I don’t do any research before I pick up a review car. It’s nice to have a first impression not tempered by other people’s opinions. But it does mean I’m occasionally taken completely by surprise.
Frankly, I was expecting Hyundai’s i30 N to be a humourless city-bashing sedan. But what greeted me was an aggressively-designed car: it has a large geometrically-shaped grill sharp, a sharp little spoiler, and lines on the side panels which probably add little to the aerodynamics but look quite cool.
After being handed the keys, I was given a quick tour of the interior and steering wheel by a helpful Hyundai employee.
“If you press this button,” she said pointing to a blue square with a ‘N’ printed on it “It’ll feel sportier and you’ll get engine noise with more crackling sound.”
I nodded pretending that this was completely expected. Of course I knew what that button would do because I was a professional who researched these things.
I was also introduced to a big, red button labelled NGS.
Push this, I was told, and you’d get the maximum power out of the engine for 20 seconds. A countdown appears on the screen, so you know how long you’ve got left.
“Careful using that one when there are police around,” she said.
“Good call,” I chuckled knowingly. My licence with zero demerit points rolled its eyes.
I pulled out of Hyundai, and was driving for only a couple of moments before I decided to press the blue button. A flame animation wrapped around the speedo for a moment and the car felt a little more responsive.
When you’re in N mode the powertrain and chassis settings are set to their highest levels. As Hyundai says: “engine response, steering, exhaust sound, rev-matching and the dampers of the electronically controlled suspension are at the most dynamic.”
You might have noticed they mention exhaust sound. Yes. The sound is customisable. This isn’t new to the motoring world, BMW famously had the same feature in the M3. But it’s certainly the first car I’ve ever driven with this option.
Buried in the menus were several sounds profiles I could choose from: sports car, rally car, or TCR race car. I could also choose how loud the exhaust was.
This is – of course – ridiculous. The i30 is a good performer, but it’s is as much a rally car as the Village People were real cops and sailors. Frankly, I think it’s no less camp.
While the i30 Sedan N has racer-boy vibes, it’s not skimping on the creature comforts.
I refuse, refuse to accept a new car in 2023 without heated seats. It’s unacceptable. I sincerely believe there is no greater comfort than toasty buttocks on a frosty day What has any of the turmoil of the 21st century been for if we’re making new cars without this option? So imagine my pleasure, nay, thrill on discovering that not only were the seats heated, but they also had a cooling function too. A gentle icy breeze wherever you wished for it. Truly we live in an age of marvels.
In terms of tech, the i30 has two enormous screens (one for multimedia, one for driving data) and the usual smartphone connectivity. The digital display with your speed changes depending whether or not you were in N mode. I found this a little disorienting at times and a touch crowded. I have never thought about the oil temperature of my car while driving, and am unlikely to start now, N-mode or otherwise.
For a car this sporty, I thought the seat position felt a little high. But, in a world of drivers accustomed to lofty SUVs, this is an understandable design choice. The i30 is delightfully zippy and responsive both in and out of N mode with no discernable turbo lag. The suspension did feel a bit stiff, however, and lacked the buttery smoothness I experienced driving the the Golf Life.
You do have some control over the tuning, though. You can customise the car’s suspension and transmission in the menus and save it as a drive profile. To be honest, I didn’t feel an enormous amount of difference when I tinkered with the settings. However, my driving was limited to short stints on highways and weaving through city streets. If you were to flog this baby on a track day, you’d likely get a better feel for the different modes
I’m not a race car driver, though. I’m an office worker who tootles along so conservatively I’ve been overtaken by drunks on Lime bikes more than once. That’s the joy of the i30 N: it lets you pretend without the expense, inconvenience or discomfort of an actual race car. Sure you might be driving to your boring job, but when the traffic lights go green you can press the big red button on the steering wheel like it’s launch control. For a moment you’re not office drone number 341, you’re Lewis Hamilton.
It’s make believe for adults. Yes it’s a bit silly, but it’s also fun.
And isn’t that what cars are supposed to be?
