New Hyundai i30 N Hatchback on the Horizon, With the Power to Make an Impact

Image Credit: Auto Express

We received the news from our friends at Hyundai this week – the first new i30 N Hatchback is in the country, having arrived safely at Hyundai HQ. JT Hughes customers will be able to place orders for this superb, seminal sporty model from January 2018, and judging by the torrent of rave reviews, we expect demand to be very high indeed.

The i30 N is a landmark vehicle, being the first to hit the road from Hyundai’s new N Division; a series of high-performance cars expected to rival the BMWs of this world. And it just so happens that one of the brains behind the i30 N Hatchback is Albert Biermann, former head of the M Division at BMW, a role which he filled for over two decades. M to N? Sounds to us like an upgrade!

Drivers lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the i30 N Hatchback already have labelled it an epic drive which threatens to blow away its competition. It is faster than a Ford Focus FT, with the ability to be more engaging than a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

There is no doubt that the i30 N Hatchback will be the pinnacle of power as far as Hyundai hatchbacks are concerned.  Honed on the legendary Nürburgring race track in the heart of the German Rhineland, the i30 N Hatchback has a turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0-litre petrol engine offering 247bhp, with the top spec performance version a notch up at 271bhp.

Those given the privilege of a test drive have enthused at the lack of lag on the way to a turbo kick-in, as well as the wonderful sound the engine makes. If you live for the pops, bangs and crackles of a high-performance vehicle, you will love the i30 N Hatchback, from which the noises are all natural, unlike the ‘manufactured’ sounds emanating from some of its rivals’ engines. 

The six-speed manual gearbox offers auto blipping functionality – with this option, the throttle is automatically opened when downshifting gears, improving vehicle stability in the process of downshifting gears and negating the need for the driving technique known as ‘heel and toe’.

Drivers will be able to choose between several modes; from Normal, to Sporty, and finally ‘N’ mode, which has been designed with the race track in mind. Critics have queued up to laud the responsive steering of the car, and it has been calculated that it takes just 2.2 turns from lock to lock.

The car is a joy to handle, and combined with excellent grip, negotiating bends at speed is simple. Suspension is another area which has won a big tick in the box from reviewers, and the way in which the i30 N Hatchback shifts weight between its two front wheels makes coming out of corners as streamlined as going into them.

While raising the bar under the bonnet, Hyundai have retained some well loved features of previous i30s. Looking inside the car, there is plenty of head and legroom, and an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system to go with smartphone mirroring for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as a sat-nav.

A sporty makeover of sorts means drivers can expect seats trimmed with leather and suede, ergonomically designed to support the shoulders and mid-section. 

Demo vehicles of the Hyundai i30 N Hatchback will be with us at the JT Hughes Hyundai showroom by November, and we have an official launch planned for early January. Following the launch, we are delighted to say that we will be able to take orders for the Hyundai i30 N Hatchback from JT Hughes Hyundai customers.

Until then, should you have any queries regarding the Hyundai i30 N Hatchback, please call us on 01743 440999.