The Hyundai i30 N Drive-N Limited Edition Looks Good, Drives The Same

The Hyundai i30 N is undoubtedly one of the best value hot hatches currently on the market, so the prospect of a special edition variant with more power, less weight, and a refined chassis had us fired up with excitement for the ultimate, driver-focussed hot hatch.

Alas, despite the intriguing naming of the new Hyundai i30 N Drive-N Limited Edition, the new car doesn’t feature any mechanical upgrades over the standard i30 N’s powertrain or the chassis, with only cosmetic changes being included in the package.

There’s a few subtle design tweaks to the exterior, such as matt bronze detailing for the forged 19-inch alloy wheels alongside new racing-inspired details on the front and rear bumpers, front wing and along the door sills. Red pinstripe elements carry over from the standard i30 N, which tie in nicely with the standard red-painted brake callipers. The Drive-N Limited Edition will only be offered with two colour options: Phantom Black or Serenity White, so opportunities for customisation will be relatively limited.

See also: And It’s Gone. Toyota GR86 Sells Out In The UK In 90 Minutes, No More Stock Likely

Hyundai has also tweaked the interior of the special edition i30 N, adding Alcantara touches to the centre console lid, steering wheel, gear lever and the handbrake. Red detailing has replaced the Performance Blue elements found in the original i30 N, while lightweight bucket seats, usually a £600 option, now feature as standard with red and gold highlights.

It’s not all doom-and-gloom when it comes to the new i30 N’s performance, though, as the existing i30 N powertrain combines a potent 273bhp turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and an electronically operated limited-slip differential. However, it’s safe to say that some performance upgrades would have been welcomed in the new special edition car.

Hyundai UK is yet to announce pricing for the i30 N Drive-N Limited Edition, which is something of a tongue twister, though we expect a slight increase over the base car’s £37,255 asking price with the lightweight seats installed.

Love driver-focussed cars? Read about the upcoming Toyota GR Supra with a manual gearbox.