Talk about icing on the cake.

Last week it was the Hyundai i20 N, this week we slip behind the wheel of its big brother the i30 Sedan N.

Think same idea, just larger and more luxurious, with an auto for those who would rather not change gears manually.

Like the i20 N it's probably on a short leash as the company continues its shift to fully electric vehicles, with cars like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 N variants.

STYLING

i30 N comes as a hatch or sedan, with the same 2.0-litre turbocharged power plant.

The five-door hatch is priced from $52,000, the Premium version from $55,500 before on-roads.

The sedan is available in Premium form only, priced from $53,000.

An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is standard, a six-speed manual is a no cost option.

It's an all-inclusive package, with premium paint ($595) and a sunroof ($2000) the only options.

The i30 Sedan N was last updated in early 2024, with an aggressive exterior restyle.

The edgy styling may not be to everyone's liking, but it's certainly eye-catching.

New 19-inch black forged alloy wheels are lighter than those fitted previously, and bring better handling and a more aggressive look.

It's available in seven colours, including N-signature Performance Blue which along with white are no cost options - the rest add $595.

Inside, the updated sedan gets an N-specific steering wheel and shift knob, instrument cluster and infotainment systems as well as N light sport bucket seats with illuminated logo.

With two-zone climate air, the part leather sports seats are both heated and cooled, plus a heated steering wheel and three personalised user profiles.

Other new kit includes intelligent speed limit assist (ISLA) which uses navigation data and road sign recognition to inform the driver of the speed limit.

There's also a revised wireless charger designed to accommodate larger mobile phones, additional USB-C outlets (1 x front and 2 x rear) and Bluelink connected car services.

i30 Sedan N is covered by a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty provided the car is serviced with Hyundai, otherwise it reverts to five years/unlimited kilometres.

SAFETY

In terms of safety, the i30 looks even worse on paper than the i20 which gets a four-star safety rating.

The i30 Sedan N remains unrated for safety, while other variants of the sedan receive just three stars.

There are six airbags, a reversing camera with guidelines and the Hyundai Smartsense system that comprises auto emergency braking, along with auto high beam, blind-spot collision avoidance, lane following and lane keep assist (line/road-edge), rear cross-traffic collision warning, driver attention warning, and rear occupant alert.

ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS

The four-cylinder engine produces 206kW of power from 5500-6000 rpm, and 392Nm of torque from 2100-4700 rpm, with 213kW and 378Nm of torque available on over-boost for 20 seconds.

The eight-speed wet clutch style auto with paddle shifters is standard, while a short-throw, six-speed manual is available at no extra cost.

DRIVING

The i30 Sedan N is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, with drive to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission or eight-speed dual clutch auto, together with two modes - Normal and Sport.

It adds up to a 0 to 100km/h time of 5.8 seconds for the manual and 5.3 seconds for the auto, with top speed electronically limited to 250km/h.

Our test vehicle was the slick, fast-changing auto, which is right on the money and perhaps a better proposition as a daily driver, especially in traffic.

Chassis upgrades include a reinforced engine mount membrane, for reduced vibration and improved agility, G-bushing reinforcement for improved yaw response and steering precision, and a new rear suspension S/ABS insulator on the rear support.

Braking performance and fade resistance has been enhanced with upgraded electronic stability control (ESC) software and a new thermal protector on the front brake hoses.

Needless to say, the i30 Sedan N is a thrilling car to drive, as quick as it is nimble.

It's right up there with the GTI, WRX, Type-R and Renault Megane RS - and it is worth pointing out the WRX is the only one that's all-wheel drive.

Surprisingly, the i30 is the easiest and most comfortable to drive and this fact should not be overlooked in the decision-making process.

Depending on what drive mode is selected, there's a real bark from the exhaust on throttle overrun.

Reading the fine print though, it's artificially enhanced.

Launch control is part of the deal, but only really used when it comes to impressing your mates.

The bad news is that you have to wait three minutes between launches for the powertrain to cool off.

Geeks will love the race computer that allows you to customise just about every aspect of the drive experience.

But all you really need to do is select N mode, hold on tight and enjoy the best bang for your buck money can buy at the moment.

Don't get caught up in pointless discussions about whether the brakes are up to it or not - just enjoy the hell out of the car.

There's no turbo lag, power delivery is extremely smooth and linear, gear changes are a snap, the steering is pin-sharp, there's plenty of bite from the brakes and plenty of mid-corner grip from the Pirellis.

Rev matching blips the throttle automatically on gear changes and also sounds great.

We were however disappointed to find it misses out on some of the advances in car safety.

A form of auto emergency braking (AEB) is fitted, but it's not as sophisticated as the system in the standard i30 and it doesn't get adaptive cruise control.

The system lacks pedestrian detection and cyclist detection.

There's also no blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and the auto braking doesn't work in reverse.

With a 47-litre tank, the car takes premium 95 RON unleaded, with fuel consumption rated at 8.3L/100km.

We were getting 7.7L/100km after close to 400km with a bit of hard driving thrown in.

The long-term average however for more than 6000km was 11.1L/100km.

SUMMING UP

Like the i20 N, the i30 Sedan N represents excellent value for a performance machine.

It's not as good looking as the Fastback, but you get over it soon enough.

After all, it's the performance that you're buying it for.

One note of caution.

The car sits very low with a low roofline and this can make getting in and out problematic - more so the older you are.

And watch out for that boot lid.

Unless you push it all the way up, it's going to come crashing down on the back of your head . . . ouch!

RATINGS:

Looks: 7.5

Performance: 8

Safety: 5

Thirst: 7.5

Practicality: 7

Comfort: 7.5

Tech: 7.5

Value: 8

Overall: 7.3

AT A GLANCE

MODEL LINE-UP

Hyundai i30 Sedan N, priced from $53,000

Hyundai i30 Sedan N with sunroof, priced from $55,000

Premium paint, $595

Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges.

Contact your local Hyundai dealer for drive-away prices.

SPECIFICATIONS (Hyundai i30 Sedan N 2.0L T-GDI Turbo 4-cylinder petrol, 8sp DCT, FWD)

STANDARD WARRANTY:

Seven years / unlimited kilometres if serviced by Hyundai (Five years / unlimited kilometres otherwise)