We look at the new lighter and brawnier Hyundai i30N

With great driving dynamics and beefy performance, the latest Hyundai i30N is now lighter, brawnier, and employs a slick 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Hyundai refreshed the i30 N with several cosmetic and mechanical upgrades that we highlight in our post below.

While the changes to the 2.0-litre Theta-II turbo petrol engine only provide 4kW and 39Nm of torque, the engineers had to work hard for this. They moved the mill 5mm forward and fixed a redesigned turbocharger and a bigger intercooler along with a revised ECU mapping. The updated turbo engine produces 206kW and 392Nm of torque that exhales via a new variable exhaust system, generating a crackling growl sound.

The engine mates to a new 8-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox created in-house by Hyundai. The main highlights of this new gearbox are a 'wet clutch' set-up for optimal heat management, a 'Creep Off' mode to stop the i30 N from creeping forward as you release the brake pedal, and a launch control function, minimising the sprint times.

The performance hatchback offers three N performance modes - N Grin Shift, N Power Shift, and N Track Sense Shift – as well as steering-mounted paddles to shift manually. The electronically controlled mechanical limited-slip differential (e-LSD) can cut the wheel spin and understeer while boosting cornering prowess.

The 2022 Hyundai i30 N is quick, to say the least. It completes the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 5.4 seconds at particularly low revs. The turbo-petrol possesses a relatively narrow power band with full power extracted at 6,000 rpm and maximum torque accessible at 4,700 rpm. It signals the engine to deliver hard acceleration to the front wheels in the shortest time.

To make it a more capable machine on the track, engineers installed stronger brakes with bigger front discs - 360mm up from 345mm, and exclusively created Pirelli 235/35 P-Zero tyres wrapped on 19-inch alloy wheels.

The updated design includes a more prominent radiator grille, reshaped LED headlamps with a V-shaped motif, and sharper side skirts. At the back, we find a new rear bumper, a more aggressive rear apron with a reshaped diffuser, brand-new LED taillight clusters, and bigger dual-exit exhausts.

The interior gets a bigger touchscreen infotainment system (10.25-inches up from eight), a 4.2-inch supervision instrument cluster, faux suede & leather-wrapped seats, and opposing blue stitching all over the cabin.

There is a host of standard semi-autonomous driving assistance facilities like the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-avoidance, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-avoidance Assist (RCCA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW) along with Fatigue Detection/Driver Attention Warning (DAW), and adaptive cruise control.

If you have a penchant for a hot hatchback and R750k spare in your account, the 2022 Hyundai i30 N isn’t a bad choice. For R749,900, you also get a five years/75,000km service plan, a five years/150,000km warranty, and an extra seven years/200,000 powertrain warranty. (Prices correct at time of publication.)

Looking to purchase a new car? Be sure to check out our monthly Car Reviews on the MotorHappy blog.

Please note the imagery supplied in this blog was taken off www.topgear.com

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