Hyundai i30 N 2021 Review

Automotive times move quickly, so you can be forgiven for forgetting the Hyundai i30 N hot hatch was one of the biggest stories of 2018.

The Korean brand, so long dismissed as cheap and cheerful, used a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol hot hatch version of its front-wheel drive small car to launch its N high-performance brand and underline how out of date that public image was.

Under the direction of former BMW M boss Albert Biermann, Hyundai N offered us an affordably priced high-octane driving experience that was received with open arms in Australia.

That it only came as a six-speed manual was not so much a fault as beyond the budget. The arrival of the first significant refresh since the i30 N’s launch addresses that.

The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission in the 2021 Hyundai i30 N is the headline act in what turns out to be quite an extensive overhaul and expansion of the range.

Previously, there was one i30 N Performance that retailed for $41,400 plus on-road costs. There is also an i30 N Fastback that’s in its final days as a limited-edition in Australia. Still, the impending arrival of the i20 N, Kona N and i30 N sedan should slake any desire for diversity going forward.

Still built in the Czech Republic, the i30 N hatch range now starts at $44,500 plus ORCs for the i30 N manual, rising to $47,500 for both the i30 N DCT we’re testing here and the i30 N Premium manual. The range tops out with the i30 N Premium DCT at $52,000 plus ORCs.

At those prices it still undercuts the new Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Renault Megane RS Trophy. However, the Ford Focus ST is cheaper as an auto.

We’ll deal with the mechanical updates further along, but new equipment includes a refreshed exterior comprising a ‘cascade’ grille, more aggressive front and rear bumpers, LED headlights with V-shaped daytime running lights, black side sills, large dual-outlet exhaust tips and tail-lights with a new LED signature.

Inside, a 10.25-inch touch-screen atop the centre stack is the obvious update, while smart key and push-button start, LED courtesy and puddle lamps and a smartphone wireless charging pad are also new.

The Premium adds lightweight new ‘N Light’ one-piece Alcantara/leather seats that are a combined 2.2kg lighter than standard. While heated, they have no power adjustment, which has the knock-on of losing the reverse dip function for the exterior mirrors.

A heated leather-wrap steering wheel, front parking sensors, rear privacy glass and an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror are also added to Premium models. A panoramic sunroof is standard only on the Premium DCT.

As per N tradition, a manual park brake is retained. Other carryover equipment includes dual-zone climate control, cruise control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection, sat-nav, live traffic updates, AM/FM and digital radio and a trip computer in the dash that includes a digital speedo.

The Hyundai i30 N is covered by Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and 24/7 roadside assistance for 12 months (extendable if you service at a Hyundai dealer). It’s worth noting there’s no warranty coverage for defects arising from motorsport. Non-competitive track days are fine.

The i30 N has 12-month/10,000km service intervals. The latter is quite short, and could be seen as an acknowledgement of the performance stresses this car potentially cops, however the lower-tier i30 N Line turbo has 10,000km intervals too.

A three-year/30,000km pre-paid service plan costs $897 and a five-year/50,000km plan is available for $1595.

The 2021 Hyundai i30 N receives some important safety upgrades focused on driver assistance. They include lane following assist, blind spot collision warning and rear cross traffic warning.

The claimed minimum kerb weight of the i30 N rises 18kg to 1447kg, and Hyundai says the hardware associated with all this new sensing capability is much of the reason why.

DCT-equipped i30 Ns go a step further than manuals, being able to provide active driver assistance when the blind spot and rear cross traffic alerts are triggered rather than simply issue a passive warning.

However, there’s still no sign of adaptive cruise control, which has not as yet been designed into the underpinning PDe N architecture for budgetary reasons.

Carryover safety gear includes seven airbags, three rear top-tether strap points for child seats, two outboard rear seat ISOFIX restraints, a reversing camera, lane keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), traction and stability control and driver attention alert.

