Together with the i30 N hot hatchback, today saw Hyundai’s European division take the wraps off the i30 Fastback. Not exactly a hatchback nor a sedan, the Fastback body style serves as the prettiest offering in the compact-sized model's lineup.
A road previously taken by Audi with the A5 Sportback and BMW with the 3 Series Gran Turismo, the i30 Fastback isn’t just a good-looking car. The shape of the hatch makes it fairly practical as well, but one area where the Fastback falls short of the bog-standard i30 is headroom for the rear passengers.
The Fastback further differentiates itself on an aesthetic level thanks to a more snazzy take on the Hyundai Cascading Grille. Different daytime running lights and an angled front spoiler are on the menu as well. A look inside the Fastback reveals that some things aren’t meant to be changed.
An interior that mirrors the design of the i30 hatchback, the on-board highlights include wireless charging for Qi-enabled smartphones (think Samsung Galaxy S8), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, and a fair quality of the materials. All in all, not a bad effort from Hyundai.
4,455 millimeters long (115 mm more than the i30 hatchback) and 30 millimeters lower than the model on which it’s based, the Fastback sits 5 millimeters lower to the ground thanks to a sportier suspension setting. In fact, stiffness has been increased by 15 percent to aid driving dynamics.
“We are the first volume brand to enter the compact segment with a stylish and sophisticated 5-door coupe,” declared Thomas Burkle, chief designer at Hyundai Europe. “Our team was able to achieve a pure design, which combines the sports car spirit with the comfort of a luxurious sedan."
Pricing has yet to be made public, but the wait won’t be long for the i30 Fastback is set to enter production by the end of the year. An assortment of three- and four-cylinder engines will have to suffice, including a thrifty 1.6-liter CRDi turbo diesel coupled to a manual or a dual-clutch transmission.
With a bit of luck, the N division might apply the go-faster treatment to the i30 Fastback as well. Hyundai has refused to comment on this possibility.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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