– By Henry Bailey –
I remember my first sighting of an i30N. It was at a local park and the driver emerged from the vehicle with biggest grin on his face. I heard it at first. An exhaust note so captivating it gave me a small shiver as it burbled and blipped on the downshift. Like a schoolgirl approaching a rock star I asked, “Is it as good as they say?” He responded, “Yes,” with an even bigger smile.
I got my opportunity to drive the manual version of the i30N several months later and that anonymous driver from the park was right – it was fantastic! But without a racetrack in my backyard to really test it out, I got tired of changing gears after several days of commuting and thanked Hyundai for the experience.
Then in late 2021, Hyundai launched the new version of the i30N with a DCT! Another excuse! And no gears to change!
It was approaching Christmas after several months of lockdowns, and I had planned a #staycation in January so it appeared the planets were aligned. I decided to ask/request/beg Hyundai for the i30N DCT and take it for a spin on one of the many open track days that are now operating at racetracks around Sydney.
Hyundai said yes to the loan (and yes to using on a racetrack). The cameraman was booked. The weather was looking good. The lap times on the PS4 were coming down. I was ready. Guess what happened? The same f&%^ing thing that has happened to plans everyone has made over the last two years – COVID.
So here’s a review of what the i30N DCT is like to drive to the shops and back.
The boot is huge! Lots of room for shopping you need to do prior to your 7 to 14 days of isolation. Even with the bracing strut behind the rear seats to add stiffness to the body when you are pushing it to the limit.
Small cars have really gotten bigger on the inside with subtle changes to their design. My three teenage (and tall) kids were able to cram into the rear seat. The lower floor tunnel makes a big difference to the comfort of the kid that lost the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors and scored the middle seat.
In the Premium models you get the option N Light seats. A high performance seat which is 2.2kgs lighter than the standard one with the Hyundai N logo illuminated in the backrest. They look really cool! They are also practical for the owners that plan to use it on the track because they are designed to be used with racing harness seatbelt. And when compared to the stranded seat, even on the shopping run, they are more comfortable (according to Mrs Bailey).
The standard driver’s seat does have one feature that should be on all vehicles. It’s an extender on the lower section of the seat that provides two inches of extra to support your hamstrings. You’ll value the benefits after hours of driving.
The engine is improved in the latest model with 206kw which provides more torque at lower revs. Maximum torque starts at 1,950 rpm which we found useful when approaching roundabouts so we could launch to 50 km/h without any lag. It’s hard not to get carried away with the acceleration available from the i30N. Luckily, age is on my side which has reduced the testosterone levels so I’m at no risk of losing my gold licence.
Colour also makes a difference on the way to the shops. I got to drive the Premium with Sunroof variant in Performance Blue (the hero colour) and the standard model in Shadow Grey. For some reason, the car in Performance Blue always got there faster.
What makes this car so great is the smile you get when you push either pedal. There’s an uncontrollable grin on acceleration which never fades no matter what the age. And a smile of satisfaction when you push the brake pedal and hear the exhaust burble and bubble on the downshift. It’s so good, Hyundai have a recording on their website.
So now with the DCT and N Grin Control System to change the drive modes, Hyundai have a car that is comfortable enough to be driven everyday while being packed with technology and safety to enhance the experience. Hopefully I can tell you about it’s performance on the racetrack before the year is over.
