The saying, ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’, does apply to car manufacturers too.
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Hyundai’s soon-to-come i30 N reinforces that statement. It’s the Korean brand’s first attempt at a performance hatchback, and it sure does look aggressive.
Available in two flavours, the i30 N base model churns out 184kW from a 2.0-litre turbo engine. A sprint from 0-100km/h is going to be achieved in 6.4 seconds – we’ll take Hyundai’s word for it, for now.
If you think that power isn’t enough, Hyundai has a 202kW Performance Pack i30, which lowers the 0-100km/h to 6.1 seconds before hitting a limiter at 250km/h. Torque of 352Nm remains unchanged in both flavours.
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All that amount of power is accessible via a six-speed manual gearbox which, according to Hyundai, features rev-matching to ensure perfect shifts.
Five selectable drive modes change the car’s temperament. Eco, Normal, Sport, and N mode alters the dampers, steering weight, and throttle responsiveness. N Custom allows you to tailor the i30 N to how you like it.
Other things of note include a lower ride height than the regular i30 and a new variable valve exhaust. The exhaust can be made to sound more aggressive at the push of a button and promises WRC-inspired pops and bangs.
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Talking about the interior, you will find bolstered sports seats for those in the front along with a chunky steering wheel.
The Hyundai i30 N is still practical though, with three decent seats in the back and a big trunk. The centre console houses a five-inch touchscreen display as standard, but this can be increased to eight inches if you wish.
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No information on pricing and local availability, but we would expect it to undercut key competitors such as the Golf GTI and Focus ST.
