After a lot of teasing with camouflaged prototypes, Hyundai has finally uncovered the i20N, which looks to take on Ford's Fiesta ST and the VW Polo GTI in the performance sub-compact sector.
As with most Hyundai models of late, the designers have left nothing on the table with this little hatchback, taking inspiration from the rally-ready i20 Coupe WRC car.
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In our opinion, this new i20N wears the N colours better than any other fast Hyundai, with the aggressive body lines complimenting the red and black trims. You'll also notice how aggressive the new front and rear ends look.
A set of blacked-out 18-inch wheels fill the guards of the little hatch and are wrapped in Pirelli rubber. It's also worth noting the little reflector in the rear bumper for when someone decides to enter it into Le Mans, of course.
Under the hood sits a little turbocharged 1.6-litre engine that makes 152kW/275Nm. This is up on power compared to its rivals from Ford and VW, but down in the torque department.
Like the i30N, this little hatch is exclusively offered with a six-speed manual transmission that's paired with a limited-slip differential on the front axle.
When it comes to performance, it will do the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.7 seconds before topping out 230km/h. This makes it a little bit slower than the Fiesta ST's claimed 6.5 seconds.
In terms of the chassis and suspension, the N is significantly stiffer than the regular i20. The brakes have been upgraded with new callipers and 12.6-inch front rotors to improve stopping power.
On the inside, the i20N looks reminiscent of the i30N with sports seats, a steering wheel that features the famous 'N' button, and Hyundai's regular infotainment system.
It's still unknown as to whether we will be getting this little Korean firecracker here in NZ or not, but we have reached out to Hyundai and will update the article when we get a response.
