New Hyundai i30 sedan 2021 N Line detailed: Kia Cerato GT rival uncovered!

The first ever Hyundai i30 sedan N Line model has been revealed ahead of its arrival in Australia later this year.

The all-new small sedan - which used to be called Elantra but will fall under the i30 banner in its latest generation - scores the N Line variant as the range-topping model this time around. Previously, the Elantra’s top-end model was known as the Sport Premium. 

The i30 sedan N Line is a sharply designed bit of kit, with a number of styling differences compared with the standard i30 sedan range.

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They include an N Line exclusive body kit, comprising model specific front and rear bumpers, side skirts and rear spoiler, as well as distinct 18-inch alloy wheels, which aren’t as blingy as the previous top-spec model’s rims.

The cabin has seen a number of upgrades over the standard versions of the i30 sedan too. The N Line gets exclusive black trim with red stitching, front sports bucket seats, alloy pedals for the driver, a model-specific N Line steering wheel and gear knob, and it has a black headlining.

Despite being all-new and being the recipient of an entirely new design as a result, the i30 sedan N Line is powered by a familiar engine - a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder motor with 150kW of power and 265Nm of torque which is known as the SmartStream G1.6 T-GDi, in Hyundai-land. 

The i30 sedan N Line is a sharply designed bit of kit, with a number of styling differences compared with the standard i30 sedan range.

The N Line includes an exclusive body kit, comprising model specific bumpers, side skirts and rear spoiler.

The N Line wears distinct 18-inch alloy wheels.

The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder makes 150kW/265Nm.

The dashboard is dominated by a pair of 10.25-inch displays.

The cabin has seen a number of upgrades over the standard versions of the i30 sedan too.

Upfront there are sports bucket seats.

The N Line gets exclusive black trim with red stitching.

Those are the same outputs as the existing Elantra Sport and Sport Premium, not to mention the i30 N Line hatch and the Veloster N Line, too. And you can still get it with the choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It is front-wheel drive. 

But unlike the standard i30 sedan models which get a torsion beam rear suspension setup, the i30 sedan N Line has a multi-link rear suspension setup to complement the independent front suspension setup, and it has a sports tune all around, as you’d expect. Further, the ride, handling and steering of the i30 sedan has been tweaked by Australian engineers to suit local preferences. 

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The i30 sedan N Line will likely compete with the likes of high-end 2.5-litre Mazda 3 sedan models, not to mention its cousin, the Kia Cerato GT. You might also shop it against a higher grade Honda Civic sedan with the turbo engine, but it’s not quite a horsepower hero like a Subaru WRX.

Stay tuned for a full detailed review and more coverage of the i30 sedan range at CarsGuide over the coming months.