Hyundai i30 N 2022 review

When Hyundai launched its spin-off N performance brand, many were surprised.

Was the number one Korean automaker, with little association with performance in the past, really up for a fight with a great German like the Volkswagen Golf GTI?

However, to the surprise of many and even more joy, Hyundai did not miss. In its original incarnation, the i30 N was manual-only, track-ready and guaranteed, and sharp in every area where it mattered. The only problem? Although it was launched to critical acclaim, its sales potential was ultimately hampered by the lack of an automatic transmission.

Hyundai i30 N eight-speed car. (Image: Tom White)

As three-pedal enthusiasts will tell you, this is where things can go wrong for a performance car. Many (rightly) curse the Subaru WRX's CVT as an example of a car that sells its soul in the pursuit of sales, and while the Golf GTI only gains momentum after switching to a dual-clutch automatic. , many still complain about the loss of one of the best three-pedal setups on the market for daily driving.

Fear not, though, if you're reading this and think the new i30 N eight-speed automatic won't work for you, you can still buy it with a manual for the foreseeable future.

For everyone else who is curious to know if this automatic version has chops, read on.

Hyundai I30 2022: WOMEN
Safety Rating
engine's type	2.0 L turbo
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	8.5l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$44,500

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 8/10

The i30 N now has multiple options in its range, and buyers can choose the base car with a $44,500 pre-road sticker price for the manual or $47,500 for the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic we tested here. .

This makes it more affordable than its most direct competitors such as the VW Golf GTI (only with seven-speed DCT automatic transmission - $53,300), Renault Megane RS Trophy (six-speed DCT automatic transmission - $56,990) and Honda Civic Type R (six-speed manual). total - $54,99044,890), which is more in line with the Ford Focus ST (seven-speed automatic - $XNUMXXNUMX).

Our base machine comes standard with 19-inch forged alloy wheels with Pirelli P-Zero tires, a 10.25-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, built-in satellite navigation, a 4.2-inch TFT screen between an analog control panel, a fully LED headlights and taillights, cloth upholstered manually adjustable sports bucket seats, leather steering wheel, cordless phone charging bay, keyless entry and push-button ignition, dual-zone climate control, LED puddle lights, custom styling that separates it from the rest i30 lineup, and an extended safety package over the pre-facelift model, which we'll cover later in this review.

Our base machine comes standard with 19-inch forged alloy wheels. (Image: Tom White)

Performance changes include a limited-slip electromechanical front differential, a dedicated "N Drive Mode System" with performance tracking, a high-performance brake package, an electronically controlled suspension, an active variable exhaust system, and a performance upgrade for its 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. compared to the previous version.

What does he lack? There is no all-wheel drive here, and there is no dramatic increase in the number of technical elements, such as, for example, a fully digital instrument panel. On the other hand, you can trade in some of this car's traits for a more comfortable VW Golf if you're so inclined...

Equipped with a 10.25-inch multimedia system. (Image: Tom White)

This gets to the heart of the matter of determining the "value" of such a hot hatch. Yes, it's cheaper than some of its well-known competitors, but would-be owners care more about which one is more fun to drive. We'll get to that later, but for now I'll mention that the i30 N finds a brilliant little niche, being better equipped for fun than the focus ST, but falling short of the sophistication of the Golf GTI.

Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10

After this facelift, the i30 N looks even angrier, with a new grille treatment, scowling LED headlight profiles, a more aggressive spoiler and styling that make up its body kit, and aggressive new forged alloys.

Perhaps it's more attractive and offers more youthful styling than VW's subdued but rather attractive GTI, while at the same time not being as overtly wild as Renault's Megane RS. As a result, it fits aesthetically into the i30 lineup.

The new i30 N fits aesthetically into the i30 lineup. (Image: Tom White)

The crisp lines are characteristic of its side profile, and the black highlights create either strong contrast on the hero's blue car or more subtle aggression on the gray car we used for our test. Tweaked chunky tailpipes and a new rear diffuser round out the rear end of this car without being overdone in my opinion.

As beautiful as this Korean hatchback is on the outside, it approaches the interior design with surprising restraint. Aside from the bucket seats, there's nothing inside the i30 N that screams hot hatchback. There's no overuse of carbon fiber, no visual overload of red, yellow or blue trim, and the only real hints of N power are the two extra buttons on the steering wheel and the pinstripe and N logo adorning the shifter. .

The rest of the interior is standard for the i30. Simple, subtle, pleasingly symmetrical and downright serious. While it lacks the digital flair of some of its competitors, I appreciate the interior space, which feels mature enough to be just as enjoyable to use every day as it is on the track.

The new bucket seats deserve a mention because they are dressed in a stylish, hard-wearing and uniform fabric finish rather than Alcantara stripes or leather inserts that could potentially make them look bad.

To top it off, the new larger screen helps add just enough of a modern touch to keep the N from feeling dated.

How practical is the interior space? 8/10

As a result of the N not straying far from the mainstream i30 it's based on, it loses next to nothing when it comes to cabin space and ease of use.

The driving position, which seemed a little high in the previous car, seems a little lower, perhaps thanks to these new seats, and the dashboard design itself provides front passengers with excellent ergonomics.

The screen, for example, has nice big touch dots and touch-sensitive shortcut buttons, and there are dials for adjusting the volume and a dual-zone climate system for quick and easy control.

The very design of the instrument panel provides front passengers with superior ergonomics. (Image: Tom White)

Adjustment is great if you're happy with the manual seat adjustment in this N-base, while the leather-wrapped wheel offers both tilt and telescopic adjustment. The instrument panel is a basic dual analog dial circuit that just works and there is also a TFT color screen for driver information.

Storage spaces include large bottle holders in the doors, two in the center console next to an unexpectedly old-fashioned handbrake (I wonder what that's for...) and a large drawer under the climate control unit for your phone. It also has two USB ports, a wireless charging bay and a 12V socket. There is also a base console with an armrest with no additional connections.

Rear passengers are given decent space despite the chunky bucket seats up front. I'm 182cm tall and behind my seat behind the wheel I had some knee room and decent headroom. The seats recline back for comfort and space, while rear passengers are offered one large bottle holder in the doors or two smaller ones in the fold-down armrest. On the other hand, there are flimsy meshes on the backs of the front seats (they never wear out…) and the rear passengers have no outlets or adjustable air vents, which is a bit of a shame considering some of the lower options in the i30 lineup do get vented.

Rear passengers are provided with decent space. (Image: Tom White)

The rear outboard seats have a pair of ISOFIX child seat attachment points, or there are the necessary three in the back row.

Trunk volume is 381 liters. It's wide, useful, and great for its class, although there's a compact spare under the floor instead of the full-size alloy that appears in lower-end i30 variants.

Trunk volume is 381 liters. (Image: Tom White)

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10

The pre-facelift i30 N hardly needed power, but for this update, extra power has been squeezed out of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine thanks to a new ECU tune-up, new turbo and intercooler. These tweaks add an additional 4kW/39Nm to what was previously available, bringing the total output to an impressive 206kW/392Nm.

Equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. (Image: Tom White)

In addition, N curb weight has been reduced by at least 16.6 kg thanks to lighter seats and forged wheels. However, the automatic transmission in this particular car adds a bit of weight.

Speaking of transmission, the new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic has been specifically designed for use in N-brand products (rather than taken from another model) and features a host of nifty software features that remove some of the more negative attributes of this type of car and add launch control. and dedicated performance features for use on the track. Great. More on this in the driving part of this review.

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How much fuel does it consume? 7/10

As a hot hatch, you can hardly expect it to be the last word in efficiency, but with an official consumption of 8.5 l / 100 km, it could be worse.

We all know it will vary a lot in a car like this depending on how you drive it, but this automatic version returned a decent 10.4L/100km in my mostly city week. On the proposed performance, I do not complain.

The i30 N has a 50L fuel tank no matter which version you choose and requires 95 octane mid-range unleaded gasoline.

The fuel tank of the i30 N is 50 liters. (Image: Tom White)

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 7/10

The facelift of the i30 N has seen an increase in standard safety equipment, and as it turns out, opting for the automatic version will also get you some extra equipment.

Standard active features include city camera-based automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist with lane departure warning, driver attention warning, high beam assist, safe exit warning, and rear parking sensors. This automatic version also gets proper rear-facing gearing, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert with collision avoidance.

The facelift of the i30 N saw an increase in standard safety equipment. (Image: Tom White)

It's too bad there's no automatic emergency braking at speed or adaptive cruise control here, as the N appears to lack the radar system needed to enable these technologies in other variants.

