Good was never going to be enough for Hyundai’s answer to the Volkswagen Golf GTI.

The manufacturer’s first proper performance car had to establish Hyundai’s N performance division as a credible alternative to well-known rivals by taking on the best in class.

Just as it would be ill-advised to take a swing at a boxing champ without throwing your weight behind it, Hyundai’s i30 N is an attempt at a knock-out punch to floor the hot hatch king.  

What you get

Priced from $39,990 plus on-road costs, the i30 N brings a wide range of high-performance features that help it go, stop and grip better than regular hatchbacks in the Hyundai range.

A turbocharged 2.0-litre engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission and electro-mechanical limited-slip differential join big brakes with red-painted calipers, 19-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero tyres, electronically controlled adaptive sports suspension and an active exhaust system with dual exhaust tips.

Aesthetic touches include a body kit with red pinstriped elements and a reworked interior home to sportier treatments for the seats and steering wheel.  

Standard kit includes white, red or rally-inspired performance blue paint (metallic paint costs $495), along with dual-zone climate control and an 8-inch touchscreen loaded up with a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.  

Safety features include seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, driver attention alert and lane keeping assistance systems.

A $3000 luxury pack adds leather and suede-clad heated front seats with electric adjustment and a driver’s memory system, along with a heated steering wheel, front parking sensors, smart keys, a wireless charging pad and more. Customers keen for a panoramic sunroof can spend a further $2000 on top of the luxury package.

Hyundai supports the i30 N with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty that remarkably includes track use, though competitive events are not covered. Servicing is due every 12 months or 10,000 kilometres for capped prices not yet confirmed by the manufacturer.

What’s inside

Stepping inside, the Czech-built hot hatch is a clear relation of mid-range i30 models, using much of the same materials and hardware that you find in cheaper versions. Tell-tale changes include sports seats with baby blue stitching, metal pedal covers and a meaty steering wheel with blue buttons that allow access to five different drive modes.

A closer examination of the dashboard reveals F1-style shift lights that illuminate as you approach its redline, along with lights on the tachometer that indicate when the engine is warmed up and ready to rev – a BMW-inspired touch no doubt welcomed by Hyundai performance boss Albert Biermann, former head of the German brand’s M division.

The basics are sound. There is plenty of support from seats with variable thigh bolsters (though lumbar adjustment is a disappointing omission), the steering wheel offers an excellent range of reach and height variation and the cabin’s ergonomics require no compromise from the driver or passengers.

Six-foot-tall pilots won’t struggle for headroom while wearing a helmet on track days, and rear seat occupants are catered for with satisfactory space.

Hyundai’s claimed 381 litres of boot storage is a touch more than you’ll find in some alternatives, though a (removable) body brace behind the rear seats compromises its ability to swallow bulky cargo. In a world of tyre-repair kits and run-flat rubber, a temporary space saver spare represents a handy inclusion.

Up front, drivers have access to loads of information through a 4.2-inch digital display in an instrument binnacle which combines seamlessly with the central infotainment screen to offer trip, music and navigation options in addition to live performance readouts from an “N race computer” capable of storing lap times and displaying turbo boost pressures, engine temperatures and more.

Twin 12-volt outlets and a single USB point power personal gadgets with access to a six-speaker stereo more than capable of drowning out road noise on long trips. But the cabin isn’t perfect – it doesn’t feel as polished or purposeful as key rivals such as the GTI, lacking the sense of occasion you might find in other hot hatches. Brittle, cheap-feeling plastics on the lower dash and doors remind you that this is a a budget car to begin with, a notion reinforced by the odd cabin rattle on test cars at the model’s national launch.

Under the bonnet

Better news comes from the front end, when you lift the i30 N’s surprisingly heavy bonnet and prop it up with a simple metal stay.

The hatchback’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine is reasonably impressive on paper, boasting 202kW of peak power backed by 353Nm of torque available from 1450 to 4700rpm – which swells to 378Nm for up to 18 seconds of full-throttle “overboost”. The engine is only available with a six-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels through an electronically controlled limited-slip diff that maximises traction.

Hyundai says the combination is good for a 100km/h dash in 6.1 seconds – 0.4s quicker than a manual VW Golf GTI – along with a reasonably thirsty 8L/100km consumption figure compromised by the omission of a stop-start fuel-saving system.

