Hyundai I30 vs Hyundai Ioniq

What's the difference?

Big boots to fill? The Hyundai i30 Sedan N stomps its authority with charming confidence and admirable talent. It’s hard to believe one of the biggest challengers to the i30 N hatch comes from its oddly-styled booted cousin. It’s just as thrilling, immersive, enjoyable and easy.

Which means that, if you’re in the market for a performance hot-hatch, it’s time for the sedan version to step into the limelight and be on your shortlist. It’s another N superstar.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Just like the Kona EV, Hyundai's Ioniq is still one of the best EV options on the market today. It strikes an excellent balance by offering significantly more range and better energy consumption than the more affordable Nissan Leaf or MG ZS EV, while providing the familiarity of the Hyundai spec and drive experience at a price only a little higher than a top-spec Prius.

Its relatively high score is a product of these factors, but also the way in which its interactivity offers the early adopters the engagement they will be searching for.

Now, with hot hatches, more usually means less, with spoilers quite literally living up to their name by blighting an otherwise clean and attractive design. For some, anyway. Under the radar and all that.

But the attention-crazy (CN7) i30 Sedan – known otherwise as the seventh-generation Elantra pretty much most other places around the world – seems like the work of a protractor-brandishing origamian who would not down pencil and stop.

Which means that, in the N’s case, more might actually be more, because all the racy extras enhance the appearance of a very distinctively/divisively-designed sedan.

The blacked-out bumper treatment, red brake calipers, side skirts and handsome alloys draw the eyes away from the odd creases and angles that define the i30 Sedan.

The result is a striking four-door fastback that comes into its own. One might suspect the original drawings were of a slammed-down N, with the overtly sporty stuff removed for the necessary lesser grades that most people end up buying.

Which would be a case of less being less!

Anyway, let’s check out the interior.

The Ioniq follows in the footsteps of eco hatches before it. You'll note this car's similarity in profile to the Toyota Prius, both shaped as such to secure low drag figures and therefore better economy and longer range.

While the Ioniq is a little more sedate than the wacky angles of the current Prius, there's no getting around the fact it's not exactly a cool shape. You could say it's interesting, perhaps, in the way it warps the low-drag box to Hyundai's styling cues, but dorky nonetheless. The LED headlights help lift it  a little, but the filled-in grille and small 16-inch wheels hardly lend this car extra street cred.

The Ioniq is more a proof of concept for early adopters who care a little less about the way the car looks and a little more about its drivetrain and technology, which is clearly the  focus here.

This can be seen in the Ioniq's interior, which has been re-worked for its most recent update. The digital features are impressive, with the floating 10.25-inch screen now totally dominating its dashboard.

I also like how the brand has given the instrument cluster a more modern design, with a cool floating bridge element over the top to eliminate glare, and, as always, Hyundai has made ergonomic use of its excellent switchgear and tidy steering wheel from the i30 and Kona ranges.

The climate unit has lost its tactile dials, replaced by touch-panel controls, and the lack of a transmission under the centre console has allowed plenty of negative space for the brand to play with, in this case a huge storage bay. There are also elements from more recently launched Hyundai models, which help to tidy the centre space up further, like an upright wireless-charging bay and shift-by-wire drive selector, which all looks very modern and neat.

It's a step towards things to come from the newly minted Ioniq sub-brand, which will do a lot more of this stripped-back, space-saving stuff with its next vehicle, the Ioniq 5 SUV. For now, though, the Ioniq is good as a half-step into the future. It's not as outlandish as a Tesla Model 3, for example, and will better suit a buyer looking for something a bit more familiar that still has a futuristic edge.

Germany's small hot-sedan rivals would struggle to match the i30 Sedan N’s sheer practicality.

Running on a newer-generation architecture also shared with the latest Hyundai Kona, the result is a substantially larger, longer and wider proposition than the 2017-vintage i30 N hatch.

Upshot? The driver and passenger have plenty of space to stretch out in, within a palpably more contemporary cabin than presented in the five-door version. It feels like a car from the next size and decade up.

Being the i30 flagship, the N Premium’s dashboard is also dressed up to look suitably upmarket, angled towards the driver and offering twin 10.25-inch screens, with N-specific configurable instrumentation right ahead of the driver. Blue-stitched leather trim and darker cabin elements also set a racier ambience.

Predictably, there’s a comprehensive performance monitor within the touchscreen with all sorts of vehicle and driving data, including a lap timer. Clever if distracting. You might also take note of the big red button under one of the steering-wheel spokes, cringingly labelled NGS for ‘N Grin Shift’.

It brings a modest 7.0kW power boost, lasting only 20 seconds. Great for instant overtaking oomph, presumably.

