Hyundai i30 N 5-door and Fastback: a GTI that will make you forget the Golf

Some cars win you over as soon as you settle into the driver’s seat, fasten your seatbelt, press the start button, listen to the engine and cover the first few kilometres. That is hard to achieve when expectations are very high, as they can be with a sports car. The Hyundai i30 N is one of those cars.

Hyundai has created a car of a kind that is now rare: one built to be enjoyed behind the wheel. All the more so the twistier the road ahead. It is, or rather, it can be, as balanced as a Golf GTI, as effective as a Megane R.S., as feisty as a Honda Civic Type R, as hard-hitting as a Focus RS… and we could go on.

What does the Hyundai i30 N have that left us with such a good impression? Well, everything you would ask of a GTI. Namely, first, an sufficiently powerful engine, with something that is not common in the segment: an exhaust note that makes the hair on your neck stand up. Second, a chassis that conveys precision and very high effectiveness. And finally, a driving position suited to sporty driving.

And there’s more. Add to this that, aesthetically, it is not an especially eye-catching car, depending on the body colour you choose. That in the “Eco” and “Normal” driving modes you can use the car day to day with a level of comfort you wouldn’t expect if you first drive it on track in “N” mode. That the price is right. And that, in addition, you can now choose between the 5-door bodystyle or the eye-catching and practical Fastback, which makes things really interesting.

Let’s recall that Hyundai launched the i30 N onto the market at the end of 2017 in 5-door form, and in its first year it exceeded all the brand’s expectations, with more than 9,000 units sold in Europe. Now the “N” family is strengthened with the body version of the interesting Hyundai i30 Fastback, not only for its style but also for the practicality provided by its 450 litres of boot capacity, compared with the 380 of the 5-door.

And hthere will be more N models in the future, including a Tucson… and even a Kona.

The engine of the Hyundai i30 N

But let’s go back to the i30. Specifically, to what lies under the bonnet. The turbocharged 2.0 four-cylinder is offered in two power outputs, with 250 CV, or with 275 CV in the “Performance”.

The Fastback bodystyle is only available with the most powerful variant. In all cases the drive is front-wheel (with a differential of a different type depending on the engine; we’ll come back to this later), and the six-speed manual gearbox (a pity there’s no dual-clutch option). It is worth mentioning that the clutch is reinforced and that the gearbox synchros feature a special carbon coating.

The performance of the engine-transmission combination is fantastic. Its response, which depends on the driving mode chosen on the Grin Control N selector (there are five: Eco, Normal, Sport, N and an N Custom mode to personalise it to the driver’s taste), can be hard-hitting… or as docile as you would need for everything other than tickling the chassis.

Two points here that define the sensations the i30 N offers in sporty driving. On the one hand, it features the function known as “rev matching”, activated by a button on the steering wheel. What it does is automatically raise the engine speed when downshifting, a kind of “heel-and-toe”. It doesn’t perform this manoeuvre entirely automatically, but it helps the driver.

And combined with the sound management system, the result when you select N mode is, quite simply, spectacular. It uses a variable exhaust valve and an electronic sound generator to produce a crackle on overrun that makes the engine sound much “fatter” than a 2-litre four-cylinder. From inside… and from outside.

There are more powerful ones, and smoother ones. Or more radical ones. But overall, the engine of the i30 N –we’re talking about the Performance, with 275 CV; we haven’t tested the 250 CV version– offers fantastic, very well-balanced performance, like the rest of the car. If you need it, it can be progressive and docile. But when you ask for it, its response is forceful. And the exhaust sound amplifies the sensations.

The short gear lever and the clutch have a necessarily firm feel, to also stand out for precision; personally, the centre armrest bothers me a little on quick downshifts, but it’s nothing serious, and it can be solved with a small “elbow twist”. That said, to change gear quickly, you have to be energetic and move your right hand decisively. By the way, the i30 N also has a “launch control” mode, which allows you to engage first gear during the five seconds after releasing the clutch.

Between the 5-door and Fastback versions there is no difference in performance or consumption. In the 5-door, the Performance version accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds, 0.3 seconds quicker than with the 250 CV engine configuration. As for consumption, since we’re on the subject, the 8 l/100 km average we achieved in normal driving during this first test drive –without setting foot in the city, admittedly– is quite reasonable.

When the bends arrive, and the decibels of the crackling engine take centre stage over the music, it’s not hard to reach an average of 13 litres, which is also within the norm for the level of performance it offers in sporty driving.

