Hyundai i30 N-Line to join local line up

Hyundai is set to give its i30 hatchback range a shakeup early in 2019, beefing up its successful i30 SR hatch for something that’s more overt.

“It’ll be a little more ballsy,” remarked a Hyundai insider.

The i30 SR competes against warmed over hatches like the Mazda 3 SP25 GT, Holden’s Astra LTZ and the Toyota Corolla ZR.

6

The launch of Hyundai’s N performance sub-brand in the shape of an i30N hatch has been a sales success, and the company plans to spread the go-faster message further down the line.

The N-line missive has come down the line from head office in Korea, after the unprecedented – and unexpected success of the i30N here and overseas.

The SR badge won’t be retired; rather, it’ll be kept for future use on vehicles like the Kona and Tucson SUVs.

It’s not dissimilar to the way that companies like Volkswagen use the R-Line moniker – poached from its R line of hot Golfs to add sports lustre to mainstream machinery.

6

WhichCar has learned that the i30 SR will be the first model to wear the new corporate N-look early next year. To be known as the i30 N-Line, the car will retain the same turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol-powered FWD powertrain, but it will gain a raft of enhancements inspired by its feistier turbocharged brethren.

New front and rear bumpers and side skirts will be modelled on those fitted to the i30N; they aren’t the same as the N car’s bars, we’re told, but they will be “pretty close”.

6

The lower part of the rear bar will sport a faux diffusor and exhaust vents, along with a new twin exhaust outlet. Up front, the daytime running lamps will run horizontally, and there are larger vents teaming up with a small front aero lip.

The N treatment will flow through to the inside of the car, which will be the recipient of new sports seats and interior trim. We’d bet, too, that a stripped-back version of the N performance pages that feature on the i30N’s multimedia display will be added, displaying items like essential temperatures and pressures.

6

The 150kW N-line will be offered with either six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission when it’s launched in the first quarter of next year, alongside the new i30 N fastback.