Today we are behind the wheel of a Hyundai i30N Performance for a road test. In fact, after a taste on the track it is finally in our hands for several days. For this test drive, on a very rainy day, we are in the hills near Carmignano in Tuscany, to be precise in Artimino.
Hyundai i30N had already hit me on the track, so I was very curious to know how it behaves in everyday life. Could such an effective car on the track also be suitable for going to the office or to the supermarket? Starting from the exterior, we immediately notice that the new restyling brings us new LED headlamps. The details that distinguish the i30N from other versions are many. The N performance version, in fact, changes a lot compared to its “civil” counterpart. Immediately you notice the lower ground clearance and the black 19-inch light alloy wheels (-14kg!) With tires with a very low shoulder. On the rear there is a spoiler with a triangular stop in the center dedicated only to the N version.
The N logos, to remind us to drive a special version, are not lacking. On the outside we find them at the front, at the rear, on the side skirts and also on the rims and brakes. A successful design that of the i30N which is very aggressive without exaggerating.
Hyundai i30N Performance, in its latest restyling, is equipped with a 2.0 petrol engine with 280 horsepower and 392nm of torque which, in the car under test, is combined with the 8-speed double-clutch transmission. A combination that is ideal for everyday use, such a power is very usable and suitable for public roads.
The steering is communicative, with a variable load depending on the driving mode and is never too artificial. It is also well finished and with an excellent grip. There is also a peculiarity that is unique in this segment: there are two keys to select the driving modes. Using the left selector you can change between the standard driving modes, while using the right selector you can select the sportiest ones, namely N and N-Custom.
The braking system, increased in the performance package, offers a front with 360mm discs. The power is very high and the pedal offers great modulation. Such a well crafted set-up is really hard to find.
The electronic control allows you to customize the car in every aspect. Such a fine adjustment that as a consequence it has adaptability to almost any situation. In fact, it is possible to go from a very soft car, with a very limited sound and gear changes at very low revs, to an adjustment where the car becomes so rigid as to hear every slightest roughness and with a devastating sound, passing through every possible way. middle.
Being able to manage similar values of torque and power with a front-wheel drive requires targeted interventions on the differential. Hyundai is not wrong about this, inserting an electronically controlled self-locking differential which, in fact, greatly limits the classic understeer behavior of front-wheel drive cars. The sound completes the picture, which I could define with a single word and stop here: exaggerated, in a positive sense, mind you. Exhausted from the factory, the performance version exhausts offer an engaging sound at every rotation speed, and once the sportiest driving modes are set in release the bangs are so marked that they echo along the streets of the villages that surround me during this test. It is impossible to do better, especially if you do not resort to aftermarket systems.
Inside the Hyundai i30N Performance we find sports seats with the illuminated N logo, despite the appearance they are well padded and not uncomfortable, even on long journeys. The instrumentation is analog, but still offers all the necessary information. A small gem, in my opinion, are the gear change LED indicators placed above the rev counter which vary according to the engine temperature. The infotainement consists of a generously sized screen, with various specific customizations for the N version. It also offers Carplay and Android auto; the sound quality is perfectly in the segment average.
In an absolute sense, this car consumes a lot, obviously 280 horsepower does not get along very well with fuel economy. If, on the other hand, compared to its competitors, consumption is perfectly in line. With a calm pace, it is possible to travel around 10km / L in the city up to 13 on the highway. If you decide to step on it, however, it is reasonable to expect consumption in the order of 4/5 kilometers with a liter of fuel. The premise of the article was to definitively decide if this car convinced me, even off the track. With a price that slightly exceeds € 44,000 and net of the extremely annoying Italian super stamp, the answer is a huge yes. Hyundai i30N is a very successful car, precise and fun in sporty driving but also suitable for everyday driving. With the advent of electric cars, we can only be happy to be able to drive a car like this capable of thrilling us with excellent performances and an exaggerated sound.
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