Speaking of fast driving, lowered sports seats provide sufficient bracing through tight corners and extra ceiling clearance for helmets, while feeling sumptuously supportive the rest of the time. They're quite terrific.

Beyond these, all the regular sensible features found in more-humdrum i30 Sedans – an excellent driving position, ample ventilation, decipherable controls and stacks of useful storage – are also present.

The same applies across the generous back seat area, which lacks nothing for expected amenities to help keep kids of all ages safe, comfy, hydrated, ventilated and connected, while the N’s slightly-smaller boot (down 10 litres over the regular i30 Sedan) is still large enough for most needs at 464L. Blame the chassis stiffness brace back there.

Meanwhile, a space-saver spare lives underneath the wide, flat floor.

Complaints? The longitudinal buttress that runs along the left side of the centre console by the front passenger seat can constrict knee movement. Driver rear vision is poor, while that sloping back-door aperture makes getting in and out a head-banging affair for taller or bouffant-wearing folk.

Otherwise, the i30 Sedan N boasts a well-resolved cabin.

As mentioned, there's actually quite a lot of space in the Ioniq cabin, and the design has been further stripped back with its most recent updates.

The front seat seems a bit high for a hatch, although ergonomically everything is correct for the driver, with a good amount of adjustability in the seat back and wheel.

The big, bright multimedia touchscreen is easy to use, and the single centrally mounted volume dial is welcome, but I do sorely miss the dials  for adjusting fan speed and temperature. Touch-panel controls, to me at least, are always inferior.

As already mentioned, the centre-console area under the climate unit has been almost entirely deleted for the electric variant, granting the driver a little more knee room, and leaving a deep rubberised bay for loose objects, maybe even small bags. This area also houses two 12v power outlets and one USB port. The centre console has been re-worked to include a smart, space-saving upright wireless-charging bay for your phone, the shift-by-wire console, and controls for the heated and ventilated seats. This area also hosts two large bottle holders, and a large centre-console box.

As is usual with Hyundai models, there's also a large bottle holder in the door, alongside a practical bin.

Rear passengers are treated to decent legroom, about on par with what you'd expect in a hatchback. Headroom is a little limited, both for getting in and out, with the descending roofline, so if you have family or friends taller than my 182cm height, they might be less than pleased.

The rear-seat area gets bottle holders in the doors and in the drop-down armrest, although there are no power outlets, just dual adjustable air vents.

The hatch body of the Ioniq makes for a decent boot volume of 357 litres, enough for a large pram or, in the case of my testing, the largest of the CarsGuide luggage cases, with ease. Hyundai gives you a little satchel to tidily store the standard powerpoint to Type 2 charging cable. A Type 2 to Type 2 cable, which you will need to charge at public outlets (up to 7.2kW) is not included.

On the one hand, forking out over $50k for a car which looks like this is a tall order. On the other hand, there is no other electric car that really falls into this price bracket, and when you think about it, it's only a few thousand dollars more than a top-spec Prius.

The aggro never-EV types will argue you can have a very good hot hatch, like say, Hyundai's own i30 N for less, but then this car really is for those early adopters who are after a slice of future drivetrain tech rather than a complete value offering.

In the context of the EVs currently available in our market, the Ioniq shines. Yes, it is more expensive than rivals like the Nissan Leaf or MG ZS EV, but it also offers more range than either of those, at 311km measured to the more accurate WLTP standard.

This is short of Tesla's Model 3 standard range, but also more than $10k more affordable, and as I discovered on my week of testing; 311km, and it really is 311km, is plenty for a predominantly urban commuter to get by with either routine maintenance charging, or a once-a-week stop at a DC charger.

So, value then? As this car has probably the minimum electric range you really want for an Australian city at a price only a little above rivals which fall short, it's in quite the sweet spot.

Oh, you probably want to know about equipment, too. Our Ioniq electric Premium scores familiar equipment from the facelifted Hyundai i30 range, including a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, built-in sat-nav integrated with charging-station distances, a 7.0-inch digital dash cluster, eight-speaker premium audio system, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and DRLs, single-zone climate control, leather-appointed interior trim with heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, auto-dimming rear vision mirror, wireless phone charger, opening sunroof, and keyless entry with push-start ignition.

It's a good array of items, and we'll touch on this car's fully equipped safety suite later. The only notable omissions for now are the lack of a holographic head-up display and the lack of dual-zone climate control.

Make no mistake. Under the bonnet beats the absolute heart and soul of the Hyundai i30 Sedan N.

The engine carries over from before – a 1998cc 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder direct-injection unit, making 206kW of power at 6000rpm and 392Nm of torque between just 2100 and 4700rpm.

