The new Hyundai i30 N returns as a hybrid hot hatch and one of the performance cars to look forward to in 2027. This is exciting for the European market.
Hyundai just confirmed the i30 N is making a comeback after being killed off in Europe last year. But there’s a catch: the new version won’t be pure gas anymore. The Korean automaker is ditching the current turbocharged 2.0-liter engine for a hybrid setup, probably dropping the manual transmission too. Word is the refreshed model could hit European showrooms by late 2026 or early 2027. With the Focus ST and Civic Type R gone from Europe, the i30 N will mainly go head-to-head with the Golf GTI and the upcoming GR Corolla. Hyundai’s N division says they’re planning seven new performance models by 2030, mixing gas, hybrid, and electric powertrains across the lineup.
Adding to the fun of European hot hatches
The Hyundai i30 N was never marked for the United States, but will remain a European model. As a Golf GTI competitor, it could be a lot of fun to grab the i30 N and experience its hybrid powertrain during a European vacation. Just make sure that vacation doesn’t turn into something out of the National Lampoons movie franchise. Instead of calling it dead, Hyundai could have simple informed the world that it was taking a year off from building the i30 N, giving us the chance to catch our breath before the new model. Regardless, this impressive little car should provide some serious fun and excitement when it returns to the market and competes with some of the top performers in the European hot hatch market.
Has the change in EV strategies brought back the Hyundai i30 N?
Many automakers have begun to back off of their originally aggressive plans to build electric vehicles and push toward half or more of their lineups being made of EVs. Despite European and Asian markets continuing to embrace electric vehicles, the progression of these vehicles has slowed. This leaves room for more hybrids, which seem to be the future of the automotive market, at least for now. Hybrids offer the benefits of gas and electricity in one powertrain, giving drivers the desired power and good fuel mileage simultaneously.
The first Hyundai hot hatch continues
Although the hot hatch market in the United States has cooled significantly, European drivers embrace these cars and enjoy them across the continent. The Hyundai i30 N is the first hot hatch from the brand, launched in 2017 and updated in 2020. The company said it was killing it off, but what they meant was they were killing off the gas-powered version. At the time of the announcement, which took place last year, Hyundai spokespeople said the company was looking to focus on high-performance EVs in the European market, but they have since had a change of heart.
Although the i30 N was deleted in Europe, it continued to be sold in Australia and New Zealand with some minor updates. By 2027, this car will be a hybrid and could be the new top dog in the European market when it arrives.
The Hyundai i30 N is only the beginning
Hyundai is bringing seven new models with the N badging on them by 2030. That could be a wide variety of high-performance Hyundai vehicles on the road, and hopefully, some of them will make it to the United States. These new N models will run the range of gas, hybrid, and EV models to give various markets more fun and active vehicles to drive and experience.
Hyundai sees hybrids as key to the future
Performance cars continue to get better, more powerful, and faster. In order to meet various government regulations, hybrid powertrains could be necessary in future performance vehicles. Unfortunately, adding hybrid powertrains to the mix means fewer models will have manual transmissions, which could cause some grumbling among driving purists looking for stick shifts to be able to row their gears. The new i30 N and the next-generation i20 N will have dual-clutch transmissions instead of manual gearboxes.
While most details of the new Hyundai i30 N are scant, expect this new generation hot hatch to arrive for the 2027 model year. If you head to Europe after that time, you could rent one and experience the fun of driving it around on the Old Continent. Are you booking your trip to Europe for 2028 yet?
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