South Africa's hot hatch market just got a little more intense as Hyundai has officially launched its new i30 N. Here's what to know about the hot hatch born in Namyang and honed on the legendary Nürburgring race track.
Most of the changes take place on the outside with the fitment of new LED headlights with V-shaped daytime running lights, and V-shaped LED rear lights. The wider front grille is fitted with the N badge to let you know what you're up against. There are also air inlets on both sides of the front bumper to help with brake cooling and aerodynamics, while the front splitter and rear wing spoiler create downforce.
Atlas White, Engine Red, Dark Knight, Phantom Black, and Performance Blue are the available body colour options, and the new chassis sits on lightweight and optimised five-double-spoke 19-inch forged alloy wheels.
Powering the hot hatch is a turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre with power figures of 206kW and 392Nm, which is sent to the front wheels via a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. In the performance stakes, it can go from 0 to 100km/h in 5.4-seconds (with Launch Control) and run to a top speed of 250km/h.
Most of the changes take place on the outside with the fitment of new LED headlights with V-shaped daytime running lights, and V-shaped LED rear lights. The wider front grille is fitted with the N badge to let you know what you're up against. There are also air inlets on both sides of the front bumper to help with brake cooling and aerodynamics, while the front splitter and rear wing spoiler create downforce.
Atlas White, Engine Red, Dark Knight, Phantom Black, and Performance Blue are the available body colour options, and the new chassis sits on lightweight and optimised five-double-spoke 19-inch forged alloy wheels.
Powering the hot hatch is a turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre with power figures of 206kW and 392Nm, which is sent to the front wheels via a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. In the performance stakes, it can go from 0 to 100km/h in 5.4-seconds (with Launch Control) and run to a top speed of 250km/h.
As with the previous model, drivers can use the N Grin Control System to switch between Eco, Normal, Sport, N, and Custom drive modes. New in this model is three N performance functions - N Power Shift, N Grin Shift, and N Track Sense Shift - that allows the driver to optimise the car with the touch of a button for various racing situations.
The interior comes with single-tone black with artificial suede and (front) heated leather seats. At the same time, other components like the (heated) multifunction steering wheel (complete with paddle shifters) and the gear selector are also treated to blue stitching and emblazoned with the N logo - a feature exclusive to N models. The driving mode selector and chequered flag N buttons are situated on the steering wheel's left and right sides, respectively.
Tech and connectivity are taken care of by a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, and Performance Driving Data System where the driver can monitor real-time information like engine power and torque, turbo boost, as well as a lap and acceleration times.
Here's a breakdown of some of the race-centric features:
- Creep Off mode - Prevents the car from automatically rolling forward when the brake pedal is released.
- Electronic Sound Generator - The engine tone from the exhaust and intake is 'played' to the driver from behind the wheel.
- Launch Control - Regulates the amount of torque when launching from standstill with maximum traction and minimal wheel spin.
- Rev matching - Automatically adjusts the revs between shifts from a higher to a lower gear and allows for smoother downshifts.
- Variable Exhaust Valve System - The exhaust valve can be managed and actively controlled to increase the volume of the exhaust sound.
- Electronic Controlled Suspension - It allows the driver to influence the stiffness of the suspension with the push of a button.
- N Corner Carving Differential - It allows driven wheels to turn at different speeds by applying different amounts of torque.
- Rack-mounted Motor Driven Power Steering - Provides stability at high speeds and makes the car instantly responsive at lower speeds.
The active safety and driver assistance features include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning, and Fatigue Detection/Driver Attention Warning. In addition, there are also two front and two side airbags for the driver and front passenger and curtain airbags extending to the rear seats, and an additional knee airbag for the driver.
Pricing and warranty
Retail pricing starts from R749 900.
It comes standard with Hyundai's comprehensive seven-year or 200 000km manufacturer warranty, five-year or 75 000km service plan and roadside assistance for 7 years or 150 000km.
Now that you’ve got the knowledge, it’s time to shop! Head to gumtree.co.za or your Gumtree app (click for Apple & Android) and don’t forget to use your location settings to find local service information close to home.
