piston Stroke Available Available
Engine Code Available Available
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Cylinder Layout Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai i30 wins with 56 pts vs 52 pts for Grand i10

In structured scoring, i30 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Grand i10 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the i30 edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Grand i10 0 vs i30 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Grand i10 18, i30 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Grand i10 20, i30 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Grand i10 9, i30 10. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Grand i10 5, i30 8. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The i30 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The i30 scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Grand i10 and i30 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Grand i10 scores 5 vs 8.

Efficiency: Grand i10 scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Grand i10 scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Grand i10 scores 9 vs 10.

Ownership: Grand i10 scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives i30 the advantage in this comparison.