The Hyunda i40 Tourer.
ROADTEST FACT FILE
Car...Hyundai i40 Tourer
Model... Style 1.7 CRDi 36PS auto
Mpg (comb cycle)...47.1mpg
CO2...159g/km
Price...from £23,495
Loaned by Wight Motors, Sandown
SOMETIMES it’s hard to persuade people that journalism is a real job.
Take road tests, for example. To drive around the Island all weekend, putting a flashy new car through its paces.
This is never onerous but with the Hyunda i40 Tourer, it was even more pleasant than usual.
As I have written before, one’s popularity soars as friends and family clamour to be driven in style.
Not surprisingly, after collecting the car from the charming Mike Taylor at Wight Motors, I found myself driving from Ryde to Yarmouth one damp evening.
On board were a couple of foodie friends, who had jumped at the chance to go for a drive.
Keen to dine at the George Hotel, they treated me, in return for my services as chauffeur: a win-win arrangement if ever there was one.
We got off to a good start. Mr Foodie, a gentle giant, stepped into the back, exclaiming: "Blimey, there’s acres of room!"
Meanwhile Ms Foodie, a designer by trade, enthused about the sleek, tapered exterior.
There were plenty of up-to-the-minute gadgets to keep everyone entertained en route, including touch-screen satnav and Bluetooth.
The i40 provided a ride smooth as creme caramel. Handling was light as a souffle and road-holding as sticky as treacle.
I managed to maintain my dedication and conscientiousness throughout the weekend, racking up 200 miles by taxi-ing teenagers. Seven passengers in total remarked on the i40’s soft seats, sophisticated looks and high-tech gadgets.
The rear camera was a talking point and made reverse parking a doddle.
On treacherous Burnt House Lane, the ABS system meant I could brake sharply but safely for a suicidal red squirrel.
But the highlight of the i40 was the powerful acceleration from the 1.7-litre engine and six-speed auto transmission.
Handing the car back to Mike on Monday morning was the most difficult task of the gruelling working weekend.
Nice work if you can get it.