From the second the Hyundai i30 N was launched, it put the recent hatch market on discover. Now, 4 years on, it has been facelifted and with its mid-cycle replace, is now accessible with a dual-clutch transmission. We just lately put it to the check.

Hyundai didn’t return to the drafting board when updating i30 N – and it didn’t have to. In any case, the unique mannequin proved itself to be exceptionally well-rounded and was priced competitively in opposition to its rivals. This isn’t to say the updates made aren’t welcomed. They very a lot are.

Tweaked seems to be

Essentially the most notable replace made to the facelifted mannequin, not less than from a styling perspective, are the brand new headlights. They arrive full with V-shaped LED daytime working lights which have a transformative impact on the general look of the hatch, offering it with a way more menacing and in-your-face design. Complementing these new headlights is a revised grille and angular air intakes.

Elsewhere, Hyundai has tweaked the rear of the i30 N, becoming new taillights that even have a sideways V-shaped LED mild signature, in addition to enlarged tailpipes. A set of enticing 19-inch solid alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires additionally come commonplace.

A lot-needed inside upgrades

Three distinctive trim ranges of the i30 N can be found within the Australian market. The entry-level mannequin is the automobile we examined and is priced from AU$48,673 (US$36,525) on the time of writing. One step up within the vary takes clients to the i30 N Premium, ranging from AU$51,823 (US$38,889). The vary is then topped out with the i30 N Premium with a sunroof, beginning at AU$53,398 (US$40,071).

Some necessary updates have been made within the cabin of the facelifted mannequin. Essentially the most vital improve is a brand new 10.25-inch infotainment display that rocks the automaker’s newest software program. This method is extra akin to the infotainment you’ll discover in a brand new Genesis mannequin than the one it replaces. Not solely is it greater, brighter, and clearer, however the display is extra attentive to the contact. It could be good if it was angled in the direction of the motive force, although.

Among the many key commonplace options embrace a tire presure monitoring system, wi-fi telephone charging, and dual-zone local weather management, whereas the infotainment show additionally contains digital radio and satellite tv for pc navigation. There’s additionally a reversing digicam with parking sensors.

New for the 2021 mannequin is the supply of Alcantara-appointed light-weight entrance bucket seats, full with an illuminated N emblem. Sadly, these seats are usually not accessible within the entry-level mannequin and solely provided with the i30 N Premium variants. I haven’t personally sampled these seats however have heard good issues about them, with one proprietor telling me they’re extra supportive than the usual ones and sit a lot decrease. By comparability, the usual i30 N retains the identical entrance seats because the pre-facelift mannequin. They’re strong items with good bolstering however for taller drivers, can’t be lowered as a lot as we’d like.

The remainder of the cabin is a pleasant place to be, though it’s beginning to really feel somewhat dated when in comparison with some newer Hyundai fashions. The dashboard, door panels, and transmission tunnel are dominated by exhausting, scratchy, black plastic. The steering wheel, nonetheless, is a key spotlight and clad in beautiful, soft-touch leather-based.

However what’s it prefer to drive?

I’ve all the time favored the Hyundai i30 N and for 2021, the automobile continues to be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. In sure markets, this engine is offered in two completely different flavors with the entry-level mannequin rated at 246 hp (183 kW) and 260 lb-ft (353 Nm) and the Efficiency Package deal variant pumping out 276 hp (206 kW) and 289 lb-ft (392 Nm) of torque. Horsepower-loving Australians are solely provided the latter.

This engine has all the time been a robust level of the i30 N and it stays so. It produces strong energy and torque throughout the breadth of the rev vary and begins to drag significantly sturdy after 3,000 rpm. Throttle response can be good.

Learn Additionally: 2021 Hyundai i30 Fastback N Restricted Version Capped At 500 Examples In Australia

A key attribute shared amongst most front-wheel drive sizzling hatches with over 250 hp is torque steer and the Hyundai has a great deal of it. Everytime you pin the throttle and no matter what gear you’re in, the steering wheel will tug to the left and the best because the automobile tries to place all of its energy to the bottom. The torque steer shouldn’t be as prevalent because the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy however Hyundai clearly hasn’t tried to engineer-out the torque steer like Honda did with the FK8-generation Civic Sort R. Personally, I fairly like torque steer because it provides some theater to the driving expertise, making it really feel such as you’re driving a automobile with extra energy than the spec sheet really reads. Nonetheless, it’s one thing customers ought to concentrate on.

And that all-important gearbox?

Coupled to this engine is the brand new dual-clutch eight-speed automated transmission. No beating in regards to the bush right here: it’s distinctive.

Hyundai’s resolution to initially launch the i30 N completely with a six-speed guide transmission helped to appease driving fans but in addition restricted the automobile’s gross sales prospects. By including a dual-clutch to the combo, Hyundai hasn’t simply broadened the attraction of the recent hatch however has additionally created a dual-clutch system that rivals the easiest within the phase.

