2019 Hyundai i30 Fastback N Review Review

What’s under the skin?

Just like the hatch, the Fastback gets a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive. But while the hatchback is available with two power outputs and specs, the Fastback gets just the top one, partly because hardly anyone buys the lowliest hatch anyway. That means 271bhp, chunky 19-inch alloys and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, with a 0-62mph time of 6.1 seconds. Sat-nav and heated sports seats with a imitation suede/leather mix are standard.

Is it pricier and less practical than the hatchback?

Yes and no. At £29,995, the i30N Fastback carries a £500 premium over the equivalent hatchback. The two models share the same wheelbase, so rear legroom is the same, but the Fastback roof is 21mm lower from behind the front seats, squeezing rear headroom a little. But because the Fastback body is 120mm longer, luggage space increases from 395 to 450 litres. Overall weight increases just 12kg.

Does it feel different to the i30N hatchback?

Not really, but that’s a positive. Even at a gentle pace, the i30N Fastback feels pretty serious: the clutch is firm, the steering weighty, and the engine growls like a guard dog. The adaptive suspension feels noticeably firm, even on the motorway in Normal, the softest mode. Suspension settings are just slightly softer, but the same set-up is being introduced to the hatchback anyway.

The payback for the slightly agitated low-speed attitude comes with some real driver involvement on a challenging road. The steering has both pace and accuracy, brake feel is good, but as you carve through corners it’s the calm, composed feeling from the front end that’s most striking.

Partly this is because there’s very little body roll, and it’s partly because the front tyres feel like they’d peel up the Tarmac before actually letting go. Yet there’s also a playfulness to this chassis – lift the throttle mid-corner and the rear end steps out just a little, helping glide the nose into the corner. It’s an agile, confidence-inspiring sensation.

The turbocharged engine suits the chassis, with its low-down flexibility, juicy mid-range torque and impressive energy towards peak revs where some turbo cars can flag. It’s plenty quick enough rather than truly rapid, but the eager performance also gives the front tyres a work-out – any extra power and it might become a little scrabbly.

In a nutshell

The Hyundai i30N Fastback builds on the brilliant hatchback to provide something more mature and without direct competitor in the class. It also adds more luggage space with only a small penalty in rear headroom for a modest £500 price increase. Crucially, though, the i30N Fastback retains all its hot-hatch sibling’s fun and attitude when you dial up the pace on a great road. There are lots of great deals on used Hyundai i30 on finance with ChooseMyCar, as well as the entire Hyundai range of used cars.

Similar Car Reviews

If your budget doesn’t quite stretch to a Hyundai i30N Fastback, then there are lots of great alternative small family cars out on the market that we have reviewed for you. The Ford Fiesta is consistently one of the best selling cars in the UK and is known as a great to drive good value car.

The Mini may not have been seen as a small family car previously, but the new range of Mini’s are now much larger and practical, with the Mini Clubman & Mini Clubman John Cooper Works being somewhere in the middle of a small SUV and a three-door hatchback that’s more like a mini-estate. The Mini Cooper S also comes with a 5-door option.

But possibly the best alternative to the Hyundai 130N is the VW Polo. The latest model has sharp looks and a generous amount of space inside. With a wide choice of small petrol and diesel engines, as well as four different gearboxes, there is a polo to suit everyone.