HYUNDAI – i30N 2.0 T-GDI - 250PS
by Tony Yates
I have not tested a Hyundai in a while so I thought it was about time
I did. The car you see before you is the i30N - a car which in my
book is a proper little pocket rocket – something that ignites the
fire in places that not even I knew I had. To be honest though - I
expected the i30N to be a little bland, because making a hot hatch
is never easy – but boy was I wrong this time, this really is a proper
little racer and something you would never expect from Hyundai.
Power & Efficiency:
My test car was fitted with a 2.0-litre petrol engine that has 250PS and
353Nm of torque, and a top speed of around 155mph – which puts it right up
there with the likes of the Focus RS and Honda Type R. But is it as fast?
Well, a 0-62 time of 6.4 seconds is nothing to be ashamed of – meaning it will
easily keep up with the likes of the Ford and the Honda. But, does it feel like
a pocket rocket? YES, very much so actually, and the acceleration is savage
truth be told. Nail your foot into the floor and you will find that the world
goes by at a much quicker pace than it usually does while driving your Fiat
Panda.
On the road:
Just because it has lowered suspension and wheels the size of the moon does
not mean it can’t be used to drive the children to school or potter around
looking for some cheese around the towns of Chipping Norton or Buxton.
The ride quality is not what I would have liked it to be, although this is pretty
much nearly a race car for the road, so I can’t expect too much really. What I
will say though is that it felt amazing into the corners and the suspension dealt
with most surfaces with ease and although the ride itself was as hard as nails.
Design & Technology:
On the outside, the i30N looks elegant and well thought out from a design
point of view, but then when you get to the inside it really is quite dull. Maybe
96 wirrallife.com
I am being over critical - but in the past, I have said this about VW and Seat
because they also produce some bland interiors. So, in perspective - the
i30N is not that dissimilar. But to be fair, it is functional and everything is
in the right place. It’s also practical too, and you do get quite an assortment
of kit fitted as standard. Some of the standard equipment on the i30N
includes; Audio Control with Voice Recognition, Bluetooth® Connectivity
with Voice Recognition. Driver’s Supervision, Instrument Cluster with
LCD Display (4.2”), Phone Connection, Android Auto™, Apple CarPlay™,
Digital DAB Radio with MP3 Compatibility, Cruise Control, Touchscreen
Satellite Navigation (8”) including Traffic Messaging Channel, Mapcare
and Live Services, Trip Computer, USB - Centre Console, Wireless Phone
Charging Pad. Plus; Active Head Restraints Airbag, Front Passenger De-
Activation Switch Airbag, Rollover Sensor (Curtain) Airbags Front, Front
Side & Curtain Airbags, Alarm Thatcham Category 1, Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Forward
Collision Warning System, Central Locking, Remote Control Childproof
Rear Door Locks, Deadlocks, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Emergency
Stop Signal (ESS), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC),Immobiliser, ISOfix Child
Seat Anchorage Points - Rear (outer seats only), Lane Departure Warning
System with Lane Keep Assist (LKAS), Speed Sensitive Automatic Door
Locking and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with Individual Tyre
Pressure Display.
To sum up:
The i30N is a proper little racer and a car I like very much. If you were looking
for an alternative to the Ford or the Honda – then the i30N is a worthy
contender because it also has lots of interior space and a large boot. If you
are thinking of buying one then I would take one out for a test run first – as I
guarantee the smiles on your return will say it all.
Price: £26,345 (as tested)