Hyundai i30 N
MODEL TESTED: i30 N 2.0 T-GDi Performance PRICE: £35,110 POWERTRAIN: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol, 276bhp
THE i30 N in these pictures uses a dual-clutch automatic gearbox, although the car we’re testing against the Focus is the six-speed manual version. Starting from £35,110, it’s cheaper than the Focus to buy outright, and the only extra fitted to our car is the £300 Polar White paint.
Tech highlights
WITH a 2.0-litre turbo petrol compared with the Ford’s 2.3, you might expect the i30 N to fall short of its rival, but the Korean contender produces the exact same peak of 276bhp. It does offer less torque – at 392Nm, it’s 28Nm behind – but that maximum is available all the way from 2,1004,700rpm. As in the Focus, a sound generator amplifies the car’s engine note inside the cabin.
When the i30 N was updated in 2021, Hyundai’s engineers turned their attention to the model’s suspension. They increased negative camber to 1.5 degrees, and introduced revised springs, bump stops and dampers. Unlike with the Focus, those dampers are remotely adjustable adaptive units that allow the driver to choose from one of three settings on the touchscreen infotainment system.
The stability control also comes in three stages. The standard set-up delivers safe, controlled handling, ESP Sport allows for some slip angle before gathering things up, or it can be fully disabled when driving on track. You can either alter these settings independently using the Custom mode, or choose from the preset Eco, Normal, Sport or N options.
SAFETY:
A five-star rating was awarded to the i30 when it was tested by Euro NCAP back in 2017. While its rating was enough for the top score, its individual category marks were all a few per cent lower than the Focus, which was tested by the safety-assessment programme one year later.
On road
THERE’S no denying that Hyundai has produced a thrilling hatchback with the i30 N. But while it just pips the Ford in one or two areas, the Korean model falls slightly short in a few others.
AROUND TOWN:
The basic controls of the i30 N are better weighted than in the Ford. This means that steering at low speeds, or just gently working your way through the manual gearbox, is a more pleasurable experience all of the time. The only slight drawback is a level of rev hang from the engine as you come off the throttle; it makes smooth gearchanges a little trickier.
A & B-ROADS:
While drivers are offered three damper settings, we found that we left the i30 N in its most forgiving mode all the time. The next step up in response is too firm on all but the smoothest A-roads, while the final setting will be too harsh anywhere other than on an F1-grade racetrack.
That’s not too much of a problem, because the standard set-up still offers excellent body control and minimal roll. That well weighted steering works at higher speeds, too, giving you plenty of confidence to push on. When you do, you’ll discover that the front end isn’t quite as positive as the ST ’s, and the rear end feels more planted.
While some will prefer this added security, we found that it made the i30 N less adjustable and less exciting to drive. This is all relative, though; the Hyundai is still fantastic through the turns.
MOTORWAY:
At a cruise, the Hyundai’s less sophisticated dampers can’t deal with bumps quite as adeptly as the Ford’s KW coilovers can. The result is just a little more fidget, even at high speeds. The loud exhaust note settles down, though, so ride aside, it’s fairly relaxing over long distances.
“That well weighted steering works at higher speeds, too, giving you plenty of confidence to push on”
Ownership
HYUNDAI’S signature pale Performance Blue colour features in a few key areas inside the N. The stitching to the seats, plus a highlight on the round, stubby gearlever are there if you look closely, but the most significant addition comes in the shape of two extra buttons mounted on the underside of the steering wheel spokes.
The left button lets you switch through each of the drive modes, while the right one offers the choice of two preset ‘N’ modes. In each of these, the driver is able to pre-select parameters such as the engine and transmission sensitivity, the response of the electronic differential and stability control, the damping and steering rates, plus the noise level from the exhaust. These can be pre-set in advance through the main touchscreen. The overall dash design is a little plain, and there are a few more hard plastics to be found than in the ST, especially around the centre console. The driving position is excellent, with lots of adjustment.
Hyundai provides a five-year warranty as standard across its range. Also included is 12 months’ breakdown cover. Hopefully you won’t need it, but 21.3 per cent of Hyundai owners experienced some sort of fault with their car, according to our 2022 Driver Power survey, which is slightly more than the 21.18 per cent of Ford owners who found an issue.
STORAGE:
The i30 gets a large glovebox, but it’s needed to house the enormous owner’s manual. Elsewhere, storage is hit and miss. The front bin is a little tight for a modern smartphone, but there’s also a reasonably deep cubby under the central armrest. The door bins front and rear securely hold drinks bottles. The centre console has two cupholders, beside which sits a manual handbrake. This takes up more space than the ST ’s electronic parking brake, but keen drivers will probably welcome the decision to stick with a physical lever.
Practicality
THE Hyundai i30 N comes with fewer concessions to practicality than its rival, but overall it’s still spacious enough.
REAR SPACE:
While most adults will have no complaints in the back of the i30 N, its kneeroom is no match for the Ford’s. However, both elbow and headroom are very slightly better in the Hyundai.
BOOT:
One of the slight compromises that you need to consider with the i30 N comes right in the back. Extra chassis strengthening, in the form of a large brace that runs between the rear strut towers, and across the boot area, takes up a little storage space. It’s up against the seat backs and roughly at the height of the seat bases when they’re folded flat. While larger items such as bikes can still fit inside, the shape of the brace makes getting them in slightly more awkward than in the Focus.