2021 Hyundai I30 vs 2020

What's the difference?

Right now, the N-Line with the DCT is the fastest auto i30 you can buy, and that – plus all the luxuries and features that the Premium includes – makes it an attractive grand touring small car with sufficient speed and athleticism to entertain the keener driver.

But the manual i30 N at only around $5000 more significantly elevates the driving experience and thrills, while an auto is imminent. That’s what we’d save up for.

Still, as a fun and entertaining warm hatch, the i30 N-Line still offers enough consistency to warrant your attention. Easy to respect but hard to get really rapt over.

As i30s go, this one is an oddball. It doesn't really belong anywhere and it's not even posh enough to whack the Golf in the nose. The N-Line models do that and they do it cheaper, too. It's a bit of a head-scratcher but I guess if you want a diesel i30 with lots of stuff, this is the car for you.

The petrol 2.0 seems even more niche - less power and torque than the cheaper N-Line Premium but, admittedly, cheaper servicing and a more comfortable ride. But you have to wonder: is anyone buying cars like this any more? If they are, they're getting a reasonable deal, no question about that, because, as ever, the i30 is a very good hatchback.

For some people it’s what hasn’t changed that is the most interesting visual aspect about the 2021 i30 N-Line.

The “Sensuous Sportiness” nosecone found on all other i30s including the base grade does not apply here, for reasons which still aren’t clear, as most models bar the i30 N and Fastback are out of same South Korean factory. Yet even the latter (imported from the Czech Republic) are about to gain the fresh proboscis.

But is this a bad thing? Frankly, no, as the original front-end styling is arguably prettier than the fussy new visage.  

Another thing is how well this pleasing 2017 design is ageing, with sober, elegant proportions and confident stance that reflect Hyundai’s desire to be classed as a credible Golf alternative. Plus, the N-Line body kit makes a statement without it being in your face. Listening, Honda Civic?

The Premium is a fairly timid sort of car, with none of the aero bits and bobs of the N or even the N-Line. Even the wheels are a bit dull, but if you're looking at a Premium in the first place, you're not after excitement, now are you?

Not that the sporty ones are all that spicy, that's been left to the facelift. Having said that, it's a clean modern design, with shades of the outgoing Peugeot 308 and Golfish middle-of-the-roadness that afflicts the segment.

The cabin is familiar and largely unchanged - it's shame it hasn't yet scored the big new screen found in the Ioniq - but it's all very nicely made and fitted. Some of the plastics could be less scratchy, but you have to go looking for them.

The materials used on the seats and wheels feels a lot like Nappa leather but rather stronger, so one imagines it's not real leather, not that there's any shame in that. Vegan types might be quite keen on it.

Given the basic ingredients are shared with the i30 Active, the N-Line’s interior presentation is an impressive step up.

Not immediately obvious are small changes for MY21, including the 2.25-inch larger central touchscreen with its modernised graphics and repositioned and simplified access button. From the handsome steering and matte grey leather/vinyl upholstery to the red piping and stitching as well as brushed metallic accents, the look and ambience agrees with the N-Line Premium’s price positioning.

The new digital instrumentation, with its BMW-style (or is that Honda-like) hexagonal tacho and central speedo, provides enough differentiation from bread-and-butter i30s for it to feel a bit more special.

As do the panoramic sunroof, thick-rimmed wheel, sports front seats, black trim, double stitching and red seat belts, while the MY21 multimedia update has fresh graphics that is easy and pleasurable to use.

But while there’s no missing the digital speedo, the instrumentation lacks the clarity and elegance of the previous, classically analogue iteration. And it cannot be configured like Audi’s Virtual Cockpit. Where’s the scope for personalisation? It feels like a wasted opportunity.

Otherwise it’s all normal-i30 inside, which means big doors for unimpeded entry/egress, sufficient space, loads of practicality, excellent ventilation and a first-class driving position, offering a welcoming, intuitive interface between car and driver. Vision out isn’t too bad, either, aided by that huge central touchscreen and big exterior mirrors.

The N-Line Premium’s heated and vented front seats are superb, with the driver’s offering a 10-way electrical adjustment including lumbar support. They ensconce their occupants in all the right areas, with bolsters that grip you in tight through tight turns, and immediately make you feel like you’re in a sporty hatch. Their accompanying red seatbelts look great too.

