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Hyundai i30 N hot hatch to cost from £25K

Two versions of first performance model from N sub-brand.

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The Hyundai i30 N, the brand’s first outright performance model, will go on sale in January with prices starting from £24,995.

The petrol-engined hot hatch is the first car to be released under the N performance sub-brand that Hyundai intends to expand into other models. We are told the N stands for both Namyang – Hyundai Motor’s global R&D Centre in Korea where the car was created – and for the Nürburgring circuit in Germany, home to Hyundai Motor’s European Test Centre where the i30 N was developed.

Two versions of the car will be available, the i30 N and i30 N Performance, both using the same 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine. The stock model will produce 250hp, the i30 N Performance an extra 25hp. Torque figures are 353Nm across both cars, with an overboost feature that can add an extra 25Nm, resulting in a 6.4 second 0-62mph time for the i30 N, three tenths quicker for the Performance model.

Performance modifications

Added to the i30 standard equipment list are performance upgrades, including 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres, electronically controlled Suspension, 17-inch ventilated front brake discs with 16in rear versions. A Torque Vectoring System and steering wheel mounted Drive Mode Buttons allow the driver to customise engine and suspension settings.

The Performance version carries a £3,000 higher price tag. The alloy wheels grow to 19 inches with bespoke compound Pirelli P-Zero tyres, an electronic Limited Slip Differential is added and the brakes increased by an inch in diameter all round. An Active Variable Exhaust system adds a bespoke sound while inside the front seats are electric and upholstered in leather and suede.

Further modifications over stock i30 models include body stiffening – the front suspension strut rings are reinforced, the front subframe reinforced, a central tunnel support bracket added along with a rear stiffness bar across the rear wheel arches. Both cars include Launch Control to make the most of acceleration from a standing start, a Rev Match Function for more effective gear changes, and ‘Brake Control knock back pre-fill’ – this helps keep the braking response at a peak after high-load cornering.

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Andrew Charman
Andrew Charman
Andrew is a road test editor for The Car Expert. He is a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and has been testing and writing about new cars for more than 20 years. Today he is well known to senior personnel at the major car manufacturers and attends many new model launches each year.