Hyundai has officially unveiled the new i30N hot hatch, a 271bhp performance-focused variant of the i30 hatchback that aims to rival the likes of the Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Golf GTi.
Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the i30N will be available in two states of tune, making 247bhp as standard with the option to boost power up to 271bhp via a performance package.
The car will go on sale in the UK towards the end of this year, with pricing estimated to start from around £25,000, putting it bang on par with similarly-powered hot hatches.
It’s the first car developed by Hyundai’s new N performance wing and has been developed by the former head of BMW M Albert Biermann and tested by Hyundai WRC ace Thierry Neuville.
Based on the five-door i30 hatchback, the i30N gains extra performance-oriented styling like a cascading grille, larger front intakes and a rear diffuser in addition to an enlarged rear spoiler.
Large alloy wheels, available in 18-inch or 19-inch formats, house larger N-branded brakes, while the i30N also features a twin-exit tailpipe and suspension lowered by 4mm compared to the regular car.
Power goes to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox a, with the standard car able to hit 62mph from a standing start in 6.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 155mph.
The optional performance pack, which adds an electronic limited-slip differential and a variable exhaust valve system trims the 0-62mph sprint time to 6.1 seconds making it Hyundai’s quickest car by a fair measure.
It’s also therefore much more powerful than its main rivals, but rather than just being about straight-line speed Hyundai says it’ll comfortably outwit them in the twisties too.
As standard, the car has electronically-adjustable suspension with five driving modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport N and N Custom, which allows drivers to set the car up for optimum performance on any surface.
The traction control can be switched all the way off, Hyundai says, while it also features a rev-matching system with auto-blipping and a launch control mode.
Inside, the i30N gets bolstered sports seats and the same equipment as the highest-specification regular i30, with kit including integrated sat-nav, wireless phone charging and autonomous emergency braking.
Customers can also choose from six different exterior colours, including the exclusive Performance Blue picture above, which is inspired directly by the appearance of Hyundai’s World Rally Cars.
