Hyundai i30 N Sedan 2021 Review

Hyundai’s decision to replace the Elantra badge with i30 in Australia has created an interesting dilemma with the hot i30 N family, which continues with the excellent and just-upgraded hatch but now ushers in the 2021 Hyundai i30 N sedan that’s quite a bit different.

It rides on a newer platform, for example, and has a variety of new tech that we’ll dive into soon.

So not only is the boot a key factor in buyers’ decision-making process, it’s what’s inside and underneath that count as well.

Whereas there are two model grades with the i30 N hatch, the hot sedan has turned up in a single high-spec Premium trim level.

Priced from $49,000 plus on-road costs, the only decision you’ll have to make – once you’ve settled on the sedan, of course – is whether you’ll choose the eight-speed DCT or six-speed manual (both cost the same), and whether you’ll option the $2000 panoramic sunroof and add premium paint ($495).

Standard equipment includes machined-face 19-inch alloy wheels, ambient interior lighting, dual-zone climate control, an eight-speaker Bose sound system, keyless entry with push-button start, and leather-appointed seats with heating and ventilation up front.

As a member of the N performance club, the i30 N sedan also gets adaptive dampers, a variable exhaust and electronic limited-slip differential, along with the same 206kW turbo-four engine that powers the i30 N hatch and Kona N.

However, unlike all other N models to date, which run on Pirelli P Zero tyres, the new sedan gets grippier and slightly wider bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (HN) rubber.

It also debuts new WRC-inspired tech, including an integrated drive axle (IDA) which combines the wheel hub, bearing and driveshaft into a single unit, reducing unsprung mass (down 1.7kg per corner) and increasing rigidity by 55 per cent.

A new brake prefill function also debuts, priming the braking system when the driver gets off the throttle.

Trips to the workshop are due every 10,000km or 12 months and will cost $335 per visit in the first five years – the same length of time for Hyundai’s new car warranty (with unlimited kilometres).

There is no ANCAP safety score attached to the 2021 Hyundai i30 N sedan, which is the same case for the i30 N hatch and, indeed, the entire i30 sedan range that has been left unrated.

That’s not to say it isn’t a safe car, but it’s difficult to make judgments about its performance in a crash compared to its direct rivals.

There’s plenty of standard safety gear fitted standard, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, speed sign recognition, auto high beam, rear cross traffic alert, rear occupant alert and safe exit warning.

You also get cruise control, but because the i30 N sedan uses a camera-based system, it’s non-adaptive, which just means you have to do more work.

Meanwhile, the sedan borrows the Kona N’s pair of intuitive and responsive 10.25-inch displays.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is provided, as is navigation, digital radio, a track mapping system with a GPS-based lap timer, and a plethora of N settings.

The driver’s instrument cluster brings plenty of customisation options, with important driving info only a button away.

The wireless phone charging pad can be fiddly and the option of a head-up display would be nice, but there’s not much else you really need at this price point.

Compared to the regular sedan on which it’s based, the 2021 Hyundai i30 N sedan not only brings more aggressive styling and aerodynamic enhancements, but plenty more in the performance department too.

Power comes from the N brand’s familiar 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, delivering 206kW of power and 392Nm of torque to the front wheels.

The choice of eight-speed DCT auto or six-speed manual is yours, each bringing its own special treat.

Go for the manual – with its new materials, shifter bearings and H-pattern guide – and you get a slick rev-matching feature that works very well, particularly on track.

If you go for the dual-clutch, the red button on the steering wheel instead activates the N Grin Shift (NGS) feature, where maximum power is temporarily boosted to 213kW for 20-second increments.

Our only complaint with the manual is that it could do with a shorter throw. The dual-clutch, on the other hand, aside from some clumsiness in low-speed manoeuvres, is snappy and responsive at speed.

The sedan gets power down better than its siblings too, with impressively little torque steer or wheel spin under hard acceleration.

It won’t quite blow your socks off, but the i30 N sedan’s supreme handling, the way it transfers its weight between corners and that outrageously loud exhaust (in N mode) really speak to what this small sedan is all about. Fun, fun fun.

Of course, there’s more to the 2021 Hyundai i30 N sedan than just the fun stuff.

It presents as a little more professional than the hatch, and has practicality on its side with extra cabin space – including rear seat room – and a pretty big boot that swallows 464 litres of cargo (space-saver spare included), which is the most of any N car currently available.

Across the back seat, there’s an adequate amount of headroom and legroom, welcome door pocket storage, air vents and ISOFIX child restraint points on the outboard positions.

It’s no SUV, but it’s certainly more spacious than the Kona N.

Overall, the sedan’s cabin could do with more polish. It’s by no means a bad place to spend time, but it’d be nice to see less hard plastic around the top sections of trim and dash.

Where leather-appointed upholstery is provided, it’s plush, but we’d prefer more side bolstering on the seats to keep average-width humans in place.

As for the daily grind, when you’re cruising around in Normal mode the sedan is compliant and relatively comfortable, despite the tightly-wound suspension.

Larger potholes and road imperfections send thuds through the cabin and steering wheel, but the i30 N sedan never feels overly unsettled.

A fair amount of noise is allowed to enter the cabin, which could do with more sound-deadening, but we’re prepared to accept the fact that weight has been saved wherever possible in the quest for maximum performance.

On the racetrack, the newest member of the N stable feels well and truly in its element.

Here, the N-specific chassis work is on full display, including the revised suspension geometry, new bushes, stiffer spring rates, extra chassis bracing and larger 360mm brake discs up front.

A flick of the N button is all that’s required to transform the four-door into an even sharper, louder and more rigid track warrior.

And out on the road, if you can cope with its stiff ride on the daily, you’ll be rewarded with its playful athleticism for the remainder of your days together.

The 2021 Hyundai i30 N sedan is a unique offering with few direct rivals among the mainstream brands if you want high performance cloaked in a small four-door body style.

There is a new-generation Subaru WRX coming, and you can still order the ageing, but outstanding, WRX STI.

Other than that, you’ll need to look at larger cars, move into premium brand territory or, most obviously, settle on a hot hatch.

But not everyone wants a hatch and, just as it did with Kona, Hyundai has made a welcome move in applying the full-fat N treatment to a broader sweep of model lines.

And it runs deeper than that. The incremental changes brought with the i30 N sedan over what is already the benchmark hot hatch in its class are compelling.

The i30 N sedan is clearly the most advanced N model to date. But the best? After our first outing, that’s hard to argue against.

How much does the 2021 Hyundai i30 N sedan cost?
Price: $49,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 206kW/392Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual/eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 192g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested