Hyundai iLoad 2014 Review

Synchronicity? Perhaps. In any case, on the final day of its tenure – and when it should have proudly been driven back to Hyundai to the aural backdrop of a triumphant fanfare – the iLoad was being hauled onto a flat-top recovery vehicle, its pierced radiator slowly expelling vital fluids like a dying warrior on the battlefield.

You don't have to stray far from Melbourne's metro limits to find plenty of kamikaze wildlife, and in its final test of 'iLoad versus kangaroo' there were never going to be any winners. Skippy's suicide dash saw it centre-punch the iLoad's nose, with dire consequences for both marsupial and machine.

Fortunately the impact didn't shake the van from its line, but it was sufficient to force the damaged radiator grille back into the radiator itself, puncturing it in several places. An ignominious end to an otherwise stellar long-term test…

The Hyundai Customer Care line was duly called and before too long the cavalry was on its way to collect said stricken vehicle and deliver it to the nearest dealership, in this instance Melton Hyundai.

Over the preceding 12 weeks we'd put the LCV – Australia's second-best-selling van, after Toyota's HiAce – through just about every situation a commercial was likely to encounter, from peak-hour city traffic to empty highway, from unladen to bang on its 1098kg payload limit.

Our van wasn't fitted with a towbar and so we hadn't put its 1500kg towing limit to the test (2000kg for the manual transmission) but, with the 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel passing every other test with ease, we have no reason to doubt the veracity of that claim.

Hooked up to a five-speed automatic transmission, the 2.5 CRDi pushes out an impressive 125kW and 441Nm. When empty these figures turn the iLoad into a veritable rocket on the road (in LCV terms), while they're sufficient to manage even its maximum payload without complaint.

Given the performance on tap, the iLoad's fuel economy hasn't been too bad. Across the full test period the average consumption settled on 8.8L/100km, with the 75-litre fuel tank seeing over 800 kilometres pass between fill-ups.

The load bay has swallowed various items of furniture, motorcycles (both road bikes and dirt bikes) and over a tonne's worth of rubber-coated weights over the past few months. We've appreciated the numerous tie-down anchor points (10 in all), the twin sliding side doors, the protective mid-height internal plastic panels and the sturdy synthetic floor liner.

Many tradies will require the added flexibility of the 50/50 barn-style rear doors (add $550) over the top-hinge rear door of our test vehicle, to allow loading with a forklift.

The load bay itself is spacious, with enough room between its wheel arches to take a standard Australian pallet, as well as a fairly low 590mm floor height. Refer to our mid-year medium LCV comparison test for a full listing of the iLoad's access and storage dimensions.

Behind the wheel the iLoad has impressed the motoring.com.au team with its zesty acceleration and generally competent road holding. The suspension is on the firmer side, even compared to other medium LCVs, but everything falls into place with some weight on board and body roll is controlled nicely.

The cab is starting to show its age. Although it shows every appearance of being durable it's fairly basic and offers limited storage. It's comfy enough and vision is good; the excellent mirrors and top-hinge rear door a help in this respect.

The 11.2-metre turning circle is pretty handy, allowing us to negotiate the tight confines of our underground car park without any dramas, although parking sensors and/or a reversing camera wouldn't hurt. Hyundai offers both as factory accessories ($538.76 for both front and rear sensors; $1337.00 for the camera), along with a raft of others to help owners through the working week. Given our impromptu meeting with Skippy, it's a pity we hadn't invested in the alloy nudge bar ($810.99)…

Prospective iLoad buyers should also factor in Hyundai's iCare program of aftersales support. Benefits include Lifetime Capped Price Servicing, a long five-year/160,000km factory warranty, and 12 months of roadside assistance (that can now be extended for up to 10 years).

All of that adds up to additional peace of mind for LCV owners, while the $38,990 (plus on-roads) price tag for the iLoad reviewed here is middle of the range in this class.

Grumbles? Just a few. There's no cruise control available for the iLoad, which will annoy on any longer country runs. There's no full steel factory bulkhead either, although the aftermarket will be sure to help here and Hyundai does offer a wire cargo barrier ($707.99). The hands-free, Bluetooth telephony set-up isn't the most intuitive we've come across and there's no trip computer.

But that's about the extent of the whinging.

We've enjoyed our time in the iLoad. Light commercial vehicles might not be the sexiest things in the automotive world but they're built to do a job and the iLoad gets that job done. With its spacious and practical load bay, strong engine performance and superb aftersales back-up, it's clear why Hyundai's iLoad is a common sight on Aussie roads.

Related reading:

Medium van comparison review
Hyundai iLoad long-term introduction
Hyundai iLoad long-term update
Hyundai iLoad long-term update