Tipping the scales at 1475kg, the resulting power-to-weight ratio is an impressive 140kW/tonne. And, don’t forget, pressing the N Grin Shift unleashes an extra bit of power, bumping the total up to 213kW for a 20-second burst.

The 0-100km/h sprint time takes 5.3 seconds, on the way to a 250km/h top speed.

Refreshingly, traditionalists can still choose a six-speed manual (albeit with a rev-matching function), or eight-speed wet-type DCT dual-clutch auto transmission, and both drive the front wheels via an electro-mechanical limited-slip differential.

The Ioniq electric has a single motor on the front axle producing 100kW/295Nm. It's the least powerful EV in Hyundai's range, but still out-punches cars like the Toyota Prius on raw power. It drives the front wheels via a single reduction-gear transmission, and the Ioniq electric also has re-worked regenerative braking for its most recent update.

This is powered by a huge-for-its-size 38.3kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the floor.

The i30 N DCT’s official combined average consumption is 8.3 litres per 100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 194g/km.

Around town, that consumption figure shoots up to 11.8L, and drops to 6.3L outside of urban areas. Add 0.2L apiece for the less-efficient (but more-engaging) manual version.

Filling the 47L tank, with 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, you could exceed 565km between refills on average.

With a combination of gentle highway schlepping and blasting through the hills around the fast Murray River-area rural roads, our trip computer indicated a commendable 10L/100km – given this car’s 250km/h performance.

The huge 38.3kWh battery pack and official combined energy consumption of 15.7kWh/100km, grants the Ioniq electric an impressive 311km (WLTP) range. As already mentioned in the pricing section, this lets the Hyundai electric hatch strike a good balance for urban commuters, however, under our mostly urban testing, it's an even better story.

For context, electric cars are far more efficient when operating in an urban scenario than they are on the open road. This is because they can regenerate energy more often and are less susceptible to losses from drag. The Ioniq has a superb regenerative-braking system, which can be completely customised to the user's preference. Want to drive it with no regen braking (like a normal car)? You can. Want to have the full eco experience, and have the car's motor bring it to a halt even without using the brake pedal, thereby maximising the amount of energy recouped? You can absolutely do that, too.

For most of my week, I stuck the Ioniq in its maximum regenerative setting and was very impressed to find it return an efficiency rating of 12.3kWh/100km. Not only is this number well below its claim, it's by far the most efficient electric car I have driven, and the only one I haven't tried yet is the brand-new MG ZS EV.

Colour me very impressed. The Ioniq charges via the most popular socket, the European Mennekes Type 2 combo. On DC, the Ioniq can charge as fast as 100kW allowing for a charge time of 54 minutes from empty to 80 per cent. On AC, its max charge input is a frustratingly low 7.2kW, making for a charge time of six hours and five minutes (more expensive rivals will charge at 11kW or even the max 22kW),  while from a 240v wall outlet (~2.3kW) it will charge in 17 hours and 30 minutes.

My single charge session was at a council-supported clean-energy Tritium charger with a max output on DC of 112kW. It charged my Ioniq from about 35 to 80 per cent in 32 minutes, and cost around $7.

Out about the hilly roads around Albury/Wodonga, the i30 Sedan N feels in its absolute element. The mixture of long open straights and tight corners really show off Hyundai’s incredible chassis tuning capabilities.

i30 Sedan N improvements for 2024 include brakes with better cooling and resistance to fade, stronger engine mounts for improved agility, more insulation, reduced vibrations, upgraded steering components for even more-precise handling and tweaks to the stability control system for more-effective operation.

Suspension is by McPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link rear-end arrangement.

Aided by an active variable exhaust note (which is quite nicely applied), the 2.0-litre four-pot twin-scroll turbo has a deep set of lungs, providing a decent wad of torque as it revs out fast and freely to its 6000rpm red-line. As you might expect, this is deceptively rapid.

Whether driving the solid and well-oiled six-speed manual – surely one of the best in the business and truly a great thing – or super-slick eight-speed DCT, there’s a delightful amount of muscle and speed for the money.

We’re also fans of the steering’s poise and response, resulting in hunkered-down handling that belies this car’s substantial length and width, backed up by lots of feel and feedback.

Throw in delightfully strong and effective braking, and the i30 N is incredibly alert and agile for something so big.

The trade-off of all this athleticism is a consistently firm – though not harsh – ride, as well as some road and tyre-noise intrusion when cruising comfortably along the highway.

As an everyday commuting proposition, the i30 Sedan N is right on the money.

Out on the racetrack, however, it's like on something a little bit more illicit, for things really start coming alive, with the N’s polished chassis set up revealing a satisfyingly vivid bandwidth of capability.

