| First UK Drive | Herts, England | Hyundai i30 |

Oh how the car manufacturers laughed when the Koreans arrived and suggested world domination. They're not laughing now though, as Hyundai's once cheap, but far from cheerful, range has been transformed lately. Not just by the niche model SUV, Coupe and city-car models, but by the new i30. It's Hyundai's take on the C-segment, the traditional battleground for family buyers. It's unlikely to make any real impact on the big three sellers in the market - the Ford Focus, Vauxhall's Astra and the VW Golf - for now. However, the remaining 50% of the market needs to watch out.

Designed for Europe, the i30 brings a new naming strategy for Hyundai. So there'll be i10, i20, i40, etc. in the future. The 'i' is supposed to represent technology and inspiration. Certainly one of those things is covered, the i30 one of the most comprehensively equipped and connectable car in any segment of the market. Open the centre armrest stowage box and in every i30 you'll find a USB port and an auxiliary socket. Plug your iPod into the i30 and you'll not only be able hear it, but you can navigate its functions properly via both the stereo and steering wheel buttons.

That connectivity might be lost on many of Hyundai's traditionally older customers, but it highlights that the company is looking to appeal to a younger market. And the i30 might just be the car that pulls younger buyers into the showrooms. Sure, it's not the most dramatic-looking car, but neither is it odd like some Hyundais of old. Squint a bit and round the back you could mistake it for a BMW 1 Series. Unlike the BMW, it's spacious in there though. Up front it feels airy and light and if you're not driving you'll not find space in the rear seats lacking either with decent leg and headroom. Throw in a decent-sized boot and the i30 fills the family car brief perfectly.

Quality has taken a step up too. The really cheap-looking plastics have gone, their replacements still not the last word in tactility, but certainly decent enough for the class. Safe is how you might describe the design, Hyundai sensibly not going overboard in the styling stakes, the interior functional and neat. All except for the instruments, which prove tricky to read in the sun. Switching on the sidelights to illuminate them removes the problem, but it's an oversight. Even so, it's clear that Hyundai has been taking note of its rival's interiors, even going so far as to switch the indicator over to the left hand side of the wheel - the Korean firm traditionally placing it on the right.

Small details like that exhibit just how serious Hyundai is about its new C-segment contender. But it needs to drive well to compete with the best. Offered with a range of four engines, two petrols of 1.4- and 1.6-litres and two turbodiesels of 1.6- and 2.0-litres, the line up follows that of most of its rivals. Three trim levels are offered, but as yet there's no word of a sporting flagship. However, the Coupe is due to finish production next year and Hyundai has a 2.0-litre engine in development with 240bhp, so a hot i30 might not be too far off.

None of the standard models offer what you could describe as exciting driving characteristics. Instead, they major on comfort and refinement. Neither petrol engine feels quick, though the 109bhp 1.4-litre feels more eager than the 122bhp 1.6. Both take over 11 seconds to reach 62mph. That's not really a complaint, as they're both relatively refined and deliver over 45mpg official combined consumption figures. But forget the petrol models, as it's the 115bhp 1.6-litre turbodiesel that makes most sense. Managing a combined consumption figure of 60.1mpg it feels far livelier than either of the petrol choices on the road. It's good enough for you to forget about considering the 2.0-litre diesel.

Both petrol and diesel engines are refined, the 1.6-litre diesel being very quiet both starting and when running. That refinement is backed up by decent road and wind noise isolation and ride comfort. That comfort means soft responses and plenty of understeer, but with the steering feeling oddly weighted and the relatively sedate performance on offer you'll be happy Hyundai's traded a bit of sharpness for ease of use.

A decent enough family car then, that still has the bonus of value on its side. Prices start from just £11,000 and tandard specification is very impressive; that iPod/MP3 connectivity, air conditioning, ESP, alloy wheels, fog lamps, cooled glovebox, six airbags, front and rear electric windows and driver seat height adjustment comes as standard on all cars. Indeed, entry-level 'Comfort' trim comes so comprehensively specified there's no need to consider the Style or Premium alternatives. And then there's that five-year warranty. It all adds up to an appealing package. Funny that Hyundai's mainstream rivals aren't laughing anymore...