Increasingly tough emission regulations are poised to make combustion-engined hot hatchbacks extinct in the Old Continent. One of the latest automakers to give in to said regulations is Hyundai, which confirmed the demise of the i20 N subcompact hatch and the i30 N compact hatch in Europe.
Speaking to multiple publications, including the Brits at evo magazine, Hyundai said the following: "Production of the ICE N models has ceased for the European market starting from February." Rather than coming clean about the upcoming Euro 7 regulations, Hyundai Europe explains this decision with the manufacturer's commitment to zero tailpipe emissions by the year 2035. One decade later, Hyundai aims to achieve carbon neutrality.
Considering that Kona N production came to a grinding halt in 2023, the only N-badged model in production today for the European continent is the Ioniq 5 N. Riding lower than lesser versions of the Ioniq 5, the N is far more focused than its Kia-branded sibling. While it may not offer the aural pleasure or the driving enjoyment of a four-cylinder turbo manual hot hatchback, the hot crossover is pretty well equipped and very powerful to boot.
Think Pirelli hi-po rubber, forged alloy wheels, aggressively bolstered seats, a roof-mounted spoiler with a triangular high-mount brake light, adaptive shocks, larger brake calipers and rotors, 448 kW (that would be 601 hp) as is, and 478 kW (641 hp) for 10 seconds at a time thanks to N Grin Boost. The only extras to speak of are the Alcantara seat package, panoramic glass roof, and the 10-strong color palette. The N-specific Performance Blue paint color is available in solid or matte finishes.
As opposed to hot hatchbacks, which came to prominence due to their practicality and relatively affordable pricing, the Ioniq 5 N is anything but affordable. €74,900 in Germany means $81,050 at current exchange rates, and 65,000 quid in the United Kingdom converts to 82,360 dollars.
Photo: Hyundai
The i20 N and i30 N may have been discontinued for European markets and the United Kingdom, but even so, Hyundai's local configurators still allow prospective customers to configure these models. For the 1.6-liter turbo supermini, you should prepare €25,660 at the very least in Germany or £26,530 in the United Kingdom. As for the roomier i30 N, which packs a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder lump, the numbers are €33,650 and £35,110.
As far as front-wheel-drive hot hatchbacks are concerned, the Honda Civic Type R is the hottest one available at the moment of writing. When it comes to subcompacts, Toyota is much obliged to sell you a three-door Yaris with a three-pot turbo rated at 206 kW (276 hp) and 390 Nm (288 lb-ft).
The biggest difference between the GR Yaris and i20 N is – of course – the trick all-wheel-drive system of the Japanese model. Track mode means 50:50, Normal mode results in a 60:40 torque split, whereas Sport mode spices it up with an oversteery 30:70 torque split. As opposed to the i20 N, which can be had with a dual-clutch tranny, Toyota introduced a torque-converter auto for MY24.
Toyota further sweetens the deal with the compact-sized GR Corolla, but alas, that one wasn't designed with Europe in mind. With a bit of luck, the GR Corolla for North America will soon receive the Gazoo Racing Direct Automatic Transmission.
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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