In 'Normal' mode, the front end feels reassuringly planted with minimal understeer, while the rear possesses a playful lightness that allows for progressive back-end lift-off if desired.

The i30 is so exquisitely tuned and pliable it makes amateurs feel like professionals.

Select 'N' mode and the electronic limiters loosen, for proper oversteer fun if that’s your thing, controlled and reeled right back in by meaty, confidence-boosting steering, providing improbably fluent handling for a sedan this size.

Slicing through tight bends and long arcs alike, the Hyundai’s sheer dynamic precision, consistency and discipline are deeply impressive. And intoxicating. We didn’t want to stop.

It may not look like a hot hatch in the prime of its life, but the i30 Sedan N sure behaves like one. And all for just $52K. Cheers, Hyundai!

The Ioniq's familiar Hyundai switchgear makes it largely feel like the brand's i30 from behind the wheel, and this is a very good thing. This car is immediately ergonomic and user friendly, although the seating position is a little high, preventing it from feeling particularly sporty.

The Ioniq emits a pleasant choral tone at low speeds, which enhances the perception you're steering something from the near future. It also helps alert pedestrians nearby, which was one of my pet peeves about the silent Tesla Model 3. The noise is interesting enough that you'll have people peering closely at it to figure out what's going on. It even gets louder as you accelerate, as though the motor is making it and it's not entirely artificial. Cool.

This EV is silky smooth to drive and accelerate. Like other Hyundai electric cars, it doesn't have the unleashed electric torque of a Tesla, but it feels  well attuned to driving around in an urban scenario, with viscous acceleration and regenerative braking. I was surprised to discover how heavy it feels, though.

I was expecting it to be heavier than its hybrid or PHEV counterparts but compared to the hybrid Prius I drove only a week or two prior, the electric Ioniq feels obese.

Upon closer examination, the Ioniq electric weighs 200kg more than the Prius, at 1575kg. It doesn't sound outrageous but it's enough to have this little car's suspension wallowing and occasionally crashing over bumps that wouldn't bother its hybrid versions or, indeed, the Prius.

This is perhaps emblematic of the issues facing smaller EVs like this. To get more than 300 kilometres of range, they need a lot of heavy batteries. Manufacturers can better hide this with the existing heft and better suspension travel of SUVs. The Kona EV, for example, feels less hefty than this little hatch.

Regardless, the electric motor dispatches with the Ioniq's weight easily when you really want to accelerate, and while it doesn't provide the hold-on-for-dear-life acceleration of Teslas, it's more than enough for a daily commuter. Unlike the Prius, the Ioniq does genuinely feel pretty sporty in the corners, thanks to steering that's on the heavier side, and a firm, responsive damper tune.

The regenerative braking is particularly good on the Ioniq. Using paddle-shifters usually reserved for changing gears, the Ioniq instead lets you  alter the amount of regenerative braking available. Feel like coasting a bit faster? Flick the Regen braking off. Feel like maximising economy and range? Max it out in the drive mode of your choosing, and you can use it as essentially a ‘single pedal' car (you can go or stop by using the throttle alone).

It even has an auto mode, which I found to be pretty intuitive. Paired with a few different display options to let you get superior feedback on how you're tracking with battery usage, it's brilliant, and more electric vehicles should take note.

So, this is an eco-focused electric car that is reasonably engaging to drive if a little heavy. Most importantly for the electric era, it's highly interactive, helping you really understand how your inputs are affecting its battery usage, and how you can better drive it to maximise range.

The Ioniq electric comes with the full suite of Hyundai SmartSense safety features, with active items including freeway-speed auto emergency braking (detects vehicles up to 180km/h, detects pedestrians up to 70km/h), lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, driver-attention alert, and auto high-beam assist.

This is backed by the usual stability, brake, and traction systems, as well as seven airbags (the standard dual front, side, and head array, plus a driver's knee) securing the Ioniq a maximum five star ANCAP safety rating dating back to its launch in 2018. It scored highly across all categories.

The i30 Sedan N brings a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, as well as one year of roadside assistance.

Service intervals are at 12-months or 10,000km (not at every 15,000km like the regular i30 Sedan), with service pricing published on Hyundai’s website.

Over the first five years, the standard scheduled cost is $1795, or an average of under $360 annually.

Hyundais are all covered by a competitive five-year and unlimited-kilometre warranty, which includes 12 months of roadside assist. The roadside assist is topped up for an additional 12 months with every genuine service, and the battery pack in EV models like the Ioniq is covered for eight years or 160,000km.

Hyundai's service pricing is amongst the best in the business, and with less moving parts, the electric Ioniq is the cheapest in the range with the first five services for the life of the warranty fixed at just $160 per 12 monthly or 15,000km interval.