Hyundai i30 N is finally in SA
It has been a while since the Hyundai i30 N hit the market, but not in South Africa. It is brand new here and we even have a price, but unfortunately, it’s only coming in limited numbers. On the bright side, it means that if you were to get one, you could be a unique sight on the road.
The i30 N’s outside design
As hot hatches do, it has a very sporty design. This particular one has a very striking red highlight that runs along with the front and back bumper that stands out if you go for very light or dark colors. There are also 18-inch alloy wheels and twin exhaust pipes.
Let’s talk about performance
The i30 N uses a 2,0-litre turbocharged engine that brings 202 kW and 353 N.m, all of which goes through the front wheels. According to Hyundai, it can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds. It only comes with a manual 6-speed transmission that acts on what you do very quickly. Overall, driving this car is very fun, but it may have been smart to offer an automatic version with the current trend.
Opening the doors
We find on the inside there is only a mild sporty look, so not as exciting as it’s competition. There is a very easy to use 8-inch infotainment system which allows you to customize every part of the car from engine to suspension (it also has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay if you want a nicer looking interface). However, if you don’t want to spend a whole week finding what you like best, there are the ‘normal’ and ‘N’ modes where N is for speed… It makes sense in this car. ‘N’ mode is what will give you the most performance in your drive.
Sitting inside, there is a lot of space that is given to both front and backseat passengers. The boot space is decent too only being a little bit smaller than other hot hatches.
The price
This model comes at the price of R 679 900 and is standard with a five-year/75 000 km service plan. This puts it at a higher cost compared to the competition, but it’s still not the most expensive hot hatch either.
If you were already looking at another hot hatch like the VW Golf GTI, the Hyundai i30 N is probably not going to change your mind. It does make an incredibly good option for your next car and when you get into the driver’s seat, you will not be disappointed.
