GEARHEAD
Halo Hatch
The Hyundai i30N is a hot hatch that goes head-to-head with the European competition
Footwear is very important, especially appropriate footwear.
If you’re a human, living in modern society, you need the right shoes for the right occasion (some pampered pooches may wear booties all the time but that’s another story).
So if you’re going to the office, a pair of leather lace-ups is good. When you’re planning a marathon, comfortable trainers definitely needed. And if you want to drive the Hyundai i30N, nothing less than a pair of driving shoes will do – preferably Italian and in suede.
The Hyundai i30N has the body of an i30 five-door hatchback but the souped-up soul of a sports model.
As a hot hatch, it also has the appropriate racing pedigree.
N refers to Hyundai’s high-performance division and the i30N was created at Namyang, the carmaker’s research and development facility in South Korea, before being further tested and refined at the altar of racing reverence – the Nürburgring track in Germany.
Namyang and Nürburgring could have resulted in the model being called the i30NN – if Hyundai was run by K-pop managers (think Oh!GG). But thank goodness it isn’t.
Instead, the i30N has the capabilities of some of the best German hot hatches.
Powertrain
The Hyundai i30N has a turbocharged 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder engine to drive the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox – there is no automatic alternative.
With 250 hp and 353 Nm, it never seems to run out of breath. Plus maximum torque is available from just 1,450 rpm, so you can almost drive it in any gear without it juddering or stalling.
That’s only one of the i30N’s many virtues. Another is its range of drive modes.
As expected, there are the usual Eco, Normal and Sport. But the i30N also has N mode, with a further N Custom option.
The last one has a mind-boggling palette of customisable settings. Like the perfect pizza with your own awesome combo of toppings, you can create the ideal drive by tweaking the engine, revs, adaptive suspension, steering and ESC.
There are three choices for the engine – Normal, Sport and Sport+. Ditto the steering, suspension and ESC.
But in addition to these, the rev matching can also be turned off completely.
What this clever feature does is blip the engine milliseconds before a downshift, either normally or strongly, or not at all.
If you’re old school and choose the last one because you prefer to do this yourself, the pedals are perfectly placed to heel and toe.
But the clutch pedal itself has grippy little rubber inserts, hence the need for the correct footwear. Definitely no trail running shoes with more traction than a bulldozer.
Drive
The beauty of the Hyundai i30N is that it is so easy to drive and can complement a wide spectrum of abilities.
The gear lever action is slick, the clutch easily calibrated and the torque reserves deep enough to not have to change down often.
Yet it is so confident at speed, even in Normal mode, with its well-weighted and accurate steering and pliant suspension.
It gets even better in N mode, when the steering is so sharp you could aim your right tyre at a coin on the road and run over it. The dampers also harden to the point that they feel rock solid but without the harsh ride.
Floor the accelerator and cue aural delight as the exhaust growls and pops.
But because there is no limited slip differential, expect some front wheel scrabble and torque steer when driving at the limit.
Best of all, the drive modes are easily and ergonomically selected on the fly with the blue tabs under each horizontal steering wheel spoke. The left one is for Eco, Normal and Sport, and the right one for N.
Price
It is no surprise that this Hyundai hot hatch comes with beautiful high-end touches like a race computer and racing seats. But where it really shines is with its near-German sensibilities yet very Korean price tag.
The i30N is listed at S$144,999 and banded B for neutral under VES.
For that amount, you get a sporty, well-made hatchback that delivers both power and refinement. And even with its manual gearbox, it can be a car that you can live comfortably with on a daily basis. Just like a comfortable pair of shoes.
Hyundai i30N
Engine – 1,998cc inline-4 turbocharged
Gearbox – 6-speed manual transmission
Max power – 250 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Max torque – 353 Nm @ 1,450-4,000 rpm
0-100 kmh – 6.4 secs
Top speed – 250 kmh
VES band – B (neutral)
Distributor – Komoco Motors, tel 6475-8888
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