Hyundai is hoping to inject new life into the small sedan segment with this. It's called the
Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line, and if the location and angular styling doesn't give it away,
it's going for a sporty theme. Let's check it out.
2021 is shaping as a watershed year for Hyundai's sporty N division. An updated i30 N as well as the
arrival of the i20 N, Kona N, and i30 Sedan N, but before that, we have this. The i30 Sedan N Line is
a warmed over version of Hyundai's small passenger car, and joins an existing N Line version of
Hyundai's i30 hatchback. The three model N Line Sedan structure starts at $30,290 before on-road
costs, topping out at $37,290 for the flagship N Line Premium driven here. The N Line's $6000
premium over the regular i30 Sedan brings a more powerful engine, a new rear suspension
configuration, and significantly more standard equipment. 18 inch alloy wheels, side skirts,
radars on front bumper with larger air dams, and a new rear-end with a mild diffuser and twin exhaust
outlets. It's certainly not your nana's runabout, and it's not a carbon copy of the i30 Hatch
either. It runs on its own platform and it has sports suspension with a multi-link rear.
Inside the N Line range gets dual-zone climate control and contrasting elements on the seats and
dashboard, while the dearer N Line premium driven here gets a larger 10.25 inch display screen,
sunroof, 10-way adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel,
along with plenty of racy N Line cues. The interior is well presented given the price point,
and it feels more contemporary and spacious than the equivalent Hatch. Our main gripes
extend to the madly high set driver's seat in the N Line premium, and the fact entry cars get
wireless Apple Car Play while the premium makes do with a corded system. Hardly deal-breakers.
That same sporty theme differentiates the driving experience as well. From the moment
you sit in the Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line, it feels inherently sporty from the layout and
styling of the interior to the weighting of the steering and controls. It's a really nice balance
between everyday comfort with a fair handful of sportiness as well. On the road, you'll notice
a little bit of firmness to the ride on 18-inch wheels, a bit of road noise entering the cabin,
and as I said before, meaningful weighting to the steering and controls, but it does quite an
admirable job in everyday scenarios. A nice sporty bent on what is otherwise a fairly so-so segment.
Key to the i30 Sedan N Line sporty attributes is its engine,
a 1.6-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder, good for 150 kilowatts, and 265 Newton metres.
It drives the front wheels only via a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. Now, although
it does have identical outputs to the i30 Hatch, this is, in fact, a new generation of smart stream
engine. I've gotta say the power spread is quite linear, there's a lot of torque
available down low, which is great, and the 8-speed automatic works well as well. There's
a little bit of hesitation and tardiness upon taking off, typical symptom of a dual-clutch
automatic transmission. But beyond that point, the shifts are well-timed and seamless.
Now, once up and moving, the engine noise and harmonics aren't exactly spine tingling,
but the i30 Sedan N Line does make quite decent progress. Using its different platform,
the i30 Sedan measures 300 millimetres longer than the equivalent i30 Hatch,
a trait that it pays for, during changes in direction.
That said, the Sedan still tips the scales at just under 1400 kilograms.
Now, while the N Line does feel inherently front-drive, that's not to say that it's
boring or one-dimensional in any way. When pushed, it still feels quite confident,
and the small lateral movements that it does make are quite well-metered and controllable.
And despite all that curb weight, it controls its mass quite well through the corners and provides
adequate grip on the Goodyear tyres. If you want something different from your run-of-the-mill
small sedan, well, this certainly does that. It's actually quite a bit of fun.
The additional wheel base and length over the i30 hatch, liberates plenty of second row space, which
is accessed via air vents but not by power points. A 474-litre boot with a space saver spare tyre
is another boon, even if the boot arms impinge on load space. The i30 Sedan N Line cements its place
with a 5-year warranty and $299 annual servicing, based on 12 month, 10,000 kilometre intervals.
The Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line brings a welcome dose of sportiness to the small sedan segment.
It's fun, it doesn't mind being punted around on circuit,
and it just sets itself apart visually as well. The truth is,
if you want a fully fledged performance sedan, then it's probably worth waiting
for the upcoming Hyundai i30 Sedan N, but in the mean time, this isn't a bad way to warm things up.