The rear seat area is a bit smaller than in many rival small cars nowadays, but it isn’t a disaster, as the back bench/backrest combo is firm yet supportive, promoting a comfy posture. Rear face-level air vents, a centre armrest, huge door pockets, overhead grab handles, coat hooks, individual reading lights and windows that drop almost all the way are further bonuses. But betraying the i30’s age is the lack of USB ports, with only a 12V outlet in the (huge) centre console between the front occupants.

Finally, the cargo area is big, deep and handy, with a huge space available and a low lip to negotiate heavier objects over. Under the floor is a space-saver spare. Capacity is rated at 395 litres, extending to 1301L with the rear backrests dropped.

Overall, then, with its racy yet classy trim, the i30’s cabin in N-Line Premium guise is as inviting as you’d wish for in a warm hatch.

If you're in the front seat, you'll find two cupholders, a space under the climate controls for your phone and Qi wireless charging pad, sunglasses holder, a central console bin of a small but useful size and a glove box.

Rear seat room is okay for the segment while boot space is quite competitive at 395 litres and with the seats down, space increases to 1301 litres.

Each door has a bottle holder for a total of four in the car and the rear seat passengers score a pair of cupholders as well.

Since time immemorial, Hyundai has been all about value but the Premium might be pushing things slightly. The petrol comes in at $33,370 and the diesel a hefty $36,100, straying quite close to both N-Line Premium ($34,990) and crackerjack i30 N.

You do get 17-inch alloys, a seven-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, active cruise control, electric driver's seat, sat nav, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, heated and cooled front seats, fake leather trim, powered and heated folding mirrors and a full-size alloy spare wheel.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen runs Hyundai's halfway reasonable software (way better than Toyota's hideous effort) on good hardware. With the USB ports you can hook up your Apple or Android phone with CarPlay and Auto respectively, which is always welcome. The system also includes DAB radio.

While most i30s are stuck with a dull 120kW/203Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated unit, the N-Line steps up to Hyundai’s 1591cc 1.6-litre twin-cam 16-valve four-pot turbo from the Gamma GDI gasoline direct injection family of engines, delivering a healthy 150kW of power at 6000rpm and 265Nm of torque from a low 1500rpm to 4500rpm. 

Tipping the scales at 1436kg, it results in a lively 104.5kW/tonne power-to-weight ratio.

It drives the front wheels only via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), with a trio of drive modes – eco, normal and sport with corresponding green, blue and red instrumentation illumination – as well as a manual tip-shift (with forward/up and backward down) and a big pair of paddle shifters behind the wheel.

The petrol i30 Premium makes do with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder codenamed Nu. It doesn't do too badly, though, with 120kW and 203Nm driving the front wheels through a six-speed automatic, a relative rarity in this segment.

The turbodiesel has a nice round 100kW and 300Nm, also pushing the power through a six-speed auto.

Hyundai says the i30 N-Line Premium’s 1.6 T-GDi engine should average a combined 7.1 litres per 100km – 9.4L/100km around town and 5.9L/100km on the open road – but we managed a still-acceptable 9.2L/100km at the pump. That’s a fine effort considering how hard and fast we extended that four-pot turbo.

For the record, the Euro-5 emissions rated engine officially averages 167 grams per kilometre of carbon dioxide emissions.

Fitted with a 50L tank, some 700km between refills is possible. Standard 91 RON unleaded is recommended or 94 RON E10 mix is tolerable.

The petrol's official combined cycle figure landed at 7.4L/100km, which lines up pretty well with our real-world trip computer figure of 8.2L/100km, achieved with a 50/50 mix of highway and suburban travel. Given the 50-litre fuel tank, you'll get just over 600km on a full tank of 91.

The diesel's official figure comes in at 5.6L/100km.

It should come as no surprise to learn that this i30 is very much a warm – rather than sizzling hot – hatch.

Strong performance, eager steering, a taut chassis, a supple ride and strong brakes makes the N-Line walk the fine line between rorty girl/boy-racer runabout and comfy, refined grand tourer.

