Next Hyundai i30 Sedan N to be even sportier with widebody looks

The next-generation Hyundai Avante has been revealed in South Korea, with the twin to the Elantra and i30 Sedan (as it’s known in Australia) previewing a radical new design language.

Currently only revealed in its standard guise, it’s widely expected that the new Avante will become available as a Hyundai N performance model, given the success of the Elantra N and i30 Sedan N in global markets.

At the reveal of the Avante, Sang Yup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai’s global design department suggested the i30 Sedan N isn’t too far away.

“Even at this very moment, we’re preparing the sportiest Elantra (i30 Sedan) yet,” Sang said, according to CarSceneKorea. 

“Making the wide fenders even wider. Making the sporty feel even sportier. I’ve been counting down the days just as eagerly as all of you.”

Given the new Avante/Elantra/i30 Sedan is even boxier than the current model, its design bodes well for a performance makeover, given the existing N car is limited in how it differs from the base sedan.

The i30 Sedan N currently on sale in Australia shares the same 1825mm width as the standard i30 Sedan, while its front and rear track widths are also unchanged.

This doesn’t stop it from having 245mm wide tyres under its arches, though this too is only a 20mm increase on the standard model.

A wider body to fit bigger tyres may be necessary for the next i30 Sedan N, which is expected to be the first Hyundai N car to receive its new-generation turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Teased within the past week, the new engine debuted in a pair of TCR-based Elantra racers at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race in May, with the endurance event being used as a testbed for the new powertrain.

The Korean Car Blog reports the new engine will be a 2.5-litre unit, backing claims previously made by Hyundai that it would feature “improved power and response characteristics with enhanced race capability while meeting current emissions standards”.

Hyundai has previously vowed it’ll sell more than seven N models by 2030, one of which is expected to be the updated i30 Sedan N.

Hyundai N teases its new turbocharged engine

A new-generation four-cylinder turbo engine is soon heading under the bonnet of Hyundai’s N performance cars. This is what it sounds like.

TorquecafeJordan Mulach