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Hyundai ''hires'' children as vehicle testers

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Khatir Soltani
Hyundai recently asked a bunch of kids aged 4-10 from the Holmer Green First and Junior Schools in Buckinghamshire, England, to put its i30 Tourer (Elantra GT) to the test under "extreme" conditions, and see if it's really tough enough to stand up to the challenges of everyday family life.

While the more mature Hyundai employees analyzed the scene, children let loose for 6 hours and simulated the typical car punishment that parents dread but sometimes have to deal with: jumping and bouncing up and down on seats (in muddy shoes no less), prodding buttons and opening storage compartments, repeatedly putting windows up and down, spilling orange juice on the seats, squashing bananas into fabrics, and turning the trunk into a sand box. The rearview camera and Bluetooth system were not spared, either.

Photo: Hyundai

At the end of the day, a team washed and cleaned the Hyundai i30 Tourer from the ground up, both inside and out, and the car drove out of the playground fully intact and virtually unscathed.

The Korean automaker performed similarly unusual testing at Knowsley Safari Park last year, with 40 baboons acting all crazy around, over and inside the car.

Click here to watch the related video.

Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
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