The manufacturer admits a lack of an automatic transmission option will hurt local sales until a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission arrives in late 2019. Another hiccup lies in the Hyundai’s strong power figures and impressive power-to-weight ratio of more than 130kW/tonne which renders the car off-limits to p-plate drivers in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia – unlike the GTI.

Those who do find themselves behind the wheel of an i30 N are rewarded with a strong and linear power delivery well-matched to a close-ratio manual transmission with short, direct throws between the gears. The Hyundai is easy to live with around town or on the highway, and even more impressive when you drive with determination.

How it drives

Five variable drive modes are key to the i30 N experience – you can choose from Eco, Normal, Sport, N and Custom settings that affect its suspension, steering and throttle responses as well as the car’s differential, active exhaust and stability control systems.

N mode, accessed by pressing a chequered flag button on the steering wheel, turns everything up to the max. Launching the car in first gear reveals a relaxed setting for the traction control allowing a moderate amount of wheel spin before snatching second gear. Percussive claps from the exhaust sound like applause when you shift at high revs, encouraging you to further explore the car’s depth of ability.

A purposeful bark from the car’s twin tailpipes is accompanied by an electronic sound generator mounted near the windscreen that adds extra rumble in sports mode, feeling more genuine than fake engine noise piped through the speakers of some performance cars.

Arriving at a corner, the i30 N’s large 345mm front brake discs and sliding callipers offer bite and feel to lend confidence in the car’s abilities, a sensation that isn’t hurt by linear, direct steering a little short on feedback. We found the Hyundai’s default steering weight too heavy and short on fine feel in N mode, which also brings suspension settings a little too stiff for Australian roads – even after a dedicated local tune softened things somewhat. But you can dial the car in to suit your own needs through a custom setting with 1944 possible combinations, settling on a preferred combination easily accessed by the same chequered flag button on the steering wheel in another nod to Biermann’s previous baby, the BMW M4.

Weighing in at 1478kg, the i30 N is among the heavier cars in its class. It feels planted on the road, with excellent body control and impressive traction managed by a well-judged stability control system lurking in the background. Owners can use a clever rev-matching system to smooth out gearshifts or turn it off to heel-and-toe yourself, offering options to suit new drivers or weekend trackday warriors.

Hyundai invited us to test the i30 N at Victoria’s Winton raceway, wearing the car’s standard Pirelli P-Zero tyres as well as special Pirelli Trofeo R track rubber and Pagid brake pads set to be available through dealerships. The hatch impressed with its poise and consistency on standard rubber before a playful side appeared on stickier tyres encouraging gratuitous slides that highlight an excellent chassis balance. With stability control switched off, you can carry the car sideways on the entry to corners before throttling away.

The brand says it did not set out to build the fastest hot hatch on sale, claiming it intended to create something dependable and fun to drive – on the circuit and in the real world.

The i30 N nails its brief, bringing genuine driver appeal and a breadth of ability that reaches beyond what key rivals offer. Comfortable and easy to live with, the i30 N excels when pushed on the road or track.

Verdict

Hyundai’s first hot hatch is the complete package and a credit to the brand. Its local arm surprised industry experts by targeting enthusiasts, leaving aside a cheaper, less powerful and dynamically compromised variant offered overseas.

As Baltimore gangster Omar Little told rivals in David Simon’s cult TV series, The Wire: “when you come at the king, you best not miss”.

The result is not one punch, but a flurry of body blows bringing strong power, plenty of equipment, a class-leading warranty and sharper price than key opponents.

It’s much more than good.

2018 Hyundai i30 N pricing and specifications

Price: From $39,900 plus on-road costs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol

Power: 202kW at 6000rpm

Torque: 353Nm (378Nm overboost) at 1450-4700rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel-drive

Fuel use: 8L/100km

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Road test rivals:

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Price: From $41,490 plus on-road costs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol

Power: 169kW at 4700-6200rpm

Torque: 350Nm at 1500-4600rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel-drive

Fuel use: 6.7L/100km

Ford Focus ST

Price: From $38,990 plus on-road costs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol

Power: 184kW at 5500rpm

Torque: 345Nm (360Nm overboost) at 2000-4500rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel-drive

Fuel use: 7.3L/100km

Subaru WRX

Price: From $39,240 plus on-road costs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 197kW at 5600rpm

Torque: 350Nm at 2400-5200rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual, all-wheel-drive

Fuel use: 9.2L/100km