The Star: October 11, 2018

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday October 11 2018 45
Hyundai’s hot i30N –
world rally pretender
AS AN avid motorsport
follower, I like it when
Kiwis show the world how
quick we are behind the
wheel of competition cars.
We have many racers
who are making a name for
themselves on the world
stage, one of my idols is
World Rally Championship
driver Hayden Paddon.
Paddon is one of those
genuinely nice guys and,
of course, is super quick
in a rally car. He drives for
Hyundai Motorsport, and is
a great ambassador for the
brand, and New Zealand
in total.
Hyundai’s WRC
contender is loosely based
around its small car – the
i20 and Paddon certainly
knows how to make it fly. I
simply can’t wait until the
next round of the WRC,
and will I be following with
interest Paddon’s future in
the sport.
Given the success
Hyundai have experienced
in the WRC, it’s no surprise
there is a road car spinoff.
However, instead of
it being i20-based the hot
hatchback is based on the
i30 and is labelled i30N,
the N representing the
development work done at
the legendary Nurburbring
race circuit in Germany
and Hyundai’s research
and development facility at
Namyang in South Korea.
The i30N competes
squarely with the likes of
Renault’s Clio RS, Ford’s
Focus RS and Subaru’s
WRX. However, it must be
mentioned that some of the
competition have fourwheel-drive,
the i30N is a
front-wheel-drive model
only.
That aside, the i30 is
a genuine performance
car, it has a turbocharged
2-litre engine which
drives through a six-speed
manual transmission and
electronically-controlled
limited slip differential.
The driveline is packaged
for entertainment, there is
202kW available at the top
end with the turbocharged
boost promoting a 353kW
torque figure available all
of the way from 1500rpm
to 4700rpm, with another
25Nm on overboost, if all
the ducks are lined up in a
row.
Hyundai claims a 6.1sec
standstill to 100km/h
acceleration time, along
with a 250km/h top speed.
I’m sure these figures are
Motoring
Ross Kiddie
HYUNDAI I30N: Turbocharged hot hatchback.
accessible, the engine is
a real honey in terms of
flexibility, it sings freely to
the redline, yet has a gentle
flow of power right through
the rev band, there’s never a
point of lag nor reluctance
to deliver. Yet, you can also
drive the i30N leisurely at
city speeds without drama,
it will pull from low revs,
and if you do get caught in
an inappropriate gear there
is enough torque on offer
to pull freely out of that
situation.
• Price – Hyundai
i30N, $54,990
• Dimensions –
Length, 4335mm;
width, 1795mm;
height, 1447mm
• Configuration –
Four-cylinder, frontwheel-drive,
1998cc,
202kW, 353Nm,
six-speed manual.
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 6.1sec
• Fuel usage –
8l/100km
However, the i30N is at
its best on a high country
burst. Sadly, there are too
few manual gearbox cars in
today’s market, so it is very
refreshing to have a drive
with a stick-shift. I took the
test car on a loop through
the fabulous Malvern Hills.
It is a delight in tight,
challenging corners, there
is a lot of electronic trickery
through the driveline,
which means power to the
wheels is given the best
chance of grip.
There is little push
through the steering,
understeer is moderated
and grip through all
corners is massive. That
is supplied in the first
instance by what I regard
as the world’s best rubber –
Pirelli PZero tyres (235/35
x 19in) – directional
accuracy is stunning and
steering feel is delightful.
Of course, the i30N
has adaptable handling
qualities, there are several
drive modes and a
customisation facility that
allows the driver to dial
in his or her personalised
chassis settings. I used
the standard sport mode
mostly and found its ride
and handling parameters
satisfactory for the majority
of road types and surfaces.
Hyundai have developed
what they label N-mode. In
that setting the i30N feels
constantly eager, the engine
lets the driver know there
is nothing normal under
the bonnet. There is a very
audible exhaust sound and
a deliberate bark on both
up and downshifts. It is a
manufactured sound but
it is truly delightful and is
true to the spirit of the hot
hatchback.
At $54,990, the i30N is
a bang-for-buck bargain,
there is a lot of car for
the money and its clever
design techniques mean
you can drive it any way
you like at any given
point. It is responsive but
also practical, the i30 in
traditional form is a car
which has a reputation for
quality family transport.
This evaluation focuses
mostly on the performance
aspects of the i30N. I make
no apology for that, it is a
car which thrills with its
feel and speed. The exhaust
sound makes you feel like
you are in the middle of
that WRC special stage, it is
infectious but it is part of a
package that will satisfy the
driver (and occupants) in
all driving situations.
It is most certainly the car
for me if finances allowed.
Sadly, they don’t, but I
will still have my Hyundai
fix for a while to come as
I’ll not only be following
Paddon’s career, no matter
what direction that might
take, but also Hyundai’s
future in the WRC.
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