Hyundai have launched their performance hot hatch, the 2018 i30 N, recently that has been designed specifically to beat the VW Golf GTI on the road as well as on the racetrack. So Hyundai turned to the racetrack where most carmakers of the world go to when they want to test a car’s performance, the Nürburgring. The results are quite impressive and the car looks really good.
The i30 N is the first in what Hyundai promise will be a complete range of cars (N Division) that will be built for one specific purpose – win rallies.
Here’s a review of the car that’s only been going around in rumours so far:
Design of the i30 N
Right off the bat, the 2018 Hyundai i30 N looks cool. Although, there are no radical design changes from the standard i30, there are certain strategic, performance-minded upgrades that promise to deliver high performance. The overall design is quite simple and elegant, but that does not mean it is not aesthetically appealing. To the contrary, it is quite a nice design.
It has an aggressive body kit with large air intakes and a rear wing that makes it stand out from the normal i30, which has been around for a while now. There is a special N badge on the cascading grille up front and on the red brake callipers. There are also vents on the sides that suck in air to cool the brakes. Compared to the normal i30, the N model is 4mm lower and is fitted with 18-inch performance wheels.
There is also the option of 19-inch wheels that lowers the car by another 4mm (8mm in total). The rear spoiler enhances downforce and also features a cool triangle-shaped third brake light. The headlamps are blacked out and to the rear is a double-outlet exhaust.
The interior also favours performance over luxury. The heavily bolstered seats are sporty and fitted to keep the passengers in place during high speed cornering. The upholstery is up to the customer with the options of leather, suede, and cloth available for them to choose from. The driver also gets a 10-way power adjustable seat.
The infotainment system consists of a 5-inch screen, which can be substituted for an optional 8-inch unit. The steering wheel is big and has easily accessible buttons for the drive modes, exhaust modes, music system, and other car performance related options. There are several driver modes and performance options like the g-metre and lap timer. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the instrument cluster.
The parking brake lever has been replaced by an electric parking brake button. The brakes are applied and released by just the press of a button. The rear seats have a 60:40 folding capability to increase cargo capacity. There are also special branding all around the vehicle like the N-badged brake callipers and door sills.
Performance of the N
As mentioned earlier, the performance of the i30 N is an important factor to consider because it is the first car in the performance-minded N division of the Korean carmaker.
The Hyundai i30 N is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder GDI engine that produces 276 horsepower when fitted with the performance pack and generates 260 lb-ft (352Nm) of torque. The car can go from 0-100 km/h in just 6.1 seconds. The less powerful standard trim still produces 246hp and the same torque and reaches from 0 to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds. Both engine options are paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox that comes with rev-matching. The top speed on both versions of the car is 250 km/h.
All trims are front-wheel drive, which although, is usually not considered a recipe for much fun, but considering the i30 N was designed and engineered for the Nürburgring, we are willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. The aerodynamics, strategic air intakes and the downforce amplifying rear wing, all suggest that the Hyundai i30 N’s 276hp engine will be well utilised.
N-Gizmos
The Hyundai i30 N has a generous offering of technologies at its disposal like computer-controlled suspensions, electronic slip differential, launch control, variable-valve exhaust, and several other performance-minded tools. The diver gets five different driving modes like Normal, Eco, Sport, N mode, and N Custom mode. These help the driver fine tune the car’s performance according to his liking. The variable valve exhaust system also helps add more aggression to the car’s noise at the touch of a button.
Safety Features
There has not been much news regarding safety features in the i30 N, but it’s safe to say that it will meet all GCC regulations. Additionally, the safety features on the standard i30 will definitely be there. We’ll need to wait and see if there will be some addition of those features. The standard features on the i30 brand are:
- Autonomous Emergency Braking System (AEB) to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. The preceding vehicles are detected with a camera in the front. An optional radar can be installed in the front that will help in detecting pedestrians too.
- Adaptive Smart Cruise Control helps maintain speed to avoid collision with the vehicle ahead. This system decreases the throttle to reduce speed if the vehicle in the fore is going slower. It maintains the decreased power until it can be overtaken. The system also helps maintain a pre-determined distance in stop & go traffic by starting the motor and stopping when movement in detected ahead.
- Parking Assist System helps with parking the car perfectly even in tight spaces. Radars as well as a rear view camera are used for this system.
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert System alerts the driver of incoming traffic from either side to the rear when the car is in reverse gear.
- Blind Spot Detection (BSD) is the system that helps the driver about the proximity of vehicles in blind spots. Sensors in the rear bumper check the proximity of cars in the blind spots and the driver is alerted by warning lights in the corresponding door mirror. In case, the driver starts turning in that direction, an alarm is sounded to warn against a possible collision.
- Hill Start Assist Control holds the brakes automatically to prevent the car from rolling downhill when started from a hill.
- Auto Defogging System helps keep the windscreen clear to avoid obscuring of the view ahead.
Hyundai i30 N First Edition SELLS OUT in Germany in 48 hours https://t.co/u7hLdj57Nk pic.twitter.com/CyCLrrpJpz
— Hyundai News (@HyundaiEurope) August 2, 2017
Price and Availability
Hyundai have planned to release the i30 N by the end of this year and the prices will be announced at that time. The i30 N will not be released under this name across the globe. In several countries like Canada and some parts of Europe, it will be released as the GT version of the Veloster, which is going on hiatus in 2018. Since the UAE also is among those countries that have been given the Veloster instead of the standard i30 for the past few years, it is safe to assume that the i30 N may make an appearance here and in other GCC countries under the Veloster GT moniker.
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