2021 Hyundai i30 N hatch teaser images revealed

Hyundai confirmed an automatic gearbox for the i30 N earlier this year and has now teased the hot hatch’s new look. The updated car is due to land in Australia by early 2021.

Along with the new transmission option, which is sure to broaden appeal, Hyundai has also updated the look of the i30 N hatch with more aggressive styling and slinkier lighting.

We already know that there will be a fetching set of Alcantara-clad bucket seats available, too, but there is no more information about interior updates yet.

The eight-speed ‘N DCT’ dual-clutch box should open up a wider market for the i30 N, making it a bonafide competitor with the Golf GTI for both driving enjoyment and everyday usability. We expect some of the other upgrades to improve the drive, perhaps even to Civic Type R levels.

Hyundai’s new gearbox is a wet-clutch unit, the brand says this will provide greater component longevity, and on the Veloster N lowers the 0-100km/h sprint to just 5.6 seconds.

This is in conjunction with an overboost function – Hyundai calls it N Grin Shift, or NGS for short – which increases torque for up to 7 seconds, from 350Nm up to 377Nm. Naturally, a six-speed do-it-yourself ‘box will remain an option for the i30 N.

Other changes include an all-new set of forged 19-inch alloy wheels which, Hyundai claims, will shave a total of 19kg from the i30 N. Being unsprung mass, this should improve the ride quality and responses of the updated i30 N. Oh, and they look better, too.

The front of the updated i30 N now more closely resembles its Veloster stablemate with a broader grille opening that flows more naturally into the bumper’s lower vents. New V-shaped LED signatures will finish off the aggressive stance of the updated i30 N hatch.

Around the rear, those dual exhaust pipes appear to grow even larger than before; the diffuser remains, and overall Hyundai has created a more imposing look with sharper angles adorning the rear bumper. As with the front, there are more intricate LED taillights for 2021.

Hyundai has not made any other comments on the powertrain for the 2021 i30 N, just that with the updates listed “the new i30 N will be ready to tackle the road and the track”. We will have more information closer to the car’s Australian launch in 2021.