Now you can trick your friends into believing you’ve just bought Hyundai’s speedy i30 N without having to pay the hot hatch premium. On sale across summer in Europe, the new i30 N Line takes styling cues from the hotter model and combines them with the engines of the regular five-door hatchback. The new i30 flavor rides on 18-inch wheels and gets sportier front and rear bumpers featuring a silver paint line.
The back of the car exhibits a dual exhaust tip arrangement to further denote this isn’t your run-of-the-mill i30. There’s an “N Line” badge on the front fender to round off the visual changes on the outside, while the cabin features N-branded sport seats with improved lateral support. Hyundai will also throw in a set of metal pedals, sport steering wheel wrapped in perforated leather, and a new gear shift knob featuring the N logo.
See more about the i30 family:
Hyundai did more than just add some sporty-looking bits to the regular i30 as it has also made some engineering tweaks. For example, the engine response is now livelier and the suspension has been revised to make the N Line version a bit sharper. In addition, the car comes as standard with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires and uses 16-inch front brakes rather than the 15-inch set you get with the regular car.
Buyers will get to pick from either a turbocharged 1.4-liter gasoline engine or a 1.6-liter diesel. The former delivers 138 horsepower and 242 Newton-meters (178 pound-feet) of torque while the latter churns 134 hp and 280 Nm (206 lb-ft) or 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) with the dual-clutch automatic transmission. These output numbers are a far cry from the i30 N’s 271 hp and 352 Nm (260 lb-ft), but obviously the N Line will be considerably cheaper.
The i30 N Line will be followed by other visually enhanced models in a strategy implemented by Hyundai similar to what sister brand Kia has been offering for a few years with its GT Line cars.
Source: Hyundai
Gallery: 2018 Hyundai i30 N Line
Spice up your driveway: Hyundai unveils the New i30 N Line
- Hyundai Motor introduces the first model in Europe with the new N Line trim
- New design features and engineering upgrades make the i30 even more dynamic
- Video clip with motor sport legend Gabriele Tarquini showcases the new i30 N Line
- After successfully launching the first production car to wear the high-performance ‘N’ badge – the i30 N – Hyundai Motor is extending its portfolio of models, by introducing the N Line trim in Europe.
The i30 N Line is the first Hyundai model with the new trim, featuring exterior and interior design elements known from the i30 N, to enhance the visual appeal of i30. The mechanical set-up – including suspension, brakes and engine response – have also been tuned to add extra spice to the regular i30 five-door.
The design upgrades for i30 N Line match many elements introduced on the successful i30 N. Among these upgrades are the front and rear bumpers, exclusively accented for N Line with a silver paint line. The 18-inch alloy wheels are made available on the i30 5-door for the first time, creating a more dynamic aesthetic. The new twin muffler at the rear is another design cue that marks out the i30 N Line from its siblings. On the front wings, a newly-created badge signals the N Line model.
In terms of interior, customers can choose N-branded suede sport seats for better lateral support. The perforated leather sport steering wheel, metal pedals and the N gear shift knob give the driver a more engaging driving experience. The spacious and practical interior of the regular i30 five-door still offers a comfortable space for all occupants in i30 N Line.
For more sporty driving dynamics, the suspension and engine response have been refined for the i30 N Line. PS4 Michelin Performance tires are fitted, to fit with the tuned driving performance. The new 16-inch front brakes further enhance the driving dynamics – compared to 15-inch brake discs in the standard i30 five-door. Customers of the i30 N Line can choose between the 1.4-litre T-GDI gasoline engine with 140 PS and the 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine with 136 PS.
Our i30 N has been hugely successful since launch, showcasing our capabilities in high-performance engineering and emotionalising our brand with its fun-to-drive factor. Now we are extending that feeling to a wider audience with the new i30 N Line. We believe the comprehensive package of design and engineering enhancements will continue to attract more new customers to the Hyundai brand in Europe.
Andreas-Christoph HofmannVice President Marketing & Product at Hyundai Motor Europe
Hot like chilli sauce
To celebrate the introduction of the N Line trim, Hyundai has created a new video clip that highlights the design and engineering package of the new car. Featuring motorsport legend Gabriele Tarquini, Hyundai Motorsport test driver and hugely successful touring car driver, the clip provides a first glimpse of the i30 N Line in a humorous scenario.
In the video, Tarquini handles the i30 N Line with ease, skilfully setting off a construction that connects to a bottle of hot chilli sauce. With great driving precision, Tarquini positions his i30 N Line in exactly the right spot to catch the drops of chilli sauce on his burger, adding spice to his food in the same way that the N Line trim spices up the regular i30.
The i30 N Line will be available across Europe from summer 2018.