BEND THE RULES
A stylishs newcomer is looking to upset the balance of power in the hot-hatch segment
Hyundai’s i30 N turned the hot-hatch market on its head a couple of years ago, establishing itself as the benchmark affordable performance car. Now there’s a new challenger in the shape of the Cupra Leon, a powerful, sharply styled hatch from an all-new brand.
We see whether there’s been a shift in the balance of power.
HYUNDAI I30 N
It’s been three years since the i30 N arrived and last year Hyundai gave it a minor tweak, adding an eight-speed dual-clutch auto and squeezing more performance out of the 2.0-litre turbo engine.
Power increased by just 4kw to 206kw but torque grew by 39Nm to 293Nm. Maximum grunt is available across a wide band of the rev range and Hyundai says the 0-100km/h time has improved by seven-tenths to 5.4 seconds.
Lightweight 19-inch wheels, bigger brakes and enhanced safety features complete the update.
It’s a more capable car than before, but it’s also a lot more expensive, particularly in automatic guise, where it now starts at about $53,800 on the road.
The auto isn’t available on the mid-spec premium version, so if you want leather you have to stretch to the top-spec model that will set you back about $58,500.
It doesn’t feel like a circa-$60,000 car from the driver’s seat. There are shiny, hard plastics throughout the cabin, the centre touchscreen looks like an add-on, the handbrake is manual and the driver’s instruments are analog rather than digital.
When the car had a starting price in the mid $40,000 range, that was forgivable. The higher it creeps up the food chain, the more the costcutting jars.
Press the start button, though, and the Hyundai instantly reminds you of its charms.
It’s loud and proud and the different drive modes amp up the fun even further, delivering cracks and burbles when you lift off the throttle or change gears.
There’s some scrambling for grip on full throttle takeoffs and tugging at the wheel when powering out of corners, but it’s eager to turnin, the steering is precise and the grip is phenomenal. The sense of theatre and visceral involvement are hard to match. The Cupra feels a little subdued by comparison.
The Hyundai gives away some power and torque to the Leon, but feels like a sharper instrument through the corners. And it has more toys for track-day enthusiasts, including launch control and rev-matching.
The engine is thirsty, though, while the stiff suspension and tyre noise can get a little tiring over pockmarked suburban roads.
CUPRA LEON VZX
The Cupra’s cabin is in another class with its rich leather, crisp digital readouts and softtouch surfaces.
It dares to be different, too. Copper highlights work well with the blue leather, woodgrain inserts and ambient lighting in a variety of hues.
The driver peers over a sporty, perforated leather steering wheel at a configurable digital display that can mimic dials and gauges or pare back the information to the bare minimum.
Snug sports seats with Cupra emblems on the headrests are both supportive and comfortable, while rear passengers have their own air vents and USB ports.
There’s more tech on board as well, including wireless smartphone mirroring, radar cruise control and excellent Beats audio.
The VZX costs $64,990 drive-away but our test vehicle stretched the friendship with roughly $8000 of extras that included $3600 for Brembo brakes, $2300 for the matt grey paint job and $1800 for the sunroof, which is standard on the i30 N.
On the road, the Cupra has a better balance between sportiness and comfort, thanks to adjustable suspension that has a much wider range of settings than the Hyundai. In Comfort mode, you’d hardly know it was a performance car, while Sports mode is stiffer but also sharper.
The two-litre turbo four outguns the i30 N with 221kw and 400Nm but the manufacturer’s claim for the 0-100km/h sprint is three-tenths slower than the Hyundai.
Numbers aside, it feels incredibly strong throughout the rev range, although it’s lacking the snarling, spitting exhaust note of the Hyundai. There’s the odd crackle on lift-off but it feels muted at times. There’s no doubting its ability, though. The seven-speed dual clutch auto does a fantastic job of plucking the right gear for every occasion and the Leon gets its power to the ground well, despite the amount of power and torque going through the front wheels. The car sits flat through corners, the steering delivers good feedback and the suspension isn’t ruffled by mid-corner bumps.
It doesn’t have the outright grip of the Hyundai but it is a very accomplished performance car nonetheless.
VERDICT
In the end, the choice between these two is going to come down to taste and budget. Some will find the Leon worthy of the premium but the Hyundai delivers more bang for the buck.