Hyundai i30N Performance Road Test Review: N Marks the Spot

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

This article was published by Andrew Evans (@Famine) on February 15th, 2019 in the Car Reviews category.

 

This or the Abarth Competizione?

I think I will choose for the Abarth.

 

Indeed, the interior of the Abarth is still a standard Fiat 500 interior with fancy seats (Competizione). Maybe I was too quick to judge because I have never driven the i30N. I test drove the Abarth Competizione and it is such a fun car. Much better than the Focus RS I test drove that same month.

The Focus in question on my driveway.

 

I am going to test drive the i30N Performance. Hopefully this week.

 

Test drove the car about one hour ago.

Nice car. Very comfortable thick steering wheel which is pretty direct. Nice seats but the suspension is so hard and yet comfortable. In sports mode the acceleration is brutal

Those brakes >>> I'm used to the very old standard brakes of my very old Mondeo and the very first time I hit the brakes at around 45 Km/h I was lucky I was wearing my seatbelt or I would have hit the steering wheel with my face.

All in all, this new i30N is a really fun car.

 

One of those where no matter how good it is, the exterior additions barely raise a pulse and the interior has all the charm of MoR. Not for me.

 

I regret not having tried the N-mode.

One thing though, when I reversed (parked the car) the outside mirrors tilted downwards. I wonder when you start the car and drive away, the mirrors go back to the correct position.

The interior had too much plastic. Felt rather cheap.