Vehicle Review of the Hyundai i30N if you are after a family vehicle the i30N is not for you, however we do highly advise looking into the I30 which you can find our review of by clicking here.
Its no great secret that we are huge fans of the vehicles produced by South Korea. Currently the Kia range and Hyundai range of vehicles are amongst our top vehicles we advise consumers to purchase. In gross sales within Australia Hyundai is currently ranked third and contesting very convincingly for second place.
In years past Hyundai released B grade vehicles for very, very cheap and have since increased the quality of the brand after saturating the market with brand recognition. So for the past decade Hyundai has improved, impressed and innovated within the automotive industry. They have yet to release a performance vehicle, until now.
Prior to the i30N the most sporty vehicle Hyundai had made was the coupe a car that was named after the body shape and resembled a cain toad hit by a semi trailer. Now Hyundai has stepped into he performance car market with something that is nothing short of amazing.
It is hardly surprising that this vehicle is released around the same time as the Kia Stinger. Another exceptional vehicle , out of the same country, which we recently reviewed. You can view this here.
So what is so exceptional about the I30N.
Hyundai has marketed this vehicle as a serious contender to the Golf GTI, hardly a bold statement. The Golf GTI is famous for emptying its cooling system onto the asphalt at the first sign of any real work. (The mechanical equivalent of pissing your pants in public.) The I30N leaves the GTI for dead.
Its boasts
brakes that will not develop brake fade after heavy driving.
- Electronic rev matching (no more granny shifting, not double clutching like you should be)
- Brakes that will not develop brake fade after driving it to the limits
- Electronic Limited Slip Diff
- 19 inch wheels with Peril P Zeros
- Brake cooling vents
- Electronically adjustable suspension
- Body rigidity enhancements (transmission tunnel brace, strut brace and triangular cross members)
- Completely customisable settings from the cockpit for unique driver preference
The best part of all of this is it can be driven as a normal family car, blends into traffic and does not announce to passers buy “i’m a complete wanker in my high performance car” and yet with the touch of one steering wheel button this vehicle becomes a compete animal.
Driving fast and slamming brakes on before corners is no engineering feat (the BA Falcon achieved this decades ago) this car is truely impressive through the apex of corners. If you drive it like it was built to be driven the rev matching and flat acceleration out of a corner will leave you speechless.
The I30N only comes in manual and as time goes on it will be interesting to see if these electronic features such as rev matching and the electronic LSD will stand the test of time and more importantly what will they cost to replace when warranty has expired. For now we almost can’t fault the I30N. Provided you are buying the car for the right reasons.
This is a performance vehicle, its natural environment is the windy country roads and race tracks. Driving to the the shops and back in a nice looking vehicle is best left to the Mazda 3 but if you want something that feels like you could be a contender for the WRC championship this is the car for you.
Die hard enthusiasts criticise this vehicle for its ability to almost drive the car for you. The degree of computing power in their vehicle allows an average skilled driver to out drive and out perform a person of higher skill in a less advanced vehicle. This car can make an amateur driver appear competitive, solely based of the cars ability to process data and react accordingly.
It is also worth noting that the I30N is not P plate legal either. Probably a good call by NSW police, this car has the ability to make an average driver look and feel like an exceptional one. Its fuels overconfidence as young guns believe they are skilled drivers, when the reality is this car thinks for you, reacts quicker than you and responds accordingly. This car will make you look like a skilled rally driver right up until you push it past its limits, then it has the potential to kill you.
Likewise if you coming out of a S15 200SX after finally realising that your too old to still be masturbating in you closet because your parents might catch you is unbecoming, we suggest the I30N is not for you either. The i30N flies under the radar, no one notices it until it over takes you at twice your current speed.
Previous owners of vehicles with turbo flutter such as the S15s, 180sx and WRX will be disappointed that all the sexy ladies at the bus stop at three am don’t notice you in your car. It looks like something a real estate agent would drive. If you want a car that makes the undesirable ladies with limited career prospects hurl themselves at you the I30N is not for you.
If you want a sensible, practical car that is a great car for Monday to Friday to the office and back and then want to kit the old pacific highway on weekends for a bit of enjoyable driving. The I30N is the vehicle for you.
Browse more blogs on our website www.gdlauto.com.au
For Subaru performance parts and merchandise please visit www.gdlautosport.com.au
