2025 Hyundai i30 buyer's guide: The best picks for practicality, efficiency and performance

Would you believe me us if we told you that Hyundai Australia has sold more than 20,000 examples of the i30 every year since 2009? Well you should, because it has.

The i30 has been a consistent winner for the South Korean manufacturer in the small car segment, even managing to topple the venerable Toyota Corolla for total sales last year (something it did before if you included the Elantra before it was renamed as the i30 Sedan).

While 2024 has been something of a down year for the i30 from a volume perspective, it’s still the third best-selling small car on the market, even though buying one can be the source of a few headaches.

After all, Hyundai currently offers a grand total of 15 variants, spread across five powertrains, several trim grades and of course, two body styles.

That leaves plenty to unpack, so let’s break down the current i30 lineup and identify the sweet spots in the range, from budget-friendly base grades up to the N performance variants.

CarExpert can help you find the best deal on a new Hyundai i30. Check out our latest offers, and let us put you in touch with a dealer.

Pricing

Hyundai i30 pricing starts at $29,000 before on-road costs for the base sedan, and extends all the way up to $53,500 plus on-roads for the N hatch.

i30 Hatch

i30 Sedan

To see how the Hyundai i30 stacks up against its competitors, use our comparison tool.

Lifecycle

The third-generation Hyundai i30 was unveiled at the 2016 Paris motor show before launching Down Under in 2017.

It has since gone through multiple facelifts, the latest of which arrived this year.

Reports out of Korea suggest that an all-new i30 Sedan could launch as soon as 2026, although it’s unclear what the future holds for the hatch body style.

Curiously, the i30 Sedan wears different badging overseas – it’s known as the Avante in Korea, and (still) the Elantra in the US.

Significantly, the third-generation i30 marked the arrival of Hyundai’s N performance arm. The i30 N has become a staple of the lineup since, and it’s now available in both hatch and sedan form.

Deals are being offered on 100s of new cars now. Contact a dealer using CarExpert for the best deal or call our Concierge team on 1300 587 992.

Dimensions

The sedan is the larger of the two body styles, being longer and wider with an extended wheelbase. That also translates to extra boot space, although the hatch has a more accessible cargo area.

Deals are being offered on 100s of new cars now. Contact a dealer using CarExpert for the best deal or call our Concierge team on 1300 587 992.

Drivetrains and Efficiency

This is where it gets a little complicated. Five unique powertrains are offered across the i30 lineup, with a mix of hybridisation and forced induction.

Eco-conscious buyers are likely to gravitate to the hybrid powertrain, which quotes a combined fuel consumption of just 3.9L/100km and will happily drink base 91 RON unleaded petrol.

At the other end of the spectrum, the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine in the N packs the most punch with 206kW and 392Nm, sent to the front wheels via either a manual gearbox or a model-specific eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It’s the only powertrain that requires premium fuel.

Aside from the N, which gains the option of a manual transmission, the base sedan is the only standard variant to not offer a DCT. Instead, it pairs a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

All i30 models are front-wheel drive.

CarExpert can help you find the best deal on a new Hyundai i30. Check out our latest offers, and let us put you in touch with a dealer.

Safety

The Hyundai i30 Hatch range, excluding the hot N, has a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, which expires in December 2024.

Standard safety equipment on the Hyundai i30 Hatch includes:

• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Autonomous emergency braking
  • Junction assist
  • Pedestrian detection
  • Cyclist detection
  • Vehicle detection
• Blind-spot assist
• Driver attention warning
• Intelligent speed limit assist
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane Following Assist (lane centring)
• Rear occupant alert
• Rear cross-traffic assist

The Hyundai i30 Sedan has yet to be tested by ANCAP, nor Euro NCAP. It comes standard with the following safety equipment:

• Six airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Car detection
  • Motorcycle detection
  • Pedestrian detection
  • Cyclist detection
• Lane-keeping assist
• Lane Following Assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver attention warning
  • Leading Vehicle Departure Alert
• Intelligent Speed Limit Assist
• Adaptive cruise control with stop & go
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Tyre pressure monitoring

The Elite adds:

