The 290bhp Hyundai i30 N is in the UK

The Hyundai i30 N is one step closer to production. The Koreans’ rival to the VW Golf GTI and Honda Civic Type R has already been seen testing on ice. Top Gear’s even had a go behind the wheel. But the video above is key, because it shows a heavily binbagged i30 on UK roads.

We don’t say that because we’re unnecessarily vain, or proud of the roads in Britain. Quite the opposite. Their surfaces can be woeful at times, which is why a good hot hatch always shines so well here. It soaks up the bumps, shrugs off the weird cambers and makes going quickly simple, where a tough-riding supercar would be yards behind, tying itself in knots.

A Golf GTI is very good at such stuff. The Civic Type R probably less so, but its hardcore character is very exciting on a British back road. Quite what balance the circa-290bhp i30 N will strike we don’t know, but it appears Hyundai is taking our roads seriously. It’s a strong sign.

What do you reckon? Should VW, Honda and other hot hatch makers be worried?