As one of the last fighters standing in the lonely fossil-fuelled small car segment, the 2024 Hyundai i30 battles on. Remarkably, it still offers sedan and hatch options with an extensive range of engines and variants.
According to VFACTS figures, the i30 enjoyed number two position for the first six months of this year in its class, with 6515 sales, taking a 17.1 per cent share of the class. In the same months of 2024, the segment reported a 35 per cent increase in total sales.
Despite the shared nameplate, i30 sedans and hatchbacks are built on different platforms and on different lifecycles. The sedan (also called Elantra in other markets), in its current generation, was launched in 2020; four years after the ageing current-gen i30 hatch. An update for the hatch is coming very soon, bringing in mild-hybrid tech.
Here we’re taking the top-of-the range N Line Premium sedan for a spin to see what it’s like.
2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line: Specifications
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder
Output: 150kW@6000rpm / 265Nm@1500-4500rpm
Gearbox: Seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Drive type: Front-wheel drive
Wheels: F & R: 18×8.0, 235/40
ANCAP: Five stars
Tare weight: 1327kg
Power-to-weight: 8.84:1 (kg:kW)
Official consumption: 6.6L/100km
Our consumption: 8.0L/100km
Fuel tank/Fuel type: 47L/91 RONPower efficiency: 22.72kW:L/100km
0-60km/h: 3.96 seconds*
0-100km/h: 7.52 seconds*
60-110km/h: 4.81 seconds*
1/4 mile: 15.72 seconds at 151.9km/h*
Max acceleration: 0.701g*
100-0km/h braking: 36.94m in 2.84 seconds*
Max deceleration: -1.178g*
Decibel at idle (/sport mode): 38/41*
Peak decibel at 60-100km/h: 79*
Starting price: $41,500
*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different
2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line: How much does it cost?
Prices start from $29,000 for the entry i30 sedan, or from $33,000 for the i30 sedan hybrid. It is fairly priced when you compare it to the entry Toyota Corolla sedan (which now only comes in hybrid form), starting from $32,110. The cheapest Kia Cerato sedan starts from $27,060, and the entry-level Mazda3 sedan retails from $30,470.
Likening the N Line Premium that we are testing here to other top-spec models, its $41,500 price tag also sits reasonably. The Mazda3 G25 Astina starts from $42,470, and the Toyota Corolla ZR Hybrid is priced from $40,260. Only the Kia Cerato GT undercuts it, considerably, at $36,860. (All prices exclude on-road costs.)
Like all Hyundais, the i30 is covered by five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with 12 months of complimentary roadside assistance. The i30 N Line Premium sedan requires services more frequently than usual – every 10,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first. Except the first service is required at 1500km and it is free of charge.
According to the Hyundai website, the next five services are $335, then $490, $660, $401, $323, and then $340. You can also pre-purchase a three-year service plan for $1005, a four-year plan for $1340, or a five-year plan for $1675. Unusually, pre-paying does not make it cheaper.
2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line: Interior & packaging
The facelifted i30 sedan does not see a great deal of design changes on the inside. There is little variation in colour and materials, which is starting to give the interior a dated look. You get some glossy black surrounds, and the contrasting red stitching in the leather increases the sporty vibe.
It is practical and spacious. Buttons and knobs feel premium in quality, and the button layout is as simple to use as you can get. Generous storage spaces, cup and bottle holders, a handy front passenger pocket in the side of the centre console tunnel, and loads of legroom make the i30 sedan a comfortable car for four adults to travel in. It is a rather long sedan, which leaves generous room for passengers in the back, and the 474-litre boot is class-leading. That is only six litres smaller than the bigger sibling, Sonata.
Interior tech continues with a 10.25-inch infotainment system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a Bose eight-speaker sound system, a handy auto defog feature, and a wireless phone charger. But the facelift inherits a new 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, front and rear USB-C outlets, Bluelink connected car services, blind-spot view monitors in the dash, surround-view cameras, an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror, and a heated steering wheel. Sadly, wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay did not make the cut.
Other feature additions for the update include updated forward collision avoidance assist, an overbearing intelligent speed limit assist, and front parking sensors.
