The Hyundai i30 N is a raw little racer for the road. But does an
automatic transmission make the fun more accessible or just dull it down?
N is Hyundai's performance brand and the i30 N was its first model, an affordable zesty hot hatch
that really got our hearts beating faster when it lobbed in 2018. It's gone up a fair bit in price
this time round, but it's still very competitive against the likes of the new Volkswagen Golf GTI.
When it comes to the exterior,
Hyundai's not mucked around too much with the i30 N for this refresh.
There is some trick stuff here. Check out these new forged alloy 19-inch wheels.
They save more than 14 kilograms in unsprung weight.
In any hot hatch, performance is critical. And thanks to a new turbo charge for an intercooler,
power and torque both go up in the i30 N's two-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine.
The new eight-speed dual clutch auto is the center of this refresh.
It can change by itself or manually via the shift lever or flappy paddles. It's pretty familiar in
the i30 N's cockpit. It's functional rather than fancy and focused on the business of driving.
The most obvious interior upgrade is this 10.25-inch
touch screen. But there's also Smart Key push-button start and wireless phone charging.
I love this new spider web graphic on the touch screen. It allows you to adjust
engine steering, suspension and a whole bunch more performance settings much easier than before.
There's plenty more of the features you expect, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection,
satnav and dual zone climate control among them. The new i30 N comes with a significant
increase in driver assist safety, but only the DCT version actively assists as well as warns
when an obstacle is detected in the blind spot or behind the car. And no model comes
with adaptive cruise control. The development budget wouldn't allow it. Being based on the
i30 small car means you don't miss out on the small creature comforts, like adequate storage.
There's also plenty of space in the boot. But if you own this car for the right reasons,
the thing that's gonna impress you most back here is this body stiffening brace.
It's all about improving the drive. Speaking of which, let's go do it.
Crack the throttle, hear that engine snarl, and that exhaust
snap, crackle and pop, and you instantly know what you're in for.
There is no doubt this is a fun engine to drive, it always has been. The good news is the DCT is
sharp enough to reward manual shifting when you want it. It's easier than the manual for sure, but
maybe not quite as rewarding. The upside is you can just ignore it and let it shift by itself when
you're cruising. There's been significant hardware and software suspension tuning for this update.
The goal's been to make the handling sharper and the ride more comfortable. That's a big challenge.
While the i30 N was never going to be mixed up with a luxury saloon,
but if you dial the suspension back to its milder settings, it is livably comfortable.
Dial it up to max and you need a smooth ride to enjoy the flat sharp handling it delivers.
The handling's aided by Pirelli P Zero rubber that sticks like glue,
but makes plenty of road noise on coarse surfaces while doing it.
The combination of a bigger turbo, more power and more weight does not help the i30 N's fuel
consumption average. In the real world, we're seeing north of 10 litres per 100 kilometres,
but it's fuel well used. With all the changes, this thing remains a hoot.
And all with the back-up of Hyundai's five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
It's a pretty good deal. In fact, despite the price rises and the slight dilution DCT
delivers, this is still a tremendous hot hatch. Its adjustability is key, allowing it to be quite
civil or extremely aggressive depending on your mood, and the button you press.
The hardcore are still gonna go for the manual, for sure. But the availability of an auto opens
the i30 N up to heaps more customers. And you know what, they're gonna love it. Thanks for watching.
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