• Blind-spot assist
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Safe Exit Warning
• Bluelink connected services
  • Automatic collision notification
  • Emergency call function
  • Connected routing
  • Alert services
  • Remote climate control and vehicle functions
  • Navigation send to car
  • Voice recognition for POI lookup, vehicle controls
  • Live weather information
  • Vehicle settings management

The Premium and N Line Premium adds:

• Rear AEB
• Blind Spot View Monitor
• Surround-view camera

Hatch standard equipment

The N Line comes standard with the following equipment:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Proximity entry with push-button start
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Automatic LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 3 x USB-C outlets
• Wireless phone charger
• Leather and suede upholstery
• Four-way power driver’s lumbar
• Driver seat cushion extension
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
• Dual-zone climate control

The N Line Premium adds:

• Panoramic sunroof
• 12-way power driver’s seat with two-person memory
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Bluelink connected car services

The i30 N comes as standard with:

• 19-inch forged alloy wheels in grey (space-saver spare tyre)
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Electronic Control Suspension with Normal, Sport, and Sport+ modes
• Rear stiffness bar
• Revised N styling
• Automatic high-beam
• Reflector LED headlights
• LED daytime running lights (DRLs)
• LED tail-lights 
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
• Puddle lights
• Door handle courtesy lights
• Proximity entry with push-button start
• Rear privacy glass
• Cloth seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear selector
• Dual-zone climate control (with clean air function)
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Six-speaker sound system
• 3x USB-C charging points (one front, two rear)
• Wireless phone charging
• LED interior lighting

i30 NPremium variants add:

• Solar windscreen, front door glass
• Heated N Light bucket seats
• Alcantara upholstery with leather accents
• Heated steering wheel

Sedan standard equipment

The base i30 Sedan features:

• Reflector LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Full-sized spare
• Keyless entry
• 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen
• 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• Qi wireless phone charger
• 6-speaker sound system
• Electronic parking brake with auto hold
• Tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment
• Cloth upholstery
• Manually adjustable front seats
• Leather-appointed steering wheel and shifter
• Leather-appointed door trim inserts and armrests
• Air-conditioning
• Rear air vents

i30 Sedan Elite adds:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED rear positioning light
• Rain-sensing window wipers
• Power-folding side mirrors
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Bluelink connected services
  • Automatic collision notification
• DAB+ digital radio
• Dual-zone climate control
• Ambient interior lighting
• Keyless entry and push-button start
• Remote start
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Leather upholstery
• Blind-spot assist
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Safe Exit Warning

i30 Sedan Premium adds:

• Tilt and slide glass sunroof
• Projector LED headlights
• LED tail-lights
• Solar control glass
• 8-speaker Bose sound system
• Sliding sun visor extensions
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• 10-way power driver’s seat
• 2-position driver’s seat memory
• Rear AEB
• Blind-Spot View Monitor
• Surround-view camera

The i30 Sedan N Line adds on top of the standard i30 Sedan:

• N Line exclusive exterior
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Space-saver spare wheel
• Multi-link rear suspension
• Projector LED headlights
• LED tail-lights
• LED rear positioning light
• Rain-sensing window wipers
• N Line exclusive interior
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• Alloy pedals
• Paddle shifters
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Leather upholstery

The i30 Sedan N Line Premium adds:

• Tilt and slide glass sunroof
• Solar control glass
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• DAB+ digital radio
• Bluelink connected services
• Eight-speaker Bose sound system
• Ambient interior lighting
• Sliding sun visor extensions
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• 10-way power driver’s seat
• Two-position driver’s seat memory
• Rear AEB
• Blind Spot View Monitor
• Surround-view camera

Standard equipment on the i30 Sedan N Premium includes:

• Active variable exhaust
• Electronic Controlled Suspension
• Electro-mechanical limited-slip differential
• N Grin Shift (auto only)
• N Performance Driving Data System
• Performance brake package
• Rear stiffness bar
• Track Maps
• 19-inch forged black alloy wheels
• Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres
• Proximity entry with push-button start
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Power-folding exterior mirrors
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Wireless phone charger
• USB-C outlets front and rear
• Alloy sports pedals
• Leather upholstery
• Front sports seats
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• 10-way power driver’s seat
• Electro-chromatic interior mirror

Colours

Atlas White is the standard paint colour across the i30 range. The following finishes are available at an additional cost of $595.

