Hyundai i20 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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai i30 Discontinued model
Hyundai i20 in South Africa

Hyundai i20

1.0T Fluid Petrol 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 328,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 74 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
VS
Hyundai i30 in South Africa

Hyundai i30

1.0T Fluid Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 468,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai i20 vs Hyundai i30: the short answer

i20 and i30 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context i20: current from ZAR 296,900 · i30: last listed from ZAR 432,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification i20 i30
Maximum Power i2074 kW @ 5500 rpm i3088 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque i20172 Nm @ 1500 rpm i30172 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Engine Size i20998 cc i30998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy i2014.5 km/l i3016.9 km/l
Ground Clearance i20195 mm i30135 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Evidence for Hyundai i30 1.0T Fluid

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

i20

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

i30

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

i20

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

i30

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec i20 i30
Model Introduced Year 2008 2007
Generation Third generation i20 on the K2 platform; sold in SA with 1.0T three-cylinder turbo across all variants Third generation i30 on Hyundai's i-GMP-derived platform; the N Performance uses a more heavily engineered chassis with limited-slip differential and performance suspension
Facelift History Third generation launched globally in 2020 and arrived in SA shortly after; significant improvement over the second gen in styling, tech, and driving dynamics Not confirmed
Facelift Launched Since 2020 2017
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style Hatchback Not confirmed
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Blue, Red, Yellow Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Fluid grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status published Not confirmed
Segment Hatchback Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 1135 kg 1285 kg
Vehicle Type Hatchback Not confirmed
Spec i20 i30
Length 4040 mm 4340 mm
Width 1775 mm 1795 mm
Height 1505 mm 1455 mm
Wheelbase 2580 mm 2650 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 195 mm 135 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 50 l
Boot/Cargo Space 352 l 395 l
Kerb Weight 1135 kg 1285 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1610 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.2 m Not confirmed

In depth: how these cars differ

This i20 and i30 comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: i20 37 vs i30 39.

Efficiency index: i20 59 vs i30 66.

Safety-equipment index: i20 84 vs i30 87.

Practicality index: i20 64 vs i30 60.

Ownership-cover index: i20 65 vs i30 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

i30 leads by 2 points

i20 and i30 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 63 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 89% source coverage
63
#1 Evidence leader

i30

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 66
Safety 87
Practicality 60
Ownership 65
Leads by 2 points
61
#2

i20

90% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 84 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 59
Safety 84
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance i30 +2 Efficiency i30 +7 Safety i30 +3 Practicality i20 +4 Ownership Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

i30

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 66/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 65/100

i20

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 59/100
Safety 84/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai i30 leads the specification evidence index with 63 pts vs 61 pts for i20

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, i30 leads. However, i20 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

i20 vs i30 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.