The New Hyundai i30 N Fastback Is A 271bhp Hot Hatch With A Curvaceous Butt
There’s now a new way to enjoy Hyundai-based hot hatch thrills. Having launched the i30 N hatchback in 2017 and followed it up with the Veloster N earlier this year, Hyundai has now revealed this new i30 N Fastback.
The spec goes pretty much as you’d expect. We have a 2.0-litre inline-four turbo making 247bhp, which increases to 271bhp if you opt for the Performance version, that being the only derivative landing on our shores. The reason is simple: the Performance has made up a whopping 95 per cent of UK sales thus far, so there’s little point in bringing the entry-level car.
There are standard-fit adaptive dampers and - our favourite bit - an exhaust that’s rather keen on making lots of pops and bangs. Power is sent through the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and - on the Performance version - an electronically-controlled differential.
The similarities are a good thing - it’s hard to fault the way the i30 N hatch drives. There are some slight differences, however. When we tessted a prototype i30 N Fastback a few weeks ago, engineers told us that they’d dialled out some of the car’s understeer via a reduction in front spring rate and switching to a thinner front anti-roll bar, while the dampers have been retuned to make the ride smoother in ‘Normal’ mode.
It’s not dramatically different to drive, but it’s definitely an improvement. Those changes will soon be carried over to the hatchback, too.
The interior largely mirrors the hatchback’s, although the blue drive select buttons on the steering wheel have been switched for black items. A curious choice, given that this removes one of the few splashes of colour in the somewhat drab cabin.
To welcome the new arrival, Hyundai sent out two of its pro drivers - WTCR’s Gabriele Tarquini and WRC pilot Thierry Neuville - to have a time trial ‘race’ between Rome and Paris. Tarquini won with a time of 8min 18.49sec, which sounds impossible until you find out it was actually between Danish towns Rom and Paris. What you did there, Hyundai, we see it.
The car will make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show next month. Expect the Performance to be priced slightly above the Performance version of the regular model.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Budget Mercedes A Class Fastback lol
Looks Quite good.
Why would anyone take a sedan over a hatch tho? They are less practical, harder to park and defeat the point of a hot hatch. My take.
Better aero, that is also the reason why the civic hatchback is more of a Liftback now , as is the Prius along with most hybrids
But its just so purtyyy
but that rear end though……
and its probably better aero wise
cause then why isnt the new M5 a hatch?
A sedan (or even a liftback) are much more practical than a hatch. Yes, the tailgate opening is smaller, but that’s the only drawback as far as practicality is concerned. Actual boot space is larger. I’d take a Jetta over a Golf any day.
I prefere a CLA over an A-class.
Why?
Because of the looks. Pretty simple.
I think GM may want a word . . .
That Vauxhall looks like a VW
I think you mean PSA.
I call wrong market. I don’t believe that it can work well if it has the same size as the hatchback.
tbh it looks pretty good
Not bad, the rear looks a bit funky to me
Are you guys sure it’s a 6 speed Auto? Press release pictures show a Manual and other sources say it is too.
Heres the thing. If Hyundai made the Fastback N available from the beginning, together with the regular Hatch, I would have bought the Fastback. But now that I have the Hatch I cant really afford to trade it for a brand new Fastback, for wich I probably will have to pay like 5 or so thousand Euros extra to close the gap of the value…
And soooo much paperwork….
Look at it this way though, with the invariably superior model to follow this generation to look forward to, consider this a stepping stone!
Looks to much like a GLE coupe for my liking. I prefer the hatch more