Popular cheap car's price jumps $12,000: 2025 Hyundai i30 new hybrid range might be worth it against Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, Honda Civic, Peugeot 308 and more-expensive German alternatives

This is a case of bad news and good news.

Bad first. Hyundai’s long-awaited i30 hatch facelift is almost in Australia, with the point of entry rocketing up from $24,000 (all prices are before on-road costs) to $36,000 when sales commence in August or September.

That’s because all cheaper grades, including the popular old Active that started from $27,500 and Elite from $30,800, are gone.

Hyundai Australia General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Bill Thomas, said this pricing reflects the reality of the Australian car industry, where SUVs are king and small cars are increasingly becoming niche.

“The i30 hatch will no longer be a volume seller for us,” he said. “That’s where models like the Kona (SUV) step up.”

The sweet manual gearbox option is no more, unless you stump up for the high-performance i30 N hatch from $46,200, which makes it the cheapest three-pedal hot-hatch barring the smaller Hyundai i20 N, Abarth 695 and Suzuki Swift Sport and undercuts the Subaru WRX by about $1300.

There’s less power than before, dropping from 120kW to 117kW. Torque jumps significantly from 203Nm to 250Nm, so that’s a win.

There’s more good news. The new i30 hatch makeover is more extensive than meets the eye, with extra equipment and the inclusion of fresh tech.

With production now out of the Czech Republic as per the N, rather than South Korea, all i30 hatch models for 2025 have stepped up to N-Line specification (if not performance – more on that later). This means the actual price rise when comparing like-for-like autos is a more reasonable $3500 – or about 10 per cent.

There’s definitely more than that now included in terms of additional value.

Fans will be able to spot the differences compared to the old base versions thanks to the N-Line-specific slimmer headlights featuring V-shaped LED lighting, a reshaped 3D-pattern grille with a wide lower-section opening, five-spoke 18-inch alloys and a wide rear diffuser with twin exhausts. These changes, by the way, aren’t new – they debuted abroad in 2020.

Amongst a host of other features, going all N-Line means sportier trim, turbo performance, a multi-link independent rear suspension and – most compellingly for small-car buyers seeking an efficient five-door hatchback – a sophisticated mild-hybrid system.

While none of this information has yet to be confirmed by Hyundai in Australia, documents we’ve seen show there will be two grades on offer – i30 hatch N-Line and N-Line Premium (with fancier trimmings and a panoramic sunroof) from $41,000, while the N currently kicks off from $46,200 and $49,200 for the auto.

Both N-Lines make safety strides, with the addition of standard blind-spot collision avoidance assist, intersection-turning crash avoidance with the continuing forward collision avoidance tech, intelligent speed-limit assist, multi-collision braking and rear-occupant alert. These come on top of the existing broader Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), lane-following assist, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist and safe-exit warning systems fitted.

You’ll also now find cornering LED headlights, solar-control glass up front, privacy glass out back, puddle lights, a larger 10.25-inch full digital instrument cluster, leather/synthetic suede upholstery, a passenger-seat height adjuster (and not just for the driver), additional driver-seat adjustability, an 8.0-inch display for the audio with DAB+ digital radio, a wireless charger and USB-C ports.

Over the previous N-Line Premium, there is now Hyundai’s Bluelink car-connected set-up with auto emergency-assistance notification, improved cruise-control functionality, extra front seat support with heating and ventilation, a steering-wheel warmer, a larger 10.25 centre touchscreen and voice control, among other things.

What’s under the bonnet is interesting: a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo direct-injection mild-hybrid, offering 117kW and 250Nm, and driving the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Compared to the old 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo in the previous N-Line, that’s a significant power and torque drop of 33kW and 15Nm respectively.

But it does gain a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that “… provides electric power during various driving stages, reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency. While it doesn’t solely power the vehicle on an electric battery, it offers assistance during acceleration…”, is how Hyundai puts it. Let’s wait to drive this on Australian roads to see if that’s how it feels.

Meanwhile, the latest N-Line’s combined average fuel consumption figure is 5.6 litres per 100km, which is a way better than the old standard 2.0L’s 7.4L as well as the 1.6L turbo’s 7.1-7.5L (depending on spec).

Finally, the i30 hatch scores some fresh colours, including Cypress Green and Sailing Blue, challenging the boring silver/grey/black hegemony.

Now, as a European-made mild hybrid, the i30 hatch represents an alternative to the usual premium Germans.