Hyundai i30 FD

The first i30, FD, arrived in July 2007 as a front-drive hatchback. Hyundai's Korean specification records 121 PS from the 1.6-litre petrol version with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic; a model workshop manual identifies the i30's 1.6 as the Gamma G4FC.

This i30 is best read not as a 'simple old hatchback' but as a car whose service history carries unusual weight. Cold-start chain noise deserves its own assessment, while oil use, smoke or a compression concern calls for endoscopy and measurements before cylinder work is discussed.

A good FD is valuable for its clarity and predictable behaviour. Let the engine cool before inspection, listen to the first start, check it warm, and only then compare the results with the maintenance record.