Hyundai N: Manuals are here to stay

Manual transmissions won’t be disappearing from Hyundai’s local portfolio any time soon, with the brand’s local arm confirming the three-pedal set-up is here to say – especially for its N performance division.

Speaking to carsales after it announced pricing for the new Hyundai i30 N sedan, Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) corporate communications general manager Bill Thomas confirmed manual transmissions were a key part of N’s product strategy.

“Even when other brands are turning away from manual transmissions, it is the strategy and stated intention of the N performance division to make manuals available wherever possible,” he said.

“The i30 N in its original form was manual-only, but it didn’t stop it being a sales hit in Australia and other markets.

“Many of our N owners are telling us they want the ongoing option of a manual and we are listening.

“Some might accuse manual drivers as being ‘old fashioned’ rather than ‘traditional’. We respect the tradition of this gearbox. Think of it in terms of simple ‘fun’.”

Only one model within the local Hyundai N portfolio is offered without the option of a manual transmission: the brand-new Hyundai Kona N. However, it could have been two if it wasn’t for HMCA’s commitment to the DIY cause…

According to Thomas, the imminently arriving Hyundai i30 N sedan was very nearly a DCT-only proposition for our market before HMCA stepped in and took on some of the financial burden to secure a manual option for Australia.

“At one stage we were facing a situation where the manual transmission wouldn’t be made available for our market on this car,” he said.

“We worked with HMC and absorbed a portion of the development costs to make sure we were able to make the manual available to Australian customers.

“We are seeing a reduction in manuals across other vehicle lines as a reflection of consumer sentiment, but where possible we prefer to offer customers the choice of a manual gearbox where possible.”

When the i30 N sedan launches Down Under later this month, HMCA is anticipating a 70:30 per cent sales split between the dual-clutch auto and manual transmissions, even though the latter is a no-cost option – unlike in the i30 N hatch where DCT variants carry a $3000 premium.

The reason for this comes down to production costs; both transmission options cost the same from the factory, something that isn’t always the case with other Hyundai models.

Including the rabid N portfolio, there are currently 12 different variants within HMCA’s local line-up offered in manual form, and this will soon become 13 once the i30 N sedan enters local showrooms.

Of those 13 (including the i30 N sedan), nine of them wear either an N or N Line badge.