Seven airbags make up the i30 N, including a standard set of six front and side airbags, as well as a driver's knee airbag.

The i30 N is specifically excluded from ANCAP's maximum five-star standard vehicle safety rating, which dates back to 2017 when it was awarded to the pre-facelift model.

Notably, the VW Mk8 Golf GTI has a lot of modern features that this car lacks, as well as the current ANCAP safety rating.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

5 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 8/10

Here's a good story: Hyundai covers the i30 N with a standard five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty that specifically includes use of a timeless track as well as track tires—something other brands distance themselves from with a barge pole. .

It also sets the standard for hot hatches in the market, given that its Korean and Chinese rivals don't offer cars in this class.

Hyundai covers the i30 N with a standard five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. (Image: Tom White)

Service is required every 12 months or 10,000 km, and the most affordable way to get it serviced is through the brand's new prepaid service plans, which you can choose from in three-, four-, or five-year packages.

A five-year package that covers the warranty and 50,000 miles costs $1675, or an average of just $335 per year - great for a performance car.

Your 12-month roadside assistance is topped up every time you visit a genuine service center.

What is it like to drive? 9/10

Now on to the big stuff: does the updated i30N, and more importantly, the new machine, live up to the high standards set by the original?

The answer is quite a resounding yes. In fact, everything has been improved across the board and the new car has become the subject of glory.

Fast, responsive and, importantly, devoid of any of the annoying hiccups often associated with dual-clutch settings, the new eight-speed unit is to be commended for retaining the car's original spirit.

It understandably lacks the kind of mechanical connection you would experience with manual controls, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the instantly responsive paddles.

The new eight-speed transmission is to be applauded for retaining the original spirit of the car. (Image: Tom White)

Unlike some early or particularly performance-oriented DCTs that rival brands have offered in the past, this transmission is especially smooth from a standstill and between first, second and third gears.

This is presumably thanks to a software-controlled "creep" feature (which can be turned off if you want to make the most of a hard start on the track) to make it behave more like a traditional low-end torque converter. speed scenarios. It still suffers from a bit of rollback when you enter a steep grade, as well as a bit of reverse engagement lag, but aside from the problems that dual-clutch units are mechanically prone to, it's generally devoid of skipping or grabbing the wrong gears.

Not bad for this car's first chance to go automatic. Beyond the powertrain, the i30 N's formula has been improved in other areas. The new suspension retains the stiff, damp road feel that the previous version was famous for, while adding a bit of extra comfort to the dampers.

Not bad for this car's first chance to go automatic. (Image: Tom White)

The whole package looks better balanced, with more obnoxious performance smoothed out enough to make daily driving more comfortable, while also filling it with what appears to be less body roll in corners. I'm only saying "what it looks like" in this case because the worst of the body roll in the previous i30 was really only identifiable at track speeds, so it's hard to say without having this new version at track speed to compare.

The new forged alloy wheels look the part and cut a whopping 14.4kg of weight, and the corresponding ride roughness they must cause on suddenly skinny tires is offset by suspension improvements.

The steering is as heavy as it is precise, giving the enthusiast driver the feedback they crave, although I will say it's hard to discern with the car the power boost provided by the improved engine's extra 4kW/39Nm. I'm sure there is, it's just hard to compare to an old car with a new transmission. However, like the previous car, there's a lot of traction here to crush the front wheels and make the steering wheel twitch against you.

The new suspension maintains a firm feel on the road. (Image: Tom White)

Inside, though, things aren't quite as rosy as in Volkswagen's new Mk8 GTI. While the i30 N's main German rival has a superb ride and all the comfort and high-tech enhancements that everyday drivers expect, the i30 N is comparatively unfiltered.

The steering is heavier, the ride is even harder, the digitization takes up more space with analog dials, and the handbrake is still offered to the driver.

However, it strikes a balance between VW comfort and the total roughness of something like Renault's Megane RS. 

Verdict

The i30 N is still the ultimate hot hatch cracker in a limited but tough field of players.

For those looking for a more raw and unfiltered experience compared to the polished sheen of VW's latest Mk 8 Golf GTI without plunging too far into the realm of track-focused discomfort, the i30 N car hits the mark.

It has lost very little in acquiring a performance-focused automatic transmission, which I predict will only increase its sales exponentially, and it will also get a host of welcome but not-so-digital upgrades in 2022.