More muscle for Hyundai i30 N

Brandishing a cutting-edge eight-speed automatic transmission, more mumbo from the engine and a sleek new design, the Hyundai i30 N hatch and Fastback have just revealed their latest powerplay.

Coming to Australia in the first half of 2021 – potentially as early as April – the facelifted 2021 Hyundai i30 N twins will roar in with a beefed-up version of the current 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that climbs to 206kW (+4kW) and 392Nm (+14Nm).

Other headline upgrades for the faster, more powerful front-wheel drive Hyundai i30 N hatch and Fastback include lighter wheels to reduce unsprung weight, suspension tweaks to improve agility, and bigger, more powerful brakes.

Along with exterior design updates front and rear, the i30 N’s cabin gets sportier seats with improved side bolsters, a bigger 10.2-inch central touch-screen and a range of advanced driving aids and safety systems, including semi-autonomous steering via a lane-tracing function.

Prices are expected to the rise from the current $41,400 (plus on-road costs) starting point for the six-speed manual – the Fastback starts at $42,910 – while the new eight-speed dual-clutch auto is certain to attract a premium over the manual.

That said, Hyundai Australia expects the new N-DCT auto to be an instant hit, outselling the manual versions and boosting overall i30 N sales which are currently at four per cent of total i30 volume.

“We are expecting a high uptake for our new N-DCT,” said Hyundai Australia spokesman Guido Schenken. “It will be the transmission of choice for the majority of new i30 N owners.”

Let’s dive into the detail which is sure to see a few Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R owners sit up and take notice.

As more rivals enter the hot hatch space with bigger, more muscular engines, such as the 2.3-litre Ford Focus ST (206kW/420Nm), Hyundai has been forced to respond and has extracted an extra 4kW and 14Nm from its 2.0-litre turbo-four.

It hasn’t yet detailed how it’s liberated the extra herbs – presumably via new fuel mapping and turbo boost levels – but with peak power of 206kW now arriving at 5200rpm (down from 6000rpm) and peak torque of 392Nm at 1950-4600rpm (up from 1750-4200rpm), it’s a quicker machine.

Hyundai claims to have slashed the 0-100km/h sprint time for the manual by two tenths of a second to 5.9sec, while top speed is still limited to 250km/h.

A less powerful 184kW version will be available overseas, but Australia is sticking with the full-fat i30 N Performance version as it’s known.

Hyundai has not yet released acceleration times for the i30 N when paired with the new eight-speed automatic, but we’re tipping it will be quicker – and easier to drive.

The new N-DCT is a ‘wet’ dual-clutch set-up, which uses oil is used to cool the clutch components, creating less friction and allowing a higher amount of torque to be transferred through the gearbox, according to Hyundai.

Drivers can shift gears manually via the gear lever or paddle shifters on the steering wheel, and choose between three modes:

N Grin Shift (NGS): Increases torque from 353Nm to 392Nm via overboost and maximises transmission response for 20 seconds to induce “driver grin”.

N Power Shift (NPS): When 90 per cent or more throttle is requested, torque reduction is avoided during up-shifts to “deliver maximum power to the wheels”.

N Track Sense Shift (NTS): Automatically detects when conditions are ideal for dynamic driving to deliver shift timing akin to “a professional race car driver to provide optimal performance”.

The N-DCT is already available overseas in the Veloster N (not sold here), and its first Aussie deployment is expected to take place in November with the Hyundai Sonata N Line.

Hyundai’s go-fast N division has introduced new 19-inch forged alloy wheels replacing the current cast alloy rims, reducing the i30 N’s mass by 14.4kg.

Pirelli P Zero tyres will continue to be standard fit footwear and the adjustable e-LSD returns for active due as well.

Hyundai says it has retuned both the suspension and steering, “resulting in improved ride and handling performance for both transmission types”, but has not yet provided details.

It has also improved the braking performance of the 2021 Hyundai i30 N via bigger front discs that now measure 360mm in diameter (+15mm).

The reworked front-end design of the Hyundai i30 N twins includes a new-look grille and bumper with lower air intakes, new headlight clusters and V-shaped LED daytime running lights.

The wheel caps now have N logos on them, too.

At the rear, the i30 N hatch gets a cleaner, simpler look with subtle changes to the bumper and reworked tail-lights with a new LED signature. A pair of big circular exhaust pipes are integrated into the rear diffuser and there’s a black roof and roof spoiler in there as well.

The i30 N Fastback, which currently accounts for about a third of total i30 N sales, sticks with the current rear-end design.

The headline interior change to the i30 N is the fitment of new ‘monoform’ N Light Seats, which are 2.2kg lighter than in the current model, more heavily bolstered and upholstered with premium leather and Alcantara.

A larger 10.2-inch central touch-screen is also on board, part of an upgraded infotainment system that includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality. We note that the instrument cluster remains an analogue system.

New semi-autonomous driving systems include upgraded autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, a lane following assist system, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, rear cross traffic alert and active avoidance systems.

Some of the new features are for the hatchback only, while others will only be available with the new automatic transmission.

There is a lot here for hot hatch fans to get excited about, and for rival brands to carefully note.

The Hyundai i30 N has already proven its worth, winning several carsales comparison tests – including our most recent hot hatch shootout against the Ford Focus ST.

And now it’s even better.

Stay tuned for more details on updated i30 N in the coming weeks.