Hyundai i30 N 2025: Nurburgring track test

You probably won’t find too many motoring enthusiasts that haven’t fantasised about driving the famed Nurburgring Nordschleife racetrack in Germany. I know I have. Which is why I jumped at the chance when given the first opportunity. 

Everyone has their own ideal car to drive around the Green Hell, as it’s known. A Porsche 911 GT3 is probably the most common pick. Others prefer a BMW M3, or some sort of Mercedes-AMG, and you’ll even spot the odd McLaren.

But for me, my ideal 'Ring car is a hot hatch. Fast, light, chuckable and not so powerful you feel like you’re endangering your life.

Lucky then that my first Nurburgring drive was in a Hyundai i30 N. Not the lightly updated model-year 2025 version, but the outgoing car. There are no mechanical changes, so it drives the same.

This was part of the Hyundai Driving Experience program which offers owners (and non-owners) the chance to drive one of Hyundai’s performance-focused N models on a number of renowned circuits around the world - for a price.

If Nurburgring isn’t to your taste, then perhaps Monza in Italy would suit, or Assen in Netherlands, and Inje Speedium in Korea.

Prices vary depending on whether you’re behind the wheel of an i20 N or i30 N. Across two days at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, it will cost between €999 and €1099 - that’s about AUD$1800.

We drove to the circuit from the hotel early, and the German gods blessed us with a stunning summer day. After a detailed briefing the night prior with one of Hyundai’s Nurburgring experts, we hit the track in an i30 N Fastback for some warm-up laps.

Sadly the i30 N Fastback is no longer available in Australia, but the hatchback and sedan remain.

Our instructor led the warm-up laps and while I tried to take in his explanation of each corner, it’s impossible to remember everything.

After all, the Nordschleife is close to 21 kilometres long and has 176 corners. Some of them blind corners, which adds to the terror of it all. It is often described as the world’s most gruelling and difficult race track. It’s also said that you need 100 laps under your belt before you really know the circuit.

We didn’t have time for that many laps, but after the warm-ups we got down to business. Always led by our instructor, he provided tips via walky-talky for most of the corners, and when to shift up or down using the automatic i30 N’s paddle-shifters.

I did not check my speed once during the eight laps because I was concentrating so hard on each movement of the steering wheel, each corner and where the road would go next. It’s white knuckle stuff but truly thrilling.

The i30 N is one of the most loved performance hatchbacks for a reason. The way this front-wheel-drive machine carves up corners and holds the road with immense grip is a feat of engineering. 

The note from the sweet 2.0-litre turbocharged engine when pushed is also a delight.

We kept the ESC on because we don’t have a death wish, and also we had to according to Hyundai’s rules. No arguments from me. No one wants to end up on the grass or in the wall, which is apparently very expensive to repair.

You can use the ‘Custom’ drive mode to change the suspension, steering and more. We were advised to stick with ‘Comfort’ for the steering because it’s sharp without being too light - something that’s not recommended for a track like this.

With each lap my confidence grew, but I was hyper aware the whole time that I could never master this course.

Thankfully, I did a hot lap with someone who already has. Hyundai has a few ‘N Taxis’ at the track, and you can - for a fee - be driven around the circuit by a trained professional.

Our professional driver was successful in the Nurburgring 24 Hour race in the past and he proved that when he blasted around the Nordschleife in an i30 N in a manner that was both utterly terrifying and completely exhilarating.  

After the i30 N we jumped in the Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai’s first electric performance car. Unsurprisingly, a very different experience to the i30 N.

It’s heavier at 2.2 tonnes and while it’s noticeably weightier compared with the hot hatch, it moves on the track in a way a bottom-heavy EV shouldn’t move.

As CarsGuide Deputy Editor James Cleary has written about before, Hyundai’s e-shift is a transmission program that simulates the feel and sound of a dual-clutch auto in manual mode, and it is quite something.

It truly feels like it’s shifting gears and with a noisy ‘engine’ note to boot. It really adds some drama to the usually silent EV formula.

While the Ioniq 5 N is deeply impressive on the track, it’s slightly harder to control (although the ESC setup is top notch) and I found myself missing the i30 N. It’s much more my vibe.

Overall my experience with the Hyundai Driving Experience program is something I won’t forget easily. The skills and knowledge the team brings is confidence inspiring.

As for the updated i30 N hatchback, it is on sale now in Australia and we will bring you a local review soon. As a refresher, the minor changes include a redesigned grille with red intakes, more red accents on the side skirts, and refreshed 19-inch alloy wheels in matt grey.

Inside the updates are limited to a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, more USB-C ports, access to Hyundai’s Bluelink connected car service, new seat design, gloss-black finishes and an updated steering wheel.

Under the skin the i30 N retains the punchy 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine offering up 206kW/392Nm, driving the front wheels only via a manual or auto transmission.

Pricing now starts at $50,000 before on-road costs for the N and $53,500 for the N Premium. Hyundai no longer charges extra for the auto.

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