Hyundai i30 N: reviewed

Hyundai has been on a steep upward sales curve across Europe for some time now – so it’s decided the time is right to start expanding its brand into new niches. And what better area to venture into than the hot hatch sector, to build upon the motorsport kudos it’s for a while been earning from its World Rally Championship cars?

Cue the Hyundai i30 N, the first high-performance ‘N’ model from a series that the firm’s taking so seriously, it’s even poached former boss of BMW M, Albert Biermann, to lead it.

Like the VW Golf GTI it’s targeting, the basics follow a standard template: five-door hatchback, 2.0-litre turbo engine, front-wheel drive. Where Hyundai diverts from Volkswagen is in pricing – less than £25,000 for the base 247bhp version, and even this comes with limited-slip differential and adaptive suspension. Even the faster 271bhp model is less than £28,000.

Hyundai clearly understands how important styling is in this sector, so has given the i30 N wider wheelarches, a lower ride height, aggressive bumpers, mean-looking alloys and some nice red pinstriping. You can even get a signature paint colour called Performance Blue. And, inside, low-set sports seats feel purposeful and a comprehensive dash readout floods you with information, from turbo boost pressure to acceleration times.

So what’s it like? Very, very good indeed. For starters, the engine is a treat, with a really revvy nature and little sense of turbo lag. The exhaust pops and crackles when you lift off, and the gearchange also feels fast and tactile. It’s a genuine hot hatch, alright.

Handling is little short of brilliant. Of the various modes, Sport+ is huge fun, even adding a bit of raucous wheel-scrabble at times, with Sport being a little calmer but still engaging. Normal relaxes things further to give it the cushy-riding serenity Volkswagen Golf GTI buyers enjoy, making it a great all-rounder.