The i30 N was a middle finger to the hot hatch establishment, proving you can have fun in a car without three decades of pedigree. Hyundai also made it much cheaper than the GTI yet faster, but if you're willing to part with more of your cash, they can now sell you the i30 Fastback N.
It certainly looks different, not only compared to the i30 hatch, but also every other car on the market. But does it handle its own way or are you just paying more money to stand out in the parking lot? That question was answered by Steve Sutcliffe in his initial review of the third N product.
Jumping straight to the conclusion: yes, it is slightly different, possibly better. The Fastback body is naturally a bit stiffer, which allowed engineers to take the suspension off its crack cocaine diet. As a result, it's more usable overall.
Slightly softer bushings and smaller anti-roll bars allow the Fastback N to cope with road undulations without being boring in any way. In fact, Steve says that because there's less noise coming through the steering wheel, you feel a little bit more in control.
The elephant in the room is the price, which in Britain starts from £29,995. At first glance, it seems too expensive, but when you factor in that it only comes with the Performance package, not the base setup, the difference is just £500. For a unique body shell and a slightly more civilized suspension setup, that seems like a no-brainer.
On the go, the Fastback feels very joyful and engaging. Its 5-stage drive mode selector even blips the throttle for you, though you can't buy an auto like with the Megane RS or the upcoming Focus ST.
The 2-liter outputs 275 HP and 353 Nm (260 lb-ft) of torque, allowing the car to sprint to 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 6.1 seconds. Unlike the base 250 model, you get the active exhaust and a working mechanical differential, plus bigger brakes and wheels.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News