On paper the Hyundai i30 is too good to be true. It looks good, it’s well equipped, and the claimed fuel efficiency borders on unbelievable writes Bill McCarthy.

Company car drivers get tax busting benefit-in-kind savings thanks to low CO2 emissions and to top it all off you get a five-year, unlimited warranty and breakdown cover.

It may be a cheaper car than many in its sector, but the build quality of this roomy estate is still good. It feels sturdy and far more expensive than it actually is.

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It cruises along at motorway speeds with only a faint hint of wind or tyre noise. In fact, the diesel in the tested model is more clattery around town in lower gears.

The 113bhp engine is powerful enough, handling is sharp and the driving position is good. The only minor criticism I had of the drive was that the clutch felt stiff and the boot was not the biggest for its class.

The published fuel figures appeared to be far too optimistic, but the diesel seemed to go on and on and after a fairly long motorway trip it still had a 150-mile range.

There is plenty of head and legroom for front and back passengers and standard boot hooks mean luggage loads can be safely secured.

There is under floor storage and excellent little cubby holes around the cabin for the likes of portable sat navs, sunglasses and wallets.

The looks of an estate car are obviously not as important as those of a two-seater roadster but, while the i30 is not the prettiest motor on the roads, it is no ugly duckling and at £15,600 for the test model, there’s plenty of metal for the money.

Form has not been lost for function and the alloys and new neat front grille are only upstaged by big body hugging rear lights.

All of the i30s have front fog lights, follow-me-home headlight function, and Eco Drive Indicator as standard.

Air conditioning, six airbags, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and active front head restraints are also standard across the range.

But one of the best optional extras is the Intelligent Stop and Go (ISG) which cuts in the engine when you are idling in traffic, but restarts at the touch of the clutch.

On the test model this system drops CO2 emissions from 124g/km to 119g/km, which will save the company car driver a whopping £85 per year because the BiK rating also drops from 18 per cent to 13 per cent.

The system also piles on extra miles per gallon and could be the smartest extra you will ever pay for.

The Comfort model tested is loaded with kit and boasts front and rear electric windows, electric door mirrors, leather trimmed steering wheel with audio controls and 16-inch alloy wheels.

It also has standard fit roof rails and handy little iPod, USB and aux inputs for music lovers.

The range-topping Premium model adds 17 inch alloys, reversing sensors, climate control and heated half leather seats – for just over £17,000.

As well as the airbags and ESP, every i30 comes with active head restraints emergency brake assist, an alarm, deadlocks and a lockable glovebox.

The old adage that, “if something that seems too good to be true, it probably is”, does not apply to the i30 estate.

Some of the big European manufacturers are miles away from the South Koreans by charging extra for the likes of headrests, roof rails and boot hooks.

That is why it is likely the i30s will become an even more familiar sight on the company car parks and family driveways.

Prices start at £14,300 for the 1.4 petrol.

Fast Facts: Hyundai i30 estate – 1.6 CRDi Comfort (with Intelligent Stop and Go – ISG)

Price: £15,195 (Including £200 ISG fit)

Mechanical: 1,591cc, 113bhp, four cylinder diesel engine driving front wheels via six speed manual transmission

0-62mph: 11.7 secs

Top speed: 117mph

Combined mpg: 62.8mpg

Insurance group: 16

C02 emissions: 119g/km

Bik rating: 13%

Warranty: Five years unlimited mileage warranty; five years RAC Roadside Assistance; five years of annual vehicle health checks and 10 years anti-perforation.