Around town, this means smooth and progressive acceleration – rather than all-or-nothing lunges forward – accompanied by light steering for easy manoeuvrability. Aided by a large camera and fairly good vision out, parking in tight spaces isn’t a chore.

Unlike most DCTs, Hyundai’s is tuned for eager off-the-line response and a minimum of hesitation, lacking the lag and jerkiness of most similar systems. What you’re left with is a smooth, speedy and slick shifter that is in keeping with the N-Line’s sporty aspirations.

In Sport mode, the turbo engine holds on to each ratio a little longer, for sustained thrust right up to the 6500rpm red line. A keen driver can have fun exploring the Hyundai’s outer limits safely, without spills… or thrills, for that matter.

That’s because the N-Line falls somewhat short of an i30 N as far as dynamics are concerned… shorter, in fact, that the price gap would have you expect.

While the handling and cornering characteristics are defined by accurateness and agility, with expected high levels of road-holding, mid-turn bumps do transmit through to the steering rack, making it rattle and shake; the front end can lose traction quite easily in damp conditions, and grip carving up through bends isn’t quite as tenacious as the best hot-hatches. What this car cries out for is a limited slip differential.

The ride quality – though a tad firm around town – isn’t uncomfortable by any stretch, with sufficient wheel travel for the Hyundai to be a happy urban commuter. Yet there isn’t quite the controlled and planted grip on offer to make this a satisfying driving machine.

That all said, this isn’t trying to be a Ford Focus ST or Golf GTI rival. To anticipate it as such would be naïve. That’s what the N’s for.

Probably the most glaring issue is noise intrusion, as there’s far too much tyre roar intruding into the cabin. Like most Hyundais, the i30 benefits from an Australian-specific chassis tune.

It took discovering that this car existed and then driving it for me to realise that it has been a long time since I drove an i30 with "normal" suspension rather than the sportier tunes. It reminded me that the i30 is a pretty plush kind of rider when you combine the 17-inch wheels, higher profile rubber and the independent rear suspension not available at the lower end of the range.

Surprisingly, despite being a bit softer, it handles very tidily and I spent the week rather enjoying the mix of pleasant ride and reasonably pointy handling. It won't scare a hot hatch either in the power or chassis department, but its relaxed yet poised nature was quite nice.

It's quiet on the freeway, too, pounding out west as I did one sunny morning in rather cold conditions. The heated seats worked very quickly (number one son thought they were perhaps rather too effective for his delicate posterior) and the cabin was at a pleasant temperature before I'd even hit the first set of lights.

The slightly squidgy tyres came into their own on the motorway, delivering a very quiet and comfortable ride and the usual panic-braking on the M7 when some goose in a truck sails into your lane to stop running into some idiot doing 60km/h in a 100km/h zone didn't unsettle it one jot.

The i30 lands here from South Korea with seven airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, low-speed AEB with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure warning. reverse cross-traffic alert and driver attention detection.

The i30 range scored a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment in April 2017.

Hyundai offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty as well as 12 months of roadside assistance, with scheduled servicing at every 12-month or 15,000km intervals.

Published online, the prices for the N-Line service is $299 for each of the first five annual services, then rises to $495 (year six), $585 (year seven), $370 (year eight), $310 (years nine to 11), $555 (year 12), $310 (year 13) and $585 (year 14) – and then onwards with similar varying numbers on Hyundai’s website right up to 51 years/510,000km service ($275 in 2021 dollars). Seriously!

Hyundai offers a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty with 12 months roadside assist. Keep servicing with Hyundai and you'll get a roadside assist extension.

The 2.0-litre model has longer intervals between services and is cheaper when you get there, which will add up over the life of the car. You need to head back to the dealer every 12 months/15,000km and the first five services will cost $1395. While that's $10 more over five years, it lets you cover up to an extra 25,000km during that time. Subsequent services aren't as expensive as the diesel's.

You need to service the turbodiesel-powered i30 Premium every 12 months (good) or 10,000km (hmmm) and all Hyundais carry a lifetime service plan, so you know how much a service is going to cost you for the life of the vehicle.

The first five services costs $1385, for an average of $277 per year, which is fine if you stay under the 10,000km but starts to add up a bit if you go over. The prices kick up substantially for the sixth and seventh services, but never hit AMG-stratospheric prices.