Hyundai i30 N Line hatch 2021 Review

With so much N-centric activity going on at Hyundai right now, plus the rollout of other new models, the Hyundai i30 hatch which is right at the core of the company’s sales performance is sort-of distanced from the news cycle.

Quietly going about its job of harassing the segment-leading Toyota Corolla (year-to-date sales figures for July 2021 show it – along with the new i30 sedan – is gnawing ravenously at its rival’s heels), the i30 hatch was given a refresh late in 2020 which brought a universal consistency in safety technology and a general smartening-up of external and internal presentation.

High-spec versions, such as the N Line Premium reviewed here, gained LED headlights, keyless entry/start-up and a more dominating 10.25-inch touch-screen in the upper dash.

Otherwise it’s the familiar i30 story with tasteful, almost-Euro styling, road dynamics that benefit from Australian input into suspension calibration, a competitively-spacious cabin with hatchback versatility, good perceived quality and ballpark pricing.

Plus, in the 1.6-litre turbo N Line Premium reviewed here, a nicely-honed warm-hatch eagerness.

Hyundai models no longer rate at the lower end of the price spectrum. Our 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium hatch is tagged at $36,220 before ORCs, fitted with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that carries a $2000 premium over the six-speed manual.

This makes it pricier than its Kia equivalent, the Kia Cerato GT hatch (from $35,290), but a little more affordable than the Mazda3 G25 Astina (from $38,390) and the Volkswagen Golf R-Line (from $37,650).

The Hyundai does well on safety, with the i30 N Line Premium hatch fitted standard with low- and high-speed (full braking up to 80km/h) autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – with pedestrian and cyclist avoidance – plus lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, driver attention detection and a rear-view camera complete with guide lines.

With a complement of seven airbags, plus all the usual passive and active safety tech, this brought the i30 hatch a five-star safety rating in 2017.

Complete with leather-look trim, a panoramic sunroof, power-assisted driver’s seat (without position memory), heating and cooling for both front seats, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav – now more prominently displayed on the 10.25-inch touch-screen – Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a seven-speaker Infinity sound system, the i30 N Line Premium hatch is full to the brim.

Yes, the top-spec 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium drives with a degree of verve that won’t disappoint those looking for a little something to separate their flashy small hatchback from the hordes.

It looks – particularly in the Intense Blue of our review car – a bit special with its complex five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels, glittering, geometrically-latticed grille, oversize dual exhausts, specific front and rear bumpers and hunkered-down body.

The interior delivers, too: the leather-look seats – black, with red piping in our review car – the crafted internal architecture with little restraint in the use of soft-touch padding and a generally functional placement of control elements is welcoming in terms of tactility and aesthetics.

If there are any complaints they’re minor. It’s hard to get a clear reading if the speedo needle is resting on the actual speed marking and the admirably tactile cruise control rocker switches on the steering wheel are a bit too small and fiddly to operate accurately. For example, the driver can inadvertently switch the system off when attempting to adjust the set speed up or down.

The seats find a nice balance between holding you firmly in place without imposing any difficulties when climbing in and out and there’s a lightness and openness about the cabin that gives the driver a clear idea of what’s happening in the world outside.

The back seats have their disappointments, however. There’s very little knee-room if those in front are moderately tall. Of course, these things can usually be worked out with some front-rear compromising, but the bottom line is that some small hatchbacks do it better than the Hyundai i30 – although not all provide rear air vents, or a fold-down centre arm rest.

The arresting looks signal the 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium hatchback’s character.

It might not fire up with great aural distinctiveness, but the 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine is always keen to go.

If there’s any turbo lag it’s all but undetectable and the ratios of the seven-speed DCT gearbox are appropriately matched to an already flexible power band.

While the power supply keeps on delivering through to the maximum 6000rpm – redline is at 6500rpm – the torque maximum comes in at just 1500rpm which means power is available at more or less any point in the rev range.

It’s also interesting to note that the i30 N Line hatch uses a different version of the 1.6-litre GDI Gamma engine to that seen in the equivalent i30 sedan, which is known as the Elantra overseas and is not simply a booted i30 hatchback but a much different vehicle.

Though it produces identical outputs, its bore/stroke dimensions and cubic capacity are slightly smaller.

The N Line hatchback’s combined-cycle economy figure is quoted at 7.1L/100km, which is a bit worse than its rivals but we did better by recording 6.4L/100km over a week of mixed driving.

With strong grip provided by the 225/40ZR18 Michelin Pilot tyres, the N Line hatch feels tightly controlled, maybe a little prone to bump harshness and somewhat noisy on rough hotmix, but adroitly responsive to the quick steering (2.5 turns from lock to lock) and comfortable enough when the going is relatively smooth.

Taken overall, the i30 N Line is on the side of hot rather than warm. There’s a definite youthful demographic at play here.

It’s not hard to see why the 2021 Hyundai i30 is such a strong seller in the popular small-car class, and that’s not just because the previous Elantra sedan is now badged as an i30 in Australia.

Among other things, Hyundai has years of sales success and a matured public confidence behind it that have enabled it to leapfrog over earlier assumptions that it was a one-dimensional brand that only achieved market success via significant price-cutting.

Helped along by the credentialed, hotshot N models now appearing across the Hyundai range – including the i20 N and Kona N – the stalwart i30 has for a long time been an almost intimidatory presence in the segment.

The N Line Premium hatch is not quite the icing on the Hyundai i30 cake – that position is securely held by the high-performance i30 N variants – but it’s not far short.

How much does the 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium hatch cost?
Price: $36,220 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 150kW/265Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 7.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (2017)