This car does not get an ANCAP safety rating, but regular versions of the Hyundai i30 carry a maximum five-star rating, based on now-outdated testing back in 2017.

The eight-speed wet-clutch DCT is a cornerstone of this 2021 Hyundai i30 N update.

Promised to arrive as long ago as 2019, it’s from the same family as the unit found in the Veloster N not sold here and the Hyundai Sonata N Line that’s recently gone on sale. It will also soon be seen in Australia in the Kona N and i30 N sedan.

In all its literature Hyundai keeps stressing this is a wet-clutch design. And that’s important considering some dry-clutch DCT designs from other brands (Volkswagen and Ford, to name two) have encountered serious reliability issues in the past.

The DCT can be left to do its own thing in auto in modes that adjust it from passive to hyper-aggressive. It can be changed manually via the lever in the centre console or via steering wheel-mounted paddles.

The DCT includes a new 20-second push-to-pass function called N Grin Shift that prompts a search for the lowest possible gear to aid acceleration. It is activated by a button on the steering wheel and includes a countdown clock. It definitely provides a kick-along for an urgent pass.

Other new DCT-only features include N Power Shift that minimises torque reduction during upshifts over 90 per cent throttle and N Track Sense Shift that automatically hones gear selection and shift timing for dynamic driving such as at racetracks.

The i30 N retains tuneable launch control, three-mode rev-matching for the manual and up to five selectable modes including custom selected by blue tabs on the steering wheel to adjust the behaviour of the engine, adaptive suspension, stability control, exhaust, electric-assist steering, DCT and the electronically controlled limited-slip differential.

Custom settings can be chosen by a cool new spiderweb graphic on the new touch-screen that is much easier to adjust than the old system. There are even explanations of what each mode change does. There is also a customisable ‘N’ screen that shows different performance gauges such as turbo boost.

While the fundamental MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension concepts are familiar, there have been some geometry changes overlaid by the local tuning Hyundai now applies to its range.

The geometry changes are intended to sharpen handling and are concentrated at the front where there are redesigned knuckles and lower control arms that result in a 17mm wider track and an increase in front camber to -1.7 degrees. Numerous front and rear bushes have been redesigned and the construction of the rear toe arm has also been revised.

Local tuning was aimed at widening the car’s scope in terms of both ride and handling. Front and rear dampers have been retuned and spring rates increased by 5.7 per cent up front and 4.2 per cent at the rear. The adaptive suspension logic has a bespoke local tune. A steering retune went hand-in-hand with all this.

The diameter of the front brake discs rises from 345mm to 360mm. They fit inside new forged alloy 19-inch wheels developed in-house (a first for Hyundai) that reduce unsprung weight by 14.4kg compared to the old cast alloys and look good doing it. Tyres are bespoke Pirelli P Zeros.

Finally, the engine. It too has had some changes that boost power from 202kW to 206kW and torque from 353Nm to 392Nm.

A redesigned turbo, a larger intercooler and new pistons all contribute. These changes were tested as far back as 2019 in Hyundai’s world time attack i30 N Fastback.

Hyundai says the i30 N’s new outputs are delivered more tractably without need for the old car’s overboost (it dubs this trait as ‘flat-power’… okay, there have been snappier titles), although torque arrives over a slightly narrower range than before.

Having said that, the soon-to-arrive Kona N and i30 N sedan actually get a slightly updated spec of the engine that includes an ability to produce 213kW for short periods on overboost. We’ve gone into that and other changes across these three cars in our news story here.

With the added performance, it’s no surprise the i30 N hatch’s fuel consumption officially gets worse, increasing the combined ADR rate from 8.0 to 8.5L/100km for the manual. The DCT also claims that number.

The good news is the acceleration number is slashed from the old manual’s 6.1sec 0-100km/h to 5.4sec for the DCT. The updated manual now claims 5.9sec. Top speed is 250km/h.

