Hyundai i30 N hot hatch: prices, specs & release date

Prices for the new Hyundai i30 N hot hatchback have been revealed, and with a starting price of just £24,995, it comfortably matches or undercuts the competition.

If you’re after a hot hatch like the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST or Honda Civic Type R, read on. Hyundai is a newcomer to this end of the market, but the i30 N comes with some sophisticated driver and handling systems.

Motoring enthusiasts may also be interested to know the i30 N was developed under the supervision of Albert Biermann, a performance car expert who previously headed up BMW’s iconic ‘M’ division.

Hyundai i30 N design and performance

The i30 N is a front-wheel-drive hot hatch that comes with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. This produces 247bhp in standard guise and 271bhp with the N Performance pack fitted. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, with no automatic option. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 6.4 seconds in the standard i30 N and 6.1 seconds in the N Performance. Both have a top speed of 155mph.

• Hyundai i30 N - full review

The i30 N takes a relatively conservative approach to the hot-hatch aesthetic formula, but it’s been lowered by 4mm compared to the standard i30 and thoroughly worked-over to give it a sporty appearance.

With 18-inch alloy wheels, red brake callipers, a unique triangular central brake light, a rear spoiler, extended black side skirts and swollen wheelarches and bumpers, there’s enough visual interest to catch the eye and mark the i30 N out as something special.

Inside, the i30 N features sports seats, sky-blue trim details, an ‘N’-branded gearknob and dedicated driving-mode buttons on the steering wheel.

All i30 Ns come with adjustable suspension, allowing you to make the i30 N stiffer or softer depending on your mood and the road conditions. You also get a driving-mode selector, with Eco, Normal and Sport modes, as well as hardcore ‘N’ and configurable ‘N Custom’ settings.

Standard equipment includes an eight-inch infotainment system with sat nav, LED headlights, a reversing camera, cruise control and wireless phone charging.

54

Hyundai has also fitted a number of driver-focused systems to the i30 N. These include:

- A rev-matching function to ‘blip’ the throttle for you when changing down a gear, minimising the power that can be lost during this process.

- A launch-control feature that’ll help make the most of the car’s power, allowing it to accelerate as rapidly as possible from a standing start.

- A lap timer to record the how quickly drivers can get around race tracks and a G-force meter that will log the cornering forces experienced.

- Shift lights, which visually illustrate how high the engine is revving, indicating when you should change gear.

54

The N Performance Pack costs £3,0000 and increases the engine’s power to 271bhp. The pack also adds leather, power-adjustable seats, 19-inch alloy wheels and uprated brakes with ‘N’ badging on the callipers.

Go for the N performance pack and you also get:

- An electronic limited-slip differential, which allows as much power as possible to be sent to each front wheel, particularly when each tyre has a different amount of grip available.

- An ‘active’ exhaust, with different setting to vary its volume and responsiveness, as well as a sound enhancer. When in Sport+ mode, this has an ‘after fire’ feature, providing extra crackles and pops.

Hyundai i30 N price and on-sale date

The Hyundai i30 N is available to order from 4 January 2018, priced from £24,995. The 271bhp N Performance version is £27,995.