DRIVE SOUTH AFRICA: The Hyundai i30N unleashes the beast
This is no ordinary Hyundai i30. You just have to listen to the growl of the engine to be convinced! It screams power and we are here for it. The i30N is a thing of beauty with its dynamic design and exhilarating performance. It’s easy to pick out of a line up with the fierce new body kit, impressive twin-exhausts, attention to detail on the interior and power under the hood.
When Hyundai put the N edition together the concept was clear – make it sexy but not too obtrusive – make it a statement piece with grace and finesse but add a good measure of adrenaline. Mission accomplished.
WATCH REVIEW:
Where do we even start – the outside, the inside, the side profile or the handling on the road? The design elements have been strung together to make sure it’s a looker from every angle. The sport seats, subtle blue touches on the interior, 10.25 inch touchscreen with sat nav, panoramic roof and fully-functional steering wheel enhance the interior styling. There’s space, comfort and fully adjustable seats with heating to keep you toasty. But don’t look in the boot, it’s not impressive.
Impressive is the 206kW 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine which revs from 0 to 100kms in 5.4 seconds. A change worth mentioning is the eight-speed dual-clutch automated transmission in place of the previous spec’s six-speed manual gearbox. The gears ease into the next effortlessly and the road handling is solid.
Add red stripes, lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels, a vicious front grille and Red Brake logo’d callipers to the purr and its complete.
The Hyundai i30N was born to race and looks the part, and so does the price point at a serious R749 900.
It is dynamite there’s no denying that – good on you Hyundai, you’ve stolen the show with this one!
SPECS:
– 19” Forged Alloy Wheels with Pirelli P Zero Performance Tyres
– 10.25” Touchscreen Satellite Navigation with Bluelink
– Active variable exhaust system
– Driver’s Seat Memory Function
– Heated Front Seats and Steering Wheel
– Launch Control
– LED Front Headlamps & LED Rear Tail lamps
– N Exclusive Front & Rear Bumpers
– N Faux Leather & Suede Sport Seats
– Red Brake Calliper with N Logo
– Rev-Matching System
– Keyless Entry
– Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
– Lane-keeping assistance
– Blind-spot warning
– Rear-cross-traffic assist