Whereas driving the automobile for the primary time with the transmission in its automated mode, I used to be instantly impressed with the fluidity of the eight-speed at low speeds. It’s no secret that some dual-clutch gearboxes on the market will be jerky when driving slowly however Hyundai has performed a wonderful job of ironing out these inconsistencies, leading to a transmission that’s smoother at low speeds than the DSG utilized by the Mk7.5 VW Golf GTI and Golf R (I haven’t but sampled the Mk8 fashions). Serving to to make the transmission as easy as it’s is a Creep begin perform that permits the automobile to creep ahead if you let your foot off the brake from a cease, considerably mimicking a standard torque converter automated.

It’s not simply at gradual speeds the place the brand new transmission works nicely. Hyundai was clearly eager to inject as a lot emotion and pleasure into the gearbox as attainable when creating it and has geared up it with N Energy Shift, N Grin Shift, and N Observe Shift capabilities. Simply what do they do?

Nicely, N Energy Shift (NPS) kicks in if you depress the throttle greater than 90 per cent and is designed to mitigate any discount in torque throughout upshifts. This perform is especially noticeable when enabled because it offers you a pleasant shove whereas altering gears, including some theater to the dual-clutch.

N Grin Shift is one other neat function and will be enabled with a button on the steering wheel. It maximizes engine and transmission efficiency for a interval of 20 seconds, mechanically shifting right down to the bottom attainable gear and producing a cacophony of pops and bangs from the exhaust everytime you raise off the throttle. It’s significantly helpful when overtaking. As for N Observe Sense Shift (NTS), Hyundai says it optimizes shifting for racetrack driving and is activated mechanically however because it operates within the background, it doesn’t add something to the driving expertise.

DCTs will be enjoyable too

Just like the six-speed guide mannequin, the i30 N DCT additionally has a launch management perform, though you need to go into the automobile settings to allow it every time, which is a ache. It really works nicely in managing wheelspin in dry circumstances, enabling us to document a finest 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of 5.5 seconds, very near the claimed 5.4 second time. If the street is moist and you employ launch management, the automobile will fortunately ping off the rev limiter in first and second earlier than lastly getting traction within the increased gears. A set of properly positioned paddle shifters behind the wheel spherical off what’s an excellent transmission.

Just like the pre-facelift mannequin, this new one handles simply as nicely due to the digital limited-slip differential (Hyundai calls it the N Nook Carving Differential…) that shuffles energy by way of the entrance wheels. A handful of various settings can be found for the eLSD however no matter which one you select, you’ll expertise insane ranges of grip, even for those who mash the throttle in the course of a nook. Push the automobile past the bounds of adhesion and it’s usually the rear finish that begins to step out earlier than the entrance begins to understeer, leading to a really playful sizzling hatch to drive on the restrict. A set of stickier tires would make it even higher.

Driving fans shall be happy to know the facelifted i30 N provides the identical N Customized mode because the mannequin it replaces, permitting you to customise the whole lot from the engine to the exhaust sound, e-LSD, transmission, steering, suspension, and ESC. The interface for the N Customized mode has been up to date for 2021 and whereas it does take a few minutes to get acquainted with, it’s simple to know. All through our week with the automobile, we drove it primarily in N Customized with the whole lot dialed as much as essentially the most excessive settings, albeit for the suspension and steering which we left in Regular.

It’s actually attainable to drive the automobile with the suspension and steering of their Sport and Sport+ settings however you’ll be worn out on the finish of the day. With that being stated, the Sport+ setting for the suspension isn’t insufferable on shorter journeys because it delivers a journey much like the mounted dampers of the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy.

Gasoline effectivity in all probability isn’t a giant issue that patrons will contemplate when ti involves the i30 N, however it’s value mentioning. Hyundai claims a mixed gasoline financial system of 8.5 l/100 km (27.6 mpg) and whereas we had the automobile, masking greater than 2,000 km (1,200 miles) in seven days, we averaged a powerful 9.0 /100 km (26.1 mpg), however that was skewed by a few 500 km-long freeway journeys. If you happen to’re pushing the automobile alongside a mountain street, anticipate to return nearer to 13 l/100 km (18 mpg).

Is that this the i30 N to purchase?

The well-rounded character of the 2021 Hyundai i30 N DCT impressed me essentially the most. The inclusion of a dual-clutch transmission offers it a breadth of skills that the six-speed guide can’t match as with a easy toggle of the drive mode selector into Regular mode, the DCT-equipped i30 N drives precisely like a daily i30. Faucet the N or NGS buttons, nonetheless, and it transforms into one thing far more visceral that thrives when pushed at ten-tenths.

I’ve by no means owned a automobile with an automated transmission earlier than and even I’d be tempted to go for the DCT over the six-speed. We’d be stunned if DCT fashions didn’t account for not less than 75 per cent of gross sales – that’s how good it’s.

Picture Credit: Brad Anderson/CarScoops