All variants:

• Ultimate Red
• Abyss Black

Hatch only:

• Cypress Green
• Sailing Blue
• Shadow Grey
• Shimmering Silver

Sedan only:

• Ecotronic Grey
• Intense Blue
• Amazon Gray (excluding base)
• Fluid Metal (excluding base)
• Meta Blue (excluding base)
• Cyber Grey (N Line only)

N only:

• Performance Blue Solid
• Engine Red (hatch only)

Servicing and Warranty

All Hyundai models are backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with maintenance-dependant roadside assistance.

Service intervals vary depending on the model – sedans equipped with the hybrid powertrain or CVT require maintenance every 12 months or 15,000km, while the rest of range is subject to 12 month/10,000km intervals.

Maintenance costs are capped for the lifetime of the vehicle, regardless of variant.

CarExpert can help you find the best deal on a new Hyundai i30. Check out our latest offers, and let us put you in touch with a dealer.

Competitors

Across both the hatch and sedan markets, the i30 has plenty of rivals to contend with.

It’s impossible to ignore the Toyota Corolla, Australia’s best-selling small car, which is also available in both hatch and sedan form.

The Mazda 3 and Kia Cerato also go toe-to-toe with the i30 in the small car segment, especially at the lower end of the i30 range.

Electric alternatives include the MG4, BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora, although none boast the market share of the combustion-engined heavyweights.

Narrowing in on the performance-focused i30 N, affordable performance cars are harder to come by but the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Skoda Octavia RS, Cupra Leon VZ, Toyota GR Yaris, and Subaru WRX all fit the bill.

Sales data

As mentioned at the start of this guide, the i30 has been a consistently strong seller since arriving Down Under in 2007.

Annual sales haven’t fallen below 20,000 since 2008, although 2023 was the i30’s worst sales year for the last 15 years.

The numbers for 2024 are ominous, too. Hyundai recorded just 10,536 deliveries to the end of October, a 41.5 percent drop on last year’s sales over the same period.

i30 sales peaked back in 2016, when Hyundai managed 37,772 deliveries, according to VFACTS data.

Buying a Hyundai i30

Hatch or sedan? Petrol or hybrid? Base or top-spec? Those are the questions facing potential i30 buyers. Here are the best options, based on your needs.

For the grocery run

Urban errands are best completed in a vehicle with a comfortable cabin, efficient powertrain and spacious boot.

With those criteria in mind, it’s hard to look past the i30 Sedan Hybrid Elite.

The sedan brings a larger boot than the hatch, which will come in handy after you’ve spent a couple of hours at IKEA. The hybrid also consumes the least fuel of any i30, sipping just 3.9L/100km.

While the base trim grade ticks the boxes for practicality and efficiency, it’s worth spending up for the Elite to access some creature comforts.

Upgrades for the Elite include improved interior tech, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, extra safety features, and leather upholstery. Well worth the $4500 premium, if you ask us.

You can check out our full review of the Hyundai i30 Hybrid here.

For a comfortable commute

Once again we’re favouring the sedan here, but this time in Premium trim.

Admittedly, the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine isn’t our pick of the bunch from an efficiency and performance standpoint, but its pairing with a CVT transmission should make for a smooth driving experience.

On top of that, you get heated and ventilated front seats, an eight-speaker sound system, surround-view camera, and a sunroof, all luxury features to dim the stress of a hard week at work.

Speaking of relieving stress, the Sedan Premium wears a price tag of $38,500 before on-road costs – hardly breaking the bank considering the long list of inclusions.

For the racetrack

A select few new car buyers will be heading to their local Hyundai showroom for a track toy, and we’d encourage those thrill-seekers to get behind the wheel of an i30 N Premium hatch.

Each of the six i30 N variants have merit, but the Premium hatch adds heated N light bucket seats to the mix, an essential addition for lovers of spirited driving.

As for the question of a manual or dual-clutch gearbox, we’ll leave that up to you. Purists will insist on a do-it-yourself stick shift, but the DCT in the i30 N offers lightning-quick shifts and tactile shift paddles.

Either way, you can’t lose.

Stay tuned for our review of the 2025 Hyundai i30 N, coming soon!

Interested in buying a Hyundai i30? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here

MORE: Everything Hyundai i30