The i30 sedan’s external stance has looked cutting edge since it was released in 2020. A revised appearance only launches the bold and fierce look further into the future. The linear creases continue to dominate, and the aerodynamic, coupe-like posture personifies its sportiness.
A redesigned front-end is more horizontally opposed, with a chrome stripe that integrates through the grille and headlights, and the dark grille blends in mysteriously with the dark lights. The headlights also sit lower and flatter, exaggerating the strong bonnet line. Angular front and rear guards hint at its sporty intent.
At the rear, the boot lid incorporates a rather aggressive and steep lip spoiler, in black, while the matching lower bumper has been made wider and more cut in with its diffuser-like design. Then the new signature rear position and LED strip lighting adds to that horizontal, wider appearance.
2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line: Powertrain & handling
Australia is now generously granted with three powertrains in the i30 lineup, and that excludes the hot i30 Sedan N performance engine. N Lines score a 1.6-litre turbo that generates 150kW and 265Nm. It’s matched to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch auto.
In motion, the T-GDi engine is the ultimate fit. It possesses just enough power to excite, but not too much to become attention seeking or unliveable for the everyday. The key element that makes it feel so capable is the full torque output available from as low as 1500rpm and across a wide band to 4000rpm. It makes the car feel light, zippy, and under no pressure to zoom up to speed hastily.
Hyundai is also kind to give it a sporty seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox rather than a weak CVT. This allows gears to change ultrafast when push turns into shove. Gentle take-offs are also not as delayed and springy as they once were, making inching forward in tight car spaces a tad easier. Fast take-offs are also aided by the lack of any engine start/stop feature. But fuel consumption takes a hit as a result.
The official average consumption is advertised as 6.6L/100km, which is not bad for a non-hybrid and relatively powerful engine. It can also run on the low grade 91 RON petrol. But our week with the N Line returned a higher average of 8.0L/100km. This included highway and city style driving. Only a few years ago, this would have been satisfactory. But as hybrids and EVs become more popular, the 1.6T-GDi is starting to show its age via efficiency.
N Line models score a sportier multi-link rear suspension instead of a coupled torsion beam rear as fitted to lower variants. The outcome is a wonderfully supported and comfortable ride. Bumps are reflected away from the cabin impeccably and quietly. But it also sustains fast swings through bends with an athletic hold. There is a notable nimble, light and stable feel when in the pilot seat, which gives an overarching effortless aura to the i30.
Like with every new model Hyundai, the bossy intelligent speed limit assist ruins the i30’s driving experience. Every time you exceed the speed limit that the car detects from road signs (which is often inaccurate or delayed), it chimes at you.
You can turn it off in the settings menu, but it needs to be turned off each time the car is turned on. The feature is required to pass tougher safety ratings. However, we haven’t seen it from other manufacturers yet.
2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line: Key attractions/reasons to buy
- Extensive lineup: For a dying breed, the i30 is still offered in sedan, hatch, and in many trim specs, and now with four powertrains.
- External design: The outer design is bold and almost scary looking. The facelift remains eye-catching as well.
- Dynamics: Superb balance of athletic support around corners while upholding high levels of comfort over bumps.
- Overall ease of use: From the familiar interior layout to the relaxed and effortless feel behind the wheel, the i30 N Line sedan is just so easy to jump in and drive.
2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line: Key considerations before you buy
- Fuel consumption: It’s not terrible, but when you compare it to growing alternative power sources, including hybrids, the average fuel consumption of the 1.6T-GDi is starting to be noticed.
- Connectivity: No wireless Android Auto or wireless Apple CarPlay.
- “Intelligent” speed limit assist: The incessant beeps and warnings that need to be turned off every time the engine is turned on will drive you insane.
How does it rate against its rivals?
Final word
The i30 hangs on with its myriad variants, shapes and powertrains. For the sedan, the fierce external appearance still stings, but the interior falls short to wow us, especially with the lack of wireless phone integration. But we love how easy the N Line Premium is to live with – the interior layout, comfortable dynamics, and unstrained engine, all have us love the i30. Just be prepared for that intelligent speed limit assist.