Hyundai i30 Fastback takes the ‘BORING’ out of the C-Segment
The new Hyundai i30 Fastback – Hyundai’s i30 Coupe – will shake up the C-Segment in Europe and give buyers an alternative to endless SUVs says Hyundai boss.
But the new i30 Fastback could be an even bigger game-changer for Hyundai than the i30 N, with Hyundai’s COO, Thomas Schmid, telling Automotive News the Fastback finally offers buyers a C-Segment car that’s different to the competition.
Schmid pondered on whether the drop in sales in the C-Segment – and the rise and rise of SUVs – was down to offerings being a bit boring, and he hopes the arrival of the Fastback will ignite a passion for a small-ish GT Coupe.
Hyundai clearly has high hopes for the i30 Fastback – the consider it a mini Panamera for the masses – although they’re being cautious about sales projections, anticipating low double-digit thousands to sell in the UK and Europe, although clearly hoping for more.
But much of the sales success will be down to pricing, and that’s clearly key to the success of the whole i30 range.
If Hyundai pitch the Fastback’s price too close to the i30 Hatch, they’re likely to plunder sales from the Hatch, but if they pitch it too high they’re just not going to get the numbers.
Still, the i30 Fastback is quite a brave move for Hyundai, and now gives them a C-Segment range which offers more than the competition, with Hatch, Fastback, Estate and Performance all under a single i30 banner.
Perhaps, if Hyundai do start to grab significant sales with the i30 Fastback, we’ll see five-door coupe versions of cars like the VW Golf and Ford Focus arriving.
Which would make the C-Segment much more interesting.
Delcy Voisine says
The I30 is such a beautiful car. I bet it will draw envious glances at country clubs and haute-cuisine restaurants for its simple elegant and tasteful design. I think stars will buy and use it as a symbol of their sophisticated intelligence.