Australia was once a nation in love with the sports sedan: affordably priced vehicles with sensible five-seat packaging, and the ability to punch well above their tax bracket.
Over the years, however, the beloved sports sedan has suffered something of a fall from grace. SUVs rose to fashion and, since the demise of our local car industry, new development of notable examples has been few and far between.
Now, Hyundai’s N Division has released the 2022 i30 Sedan N. A slick feature-filled performance sedan keenly positioned at $49k (before on-road costs), representing one of the most compelling cases for a circa-$50k sports sedan in recent times.
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There is only one-spec on offer, so you get the proverbial lot. The only additional costs you can opt for are the sunroof ($2000) and premium paint ($495).
The i30 Sedan N (known overseas as the Elantra), rounds out Phase II of N Division’s rapid rise to stardom within the pantheon of performance cars. The range now consists of the i20 N, i30 N Hatch and Kona N SUV, with the latest offering adding a booted sedan body to the fast family mix.
With eyes on the future, N Division have hinted that the next car in the pipeline will likely be electric, so expect to get familiar with the current range of boosted Korean compacts. Without giving too much away, the Sedan might be the pick of the litter.
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It’s generously equipped for its price point, featuring automatic LED front lights and LED rear lights, active variable exhaust, e-LSD, eight-speaker Bose premium sound system, 10.25-inch digital cluster, 10.25-inch central infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, keyless start, wireless charging pad, heated and ventilated N Sport front seats, leather upholstery, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control and 19-inch cast alloy wheels.
