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Hyundai i30 N ushers in a new age of performance with Seoul

276-hp hot Hyundai hatch to hunt Honda Civic Si, VW GTI, Ford Focus ST.

Chris Paukert
Following stints in TV news production and as a record company publicist, Chris spent most of his career in automotive publishing. Mentored by Automobile Magazine founder David E. Davis Jr., Paukert succeeded Davis as editor-in-chief of Winding Road, a pioneering e-mag, before serving as Autoblog's executive editor from 2008 to 2015. Chris is a Webby and Telly award-winning video producer and has served on the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. He joined the CNET team in 2015, bringing a small cache of odd, underappreciated cars with him.
Chris Paukert
2018 Hyundai i30N
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The Hyundai i30 N is based on what we know as the Elantra GT.

2018 Hyundai i30N
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A high-performance 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder whips up 276 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

2018 Hyundai i30N
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More aggressive front and rear fascias drive home the i30 N's performance mission.

2018 Hyundai i30N
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The i30 N was honed on Germany's infamous Nürburgring circuit.

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The i30 N's cabin is dominated by a beefier new wheel and an 8-inch floating display, which details various drive modes and a g-meter, among other things.

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An electronic limited-slip differential and an electronically controlled suspension should help on-track performance.

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Headlamps receive black bezels.

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Wheels are 18- or 19-inch depending on spec, and they're wrapped in performance rubber.

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A variable-outlet exhaust trigggers "after-burn sound" when the drive mode selector is set to Sport+. 

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A six-speed manual is the only gearbox available.

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More heavily bolstered seats are a key part of the i30 N's cabin upgrades.

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If you're not yet a master with three pedals, the i30 N will help you with rev-matched downshifts and a launch control mode.

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Keep clicking or swiping through for more images of Hyundai's new i30 N.

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The i30 N stops short of competing with Honda's Civic Type R and Ford's Focus RS... but who knows what the future of N holds?

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