Road test review: Hyundai i30 N-Line

Monday, 9 September 2019

**HYUNDAI i30 N-LINE

Watch some hot Hyundai N-cars do N-stuff at the Nurburgring.

Base price:** $43,990

Powertrain and performance: 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four, 150kW/265Nm, 7-speed dual clutch transmission, FWD, Combined economy 7.5L/100km, 172g/km CO2 (Source: RightCar).

Vital statistics: 4340mm long, 1450mm high, 2650mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 395 litres, 18-inch alloy wheels with 255/45 tyres.

Don't need the full madness of the i30N? The N-Line offers a decent chunk of performance in a refined package.

We like: Brilliant 1.6 turbo engine offers performance to back up the looks, quality interior, engaging drive.

We don't like: Transmission a bit clunky at low speeds.

The i30 N-Line's 1.6-litre turbo engine is a refined, nicely powerful delight.

'Line' is a perfectly inoffensive word in everyday conversation, but it is a creeping, sinisterly deceptive word in the car world.

The Germans started the rot with the likes of Audi's S-Line meaning 'stuff we will sell you to make your car look like a proper S car, but without any performance to back the look up', but a lot of major manufacturers have since followed.

Volkswagen splits the difference with R Line-badged cars that actually do get gruntier engines (Tiguan) and ones that don't (everything else), while Kia (GT-Line), Mercedes-Benz (AMG Line), Ford (ST-Line), Skoda (SportLine) and Peugeot (also GT-Line) all use 'Line' monikers to usher in a vague sense of disappointment with cars that look the part, but are all mouth and no trousers when it comes to performance.

The word 'line' is usually the most disappointing thing to see on a car. Not on an i30 though.

Additional sporty exterior additions differentiate the N-Line.

* Cerato GT does give you something to go with the bling

* No half measures with this half-cup Hyundai**

And now Hyundai has jumped into the lame name game with N-Line - dressed up versions of ordinary cars to cash in on the sporty cache of the i30 N hot hatch. Except the i30 N-Line is anything but that.

So has Hyundai actually put some effort into cashing in on its N performance brand?

Unlike most manufacturers, yes they have.

Conventional, but nicely laid out, the i30's interior is of an excellent quality. N-Line adds a splash of colour.

With the new i30 N-Line the Korean company has actually given us a car that offers up a tangible improvement in performance and handling over the standard i30 by packing the company's excellent 150kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine, a sportier suspension tune and some stickier Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.

The N-Line's 150kW also nicely splits the difference between the 2.0-litre i30 Elite's 120kW and the fire-breathing i30 N's 202kW, at a price far closer to the i30 Elite's $39,990 than the N's $54,990.

Hyundai has loaded the i30 N-Line up with extras, like a big sunroof.

Splits the difference? Does that mean its a warm hatch?

Absolutely. The i30 N-Line completely nails the definition of a warm hatch, settling happily towards the toasty end of warm, rather than the temperate end most warm hatches languish in too.

And it certainly looks the part on the outside with its more aggressively styled front and rear bumpers and larger 18-inch alloy wheels, while the rest of its standard kit essentially mirrors the i30 Elite, with the odd omission of blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

But is it actually a fun thing to drive?

Sure is; the 1.6-litre turbo engine is a delightfully willing unit that is only too happy to rev, but is also nicely flexible down low, while the 7-speed DCT is slick and delightfully fast at speed and when shifting manually.

It can occasionally get a bit finicky and clunky at low speeds around town, however it is never as inconsistent or irritating as the same unit in the mechanically similar Kia Cerato GT.

The suspension tweaks and Michelin tyres make a huge difference to the i30's handling and where a standard i30 is damn good and an i30 N utterly spectacular, the N-Line again nicely splits the difference offering sharp, responsive turn-in, impressively tenacious grip and a firm, yet decently supple ride in the mix.

Whereas that previously-mentioned Kia cousin has a ride that errs too far into the firm category for daily comfort, Hyundai has largely nailed the mix, with the i30 N's ride only becoming brittle and a bit too form over the worse surfaces you are likely to encounter - as a daily driver it feels nicely compliant, yet with enough of a firm edge to it to remind you it is always up for a blast on a winding road.

We never had many complaints abut the standard i30's interior, with its excellent ergonmics and modern design, but the N-Line takes it to an even more impressive level, with the i30's top-quality fit and finish complimented by nicely-judged red highlights.

So who exactly is a 'warm' hatch supposed to appeal to?

I am sure we can all agree that hot hatches are brilliant. Serious performance in a conveniently small and practical body, but we would also have to admit that they have all got quite fast and also quite pricey.

This is where the warm hatch comes in - something like the N-Line i30 is the perfect compromise for someone who likes the idea of an i30 N but either can't stretch the bank account that far (or isn't allowed to) or simply wants a less feral, more sensible and 'not manual' alternative that still offers back-road thrills mixed with daily-driver practicality.

Any other cars I should consider?

While $44K can get you some high-spec small hatches from the likes of Mazda, Toyota and Honda, none of these offer either the i30 N-lines power or handling prowess - although the Mazda3 comes close with its 139kW 2.5-litre engine, fine handling and even nicer interior, but the top spec Limited is $4K more expensive.

But the most obvious one is the Hyundai's close relation - the Kia Cerato GT. While the Cerato GT shares the N-Line's platform, engine and transmission, it lacks its ultimate polish and poise, with that too-firm ride and even more indecisive transmission holding it back.

It is, however, $2,000 cheaper than the Hyundai and, at the time of publication, is on special for a remarkable $36,990…