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The Hyundai i30 N Line sedan is a sporty small sedan that I can try to sum up in one word - fun! It looks fun, it feels fun to sit in, and it's even more fun to drive.
There was a time when most families drove sedans (or maybe I'm showing my age), but as more and more of them switch to SUVs, I was very curious to test-drive this sedan with my family of four for a week.
Hyundai I30 2021: N Line
| Engine Type | Turbo 4, 1.6L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.8L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 5 |
| Price From | $28,050 - $33,770 |
What does it look like?
At first glance I had some serious '80s sporty-sedan flashbacks, but look closer and the modern touches are very attention-grabbing.
One woman crossing the road in front of me stared so hard at the front of the car I was worried I had something stuck under the grille!
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This model i30 the N Line is the second but base in the range, and there is plenty to like.
It has sleek lines, and cool sporty touches like the wing tipped side mirrors. There are bevelled edges to the side panels, 18-inch alloy wheels with a spider web appearance, and the rear has an almost hatchback-like flip to the tailgate with shiny black accents.
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Inside, the leather trimmed seats really snuggle you like a race car, in the seat and across your back and shoulders. The high-quality looking stitching on the door panels adds to the overall sporty appearance.
There is a non-slip pad for your phone under the main dashboard, it's not a wireless charger in this model but there are two USB charging ports just above it.
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Cupholders in the middle, and bottle holders in the door are all simply designed and functional. There's a deep middle console box with a padded top adding to the comfort level.
How does it drive?
The i30 N Line manual is lots of fun. It has peppy acceleration, which really hits its straps in the higher gears - which I found well suited to suburban driving as it doesn't shoot off in first gear. The sporty steering wheel and gearshift do add to the sports car feeling.
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It is quiet from the inside, and handles corners really well, assisted by lane alerts and on-board tech assistance (see details below). The gears are simple to change, and parking is not difficult with good visibility and a decent quality rear camera.
How spacious is it?
The seats in the front and the back are very comfortable and spacious for a small sedan. While the headroom does shrink a little in the back seat, following the line of the roof, there's still enough room for most adults, and there are comfort features like cupholders in the flip-down middle console and directional air vents.
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I had two kids car seats in the back, which I found easy to install. There is the top tether attachment for a third kids seat, but the seats would need to be narrow to fit three across.
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The boot is larger than it looks from the outside - with a decent 474L of storage space. It reminded me of my dad packing up the family sedan when I was young, getting all the family's luggage in, but still finding room for his golf clubs.
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How easy is it to use every day?
With keyless entry and start, getting in and started isn't hard, although starting a manual with a button felt strange at first.
As a family car with two small children I was grateful for the ample boot space, and the lower setting of a sedan makes it easy for the kids to get themselves out.
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However my little one still needs help clipping into the child seat, which I find easier in a higher positioned car like an SUV, I did need to bend right down to get to her out (ouch, my back!).
On the plus side having a smaller car makes parking in the suburbs and city so much easier than a larger SUV, and getting in and out of car parks was a breeze.
How safe is it?
The i30 scores a maximum five stars in the ANCAP safety rating, last tested in 2017. There are six airbags, automatic emergency braking, plus pedestrian and cyclist detection up to 85 km/h.
There are two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors across the back row for child seats.
What’s the tech like?
The 8.0-inch touchscreen display is best used with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, connected wirelessly or using a cord.
My wireless connection did drop out a lot, so I used the cord to make it easier. This means you can have sat nav and much of the functionality from your phone on the screen of the car, which is far superior to the on-board tech on this model.
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The safety tech includes lane follow assist, forward collision avoidance assist and driver attention warning. It was helpful and not intrusive when driving.
How much does it cost to own?
Pricing, before on-road costs, is $30,290 for this manual N Line. The i30 Sedan N Line is covered by Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with capped-price service ($299 each) scheduled every 10,000km.
The official combined fuel consumption figure is 7.3L/100km, but for my drive around the inner suburbs it averaged 7.9L/100km, so pretty close to the official figure.
Verdict
To wrap up we enjoyed driving this car, it really was a lot of fun. The manual gearbox is well suited to the i30 N Line, I feel like that's how sporty cars are made to be driven. The interior design and flashy exterior are not only super-sporty, but comfortable and practical as well. As a family car I did miss the comfort features of a larger vehicle, but this balanced out with the ease of driving a more compact car in the city.
Pricing Guides
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