Designed to devour corners

With an engine like this, the Hyundai i30 N needs a very finely tuned chassis. And it has one, and how.

To achieve this, the changes compared with the rest of the Hyundai i30 range are significant. To begin with, the chassis is reinforced with a brace connecting the rear suspension towers, clearly visible in the boot. According to Hyundai, it increases stiffness by 6%. On the front axle, reinforcements are used at the lower subframe level, to make its connection to the body more rigid.

The hubs are also stiffer here, made of aluminium to reduce unsprung mass. Another notable change is the positioning of the electric motor for the power steering, which sits directly on the rack (Hyundai calls it R-MPDS steering) instead of on the steering column. The body height has been lowered by about 7 mm, and the standard suspension features electronically controlled variable damping.

What does it feel like behind the wheel? Precision. This is the word that best defines the dynamic behaviour of the i30 N, a car ideal for devouring corners. Logically, this set-up has an impact on everyday comfort, especially on long journeys or on roads with broken tarmac. In this respect, the i30 N is not as comfortable as a VW Golf GTI, although it is perfectly usable day to day. But if straights turn into bends, you’ll prefer the Hyundai.

With very direct steering, a chassis that offers a very neutral response, and brakes that do their job without much trouble (on the Performance the discs are of larger diameter), the Hyundai i30 N is tremendously effective. The “Corner Carving N” system, an electronically controlled mechanical differential (also exclusive to the Performance), is largely responsible, guaranteeing traction without causing annoying tugs on the steering wheel even when you let the engine unleash its full power as you exit bends.

First-class equipment with a “premium” price

We’ve left until last the matters of the driving position, prices and equipment. And not because there’s little to say. It is precisely here that we find some areas for improvement. We have already mentioned that in sporty driving the centre armrest can get in the way when changing gear. At the limit, it would also be appreciated if the seats wrapped you in a little more.

Otherwise, the standard equipment of the i30 N is very comprehensive. There are minor differences in the 5-door between the 250 CV variant and the 275 CV “Performance” which, regardless of bodystyle, adds 19″ wheels instead of 18″, heated electric front seats, Alcantara upholstery, automatically folding mirrors and a driver’s knee airbag.

In any case, all i30 N models come as standard with LED headlights, aluminium sports pedals, sports seats, an audio system with an 8-inch colour touchscreen, a wireless phone charger, a 4.2-inch multifunction display in the instrument cluster, sat nav, rear camera, climate control, keyless entry, rain sensor and lights, and all the driver assistance systems included in Hyundai Sense.

The price of the Hyundai i30 N in the 250 CV version is €31,800, while the N Performance with 275 CV (and the additional equipment mentioned) starts from €35,950. The i30 N Fastback, available only in Performance form, is just €300 more than the 5-door, bringing it to €36,250.

These prices include the €3,000 promotion currently in force. But be aware that, adding the discount offered for financing the purchase and for trading in a car, you can reach a total discount of €6,300, which brings our “favourite”, the i30 Fastback N Performance, down to €33,250. A genuinely “premium” price, considering everything it offers.

Hyundai i30 N Line series: dressed for sport

As a “tribute” to the i30 N, Hyundai offers the sporty N Line series, which is hugely popular with the public. These are versions with a sporty look and very comprehensive equipment, usually at a very competitive price.

Now, the Hyundai i30 N Line 5-door is joined by the Fastback bodystyle, available with the same petrol engines: the 1.0 TGDi with 120 CV and the 1.4 TGDi with 140 CV, the latter with the option of a dual-clutch gearbox.

There are no changes to the engines, but there are to the chassis, with specific tuning for the steering and suspension, as well as larger brake discs.

The exterior changes on the Hyundai i30 N Fastback N Line include specific bumpers, a rear diffuser with red inserts, a larger chrome exhaust outlet, mirror housings in gloss black and 17- or 18-inch wheels –depending on the engine– fitted with the exceptional Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.

Prices start at €26,265 for the i30 Fastback N Line with the 1.0 120 CV engine, and from €28,615 for the 1.4 140 CV, which is around €2,000 more than the Tecno variants. Discounts are applied to both prices, which can add up to a total of €6,300 including the current promotion and the additional discounts for financing the purchase and trading in a car, which can be from any brand.

A very competitive price, considering the equipment, especially with the more powerful engine, which adds to the 1.0 N Line a wireless phone charger, sat nav with TomTom services and 18-inch wheels.

Hyundai i30 N image gallery

Technical specifications of this car

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