Hyundai iLoad 2.5 CRDi
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Some will no doubt wonder if the humble iLoad is capable of mixing it with the heavyweights of the 3-tonne sector in a group test such as this. However, you would be foolish to discount the iLoad because in basic guise it is more than £4,000 cheaper than the most expensive vehicle tested here.
With 342Nm of torque in an engine producing 114hp, it is little wonder the iLoad romped to victory in the Driveline category, with each tester commenting on the effortlessness of the engine, its flexibility and impressive pulling power. To say it came as a shock, especially when you consider how highly we rate the new Euro-5 Mercedes unit, is an understatement, but shows why we included this dark horse in the first place.
Although further class wins were not forthcoming, the passenger car influence certainly benefitted the space available in the Hyundai van, but our team was less keen on the dashboard, which is awash with plastic.
Storage is also basic with a simple dash recess, split door bins and two cup holders. There is another recessed area located in the fold-down armrest, which is best kept down because the narrow space serves little use as a third seat and leg room is severely restricted by the transmission. The reversed auxiliary controls also drove our testers to insanity when trying to indicate or clear the windscreen.
Hyundai will tell you that the new Euro-5 engine installed in the iLoad can deliver up to 8% better fuel economy over the outgoing Euro-4 unit. Sadly, it not only failed in this goal, but also to attain the same consumption rates as its rivals, returning a disappointing 36.5mpg, nearly 5mpg less than the victorious Mercedes. Disappointing it may be, but, as our outsider, the Hyundai impressed everyone, and gave the competition a real run for its money.