So, the big concern here is that swapping out the manual and clutch pedal in the 2021 Hyundai i30 N for the DCT and, er, pedal box space, will dilute the driving experience.

Well, if you love your heeling and toeing and the intimate connection manual shifting delivers then there’s no doubt removing that capability also removes some of this car’s brio and verve.

The good news is the i30 N has plenty of character to splash around. A ‘little less’ hardly changes it from technicolour to monochrome. It’s just maybe a little less vibrant.

And for a lot of people who can’t or won’t drive manuals, adding a DCT to the i30 N makes it accessible for the first time.

Importantly, these buyers will get an authentic dose of what this car is primarily about. Even in ‘normal’ mode, DCT down-changes are obviously felt and prompt a moderate throttle blip.

There’s no blancmange mode here. There’s also no hesitation to get rolling at tip-in throttle as still troubles Volkswagen Group DCTs.

Wind up through Sport and Sport+ and the changes just get more and more aggressive. You could tackle your favourite winding road without resorting to manual changes if you wanted to.

But why do that when flipping changes off the well-positioned and sizeable steering wheel-mounted (not column-mounted) paddles deliver such enjoyable lickety-split changes?

The engine is an enjoyable accomplice to the DCT. The torque spread is theoretically narrower, but it’s still plenty giving and thoroughly lively. There’s no real evidence of turbo lag or roughness in delivery.

It likes to rev beyond 6000rpm and it also doesn’t mind a drink, averaging 10.4L/100km of 95 RON on test.

Still, it’s fuel well sucked, especially the droplets that are atomised in the exhaust and produce a raucous snap, crackle and bang on lift-off that Hyundai confirms is louder than before.

Like the drivetrain, the chassis of the i30 N is set up for performance rather than cruising. There’s grip and surefooted stability everywhere. The Pirellis are a big help here no doubt, they just tend to make a lot of noise on coarse surfaces.

Even in its most supple mode, the suspension is still firm. But there is some compliance, so at speed on rough winding roads it’s the preferred choice over the stiffer settings. Sport+ is for the racetrack.

The electric-assist steering is the same story. The comfort and lightness of the Normal mode just worked for me better than the heavier, sportier settings.

You can also tune the front diff through multiple settings, but really understanding the differences there requires a racetrack.

The i30 N’s front-wheel drive layout makes itself known when pushing along. There’s some axle tramp under harsh acceleration, a bit of steering deflection on bumps and even a suggestion of rack rattle.

It’s feedback rather than a significant design fault and it doesn’t compromise the drive experience. More so, it helps define it. The i30 N is quick enough to really get your attention without making you feel like you’re tapping in to only about 10 per cent of its potential.

There’s the added bonus that it’s based on a liveable small car, so it retains the in-cabin storage, simple exit and entry and good visibility you’d expect.

Even the boot is a good size, only compromised a teeny-tiny bit by a body brace. It looks really cool, so that more than makes up for the few litres of lost space.

There’s precious little room in the rear seat for a 180cm-tall passenger to fit behind a 180cm-tall driver. There’s not even rear air-con vents.

No, the best place to be is up front grasping that chubby reach- and rake-adjustable steering wheel and nestling into the deeply bolstered cloth-trimmed sports seat.

There’s nothing spectacular here, nothing that seems out of place or oddball. It’s all straight-forward, works as it should and is primarily focused on helping you with the important bit, the driving.

Revisiting the Hyundai i30 N is a driving joy. It’s that simple.

The DCT is slightly less communicative than the manual but far more accessible for the many people who don’t like a clutch.

And, yes, the price rise is a pain. But at least it’s easy to see where the money’s been spent. You can’t say that every time these days.

All up, the retuning, refreshing and upgrading of this package undoubtedly adds up to clear improvement.

Simply put, the Hyundai i30 N deserves to be at the top of any hot hatch shopping list.

How much does the 2021 Hyundai i30 N DCT cost?
Price: $47,500 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 206kW/392Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 197g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

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