Hyundai i30 N review

When it was launched, the Hyundai i30 N  was like one of those peachy knockout punches you sometimes see in the ring, where the opponent just doesn’t see it coming and ends up lying on the floor wondering what happened. The i30 N did just that, because it was a far better hot hatch than anyone expected, and now it’s been made even better. Watch out VW Golf GTI and Honda Civic Type R , it’s seconds out, round two…

The new Hyundai i30 N gets a remodelled front bumper with more angular air intakes and revised lights. The outgoing car’s intake-mounted daytime running lights have gone and the new model integrates these as sharp V-shaped LEDs within the main headlights.

You’ll spot new alloy wheels at the side and a pair of updated brake lights and a subtly tweaked rear bumper at the rear. As before, the Hyundai i30 N’s bumpers come with bright red contrasting details – so you don’t mistake it for a run-of-the-mill i30.

As before, the Hyundai i30 N comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. This produces 250hp as standard, but you’ll be able to upgrade to a 280hp Performance Pack model. This also adds a limited-slip front differential to reduce wheelspin when you accelerate out of tight corners and larger, more powerful brakes.

The new Hyundai i30 N comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, but you’ll be able to pay extra for a dual-clutch automatic gearbox for the first time. This eight-speed automatic can shift automatically or you can choose when to change gear using paddles behind the steering wheel.

The outgoing Hyundai i30 N is a blast to drive, so Hyundai didn’t need to make too many changes for the new car. As such, Hyundai’s made a few tweaks to the suspension and steering systems to make the car a smidge more comfortable, but that’s it.

The new automatic gearbox allows you to live out racing car fantasies by changing gear with the paddles.

The new Hyundai i30 N’s cabin doesn’t look radically different from the outgoing car’s. You get a simple dashboard, a sporty steering wheel, a set of more supportive seats and a smattering of subtle N badges.

You’ll now be able to upgrade the standard 8.0-inch touchscreen to a larger 10.25-inch display. This comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring so you’ll be able to use your favourite navigation and music-streaming apps through the car’s built-in screen.

The new Hyundai i30 N comes with a bolstered range of safety features. You can get automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning and rear-cross-traffic assist that’ll warn you if you’re about to reverse out of a parking space into traffic.

The new Hyundai i30 N will go on sale in Europe and the UK in early 2021. It is expected to cost slightly more than the outgoing model. The standard version will cost from around £28,000 while Performance Pack models will set you back around £30,000. Versions with an automatic gearbox are likely to cost an extra £1,000 across the range.

We’ll be driving the new Hyundai i30 N very shortly, so check back here to find out what it’s like.