Hyundai i30 N too wild? Try the i30 Fastback

On the same day Hyundai’s launched its 271bhp i30 N hot hatch, there’s a new i30 saloon, too. Or should we say i30 Fastback. Because it actually has five doors.

It follows on from other five-door i30s – the hatchback and Tourer – but aims to be a bit more stylish.

We can forgive Hyundai’s rebranding of the saloon shape, too. Anyone who remembers the 1990s might also recall every hatch worth its salt – Focus, Megane, 306, etc – having a saloon version. Nearly all of them were ungainly, and all had a reputation for being driven by a more senior generation.

Things have changed aesthetically, at least, for we wouldn’t call this a poorer relation to the i30 hatch. It’s longer, the roofline’s lower, and Hyundai’s tweaked the grille to make it look wider, too.

It’s also different under the skin. It rides 5mm lower than standard – not far off the i30 N’s suspension drop – and it’s stiffer than the regular hatch, too. That’s one way to keep the older driver out of it.

Sadly, it doesn’t get the N’s engine (for now, anyway). Instead it settles for the standard i30’s modest array of petrols and diesels. The one you want is a 138bhp 1.4-litre petrol turbo, which has a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes. The ones most people will buy are the 118bhp 1.0-litre petrol turbo or 108bhp 1.6-litre turbodiesel.

You can also spec just about every bit of safety tech or connectivity a car this size needs. Active cruise control, lane keep assist and wireless phone charging are the highlights.

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