Goodbye Elantra, hello i30 Sedan.

    The 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan is ready to partner the hatchback and tackle the Toyota Corolla on the sales charts, offering a choice of two engines and four trim levels and prices close to the older hatchback model.

    UPDATE, 22/06/21 – Details have been revealed for the i30 Sedan N Line Special Edition, while prices are up $400 across the range. We’ve updated this article and brought it forward.

    Prices start at $25,190 before on-road costs for the Active manual, topping out at $37,690 before on-roads for the N-Line Premium auto.

    The i30 Sedan range structure mostly mirrors that of the i30 Hatch, though the hatchback offers a trim level below the i30 Sedan’s entry-level Active grade.

    As with the i30 Hatch, an independent rear suspension is standard on the N Line and N Line Premium models while the rest of the range makes do with a torsion-beam rear axle.

    N Line models also add 305mm ventilated front brake rotors, 25mm larger than those in the Active and Elite.

    In contrast with the i30 Hatch, the i30 Sedan offers blind-spot monitoring, safe-exit alert and rear cross-traffic alert in the N Line manual.

    Automatic Elite, N Line and N Line Premium models upgrade to blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assist, which will apply the brakes if you continue to head towards the path of another vehicle after the system warns you.

    The Elite, N Line and N Line Premium also have a parking collision avoidance assist system that applies the brakes if you’re reversing and it detects an obstacle.

    The i30 Sedan defies small car segment conventions by being more visually daring than its hatchback counterpart, in stark contrast to the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla hatch and sedan.

    The replacement for the Elantra – which will still be called Elantra in other markets – is no hatchback with a box on the back, wearing more exciting styling inside and out than its five-door counterpart.

    What does it cost?

    • 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan Active manual: $25,190
    • 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan Active auto: $27,190
    • 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line Special Edition auto: $29,690
    • 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line manual: $30,690
    • 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan Elite auto: $31,190
    • 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line auto: $32,690
    • 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line Premium auto: $37,690

    All prices exclude on-road costs.

    Metallic paint is a $495 option across the range.

    How much should I pay?

    At the end of the day, the price you pay at the dealership will be dependent on a number of factors such as when you want to buy (is the dealership chasing sales?), the age of the model you’re purchasing (is a new generation model being launched soon) and of course your strength as a negotiator.

    Engines

    The 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan offers a choice of two engines, both wearing Hyundai’s new Smartstream branding.

    Active and Elite models use a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 117kW of power and 191Nm of torque, mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

    N Line and N Line Premium models feature a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with 150kW of power and 265Nm of torque, mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

    Fuel Economy

    Hyundai claims a combined fuel economy of 7.0L/100km in models equipped with the 2.0-litre engine, 7.5L/100km in turbocharged manual models and 6.8L/100km in turbocharged automatic models.

    All models have a 47L fuel tank and run on 91RON regular unleaded fuel.

    Dimensions

    The 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan measures 4650mm long (4675mm in N Line models), 1430mm tall and 1825mm wide.

    Luggage space measures 474L.

    Servicing and Warranty

    The 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of capped-price servicing.

    The i30 Sedan requires servicing every 12 months or 15,000km (10,000km in turbo models).

    The first five services cost $299 in all models.

    Safety

    The i30 Sedan has yet to be tested by ANCAP. As it isn’t sold in Europe, there’s no Euro NCAP rating to use as a reference either. It’s worth noting the US’s IIHS awarded the i30 Sedan’s US-market Elantra twin a 2021 Top Safety Pick rating.

    All 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan models come standard with autonomous emergency braking with forward-collision warning, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and a junction turning function.

    Also standard are lane-keep assist, lane-following assist, rear occupant alert and driver attention monitoring.

    Safe exit alert and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alert systems are available on all bar the Active – blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert in the N Line manual, and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assist in the N Line auto, Elite and N Line Premium models.

    Rear parking collision avoidance assist is standard on the Elite and N Line Premium.

    The N Line Special Edition mirrors the base Active in terms of safety equipment.

    Standard Equipment

    The Active comes standard with:

    • 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
    • Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
    • 4.2-inch colour supervision screen in instrument cluster
    • Leather upholstery
    • 17-inch alloy wheels
    • Adaptive cruise control with stop/go (automatic only)
    • Reversing camera with rear parking sensors
    • Qi wireless phone charging
    • Electronic parking brake
    • Rear air-conditioning vents

    The N Line Special Edition adds:

    • N sport seats with leather bolsters
    • Leather-wrapped N steering wheel
    • Independent rear suspension
    • Gloss black spoiler
    • Unique front bumper, headlight and tail light detailing and rear diffuser
    • Chrome dual exhaust outlets
    • 18-inch alloy wheels

    The N Line adds:

    • Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert (N Line manual)
    • Blind-spot assist and rear cross-traffic assist (N Line auto)
    • Rain-sensing wipers
    • Dual-zone climate control
    • Keyless entry and start
    • Remote start
    • Automatic LED headlights
    • LED tail lights
    • Power-folding exterior mirrors

    Over the Active, the Elite adds:

    • 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
    • Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
    • Satellite navigation
    • 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
    • Keyless entry and start
    • Eight-speaker Bose premium sound system
    • Dual-zone climate control
    • Power boot lid
    • Remote start
    • Ambient lighting
    • Two-tone interior
    • Power-folding exterior mirrors

    The N Line Premium adds the Elite and N Line’s extra equipment (bar the two-tone interior) and also adds:

    • 10-way power driver’s seat
    • Heated and ventilated front seats
    • Sunroof
    • Front parking sensors

    MORE: Hyundai i30 news, reviews, comparisons and videos

    William Stopford

    William Stopford is an automotive journalist based in Brisbane, Australia. William is a Business/Journalism graduate from the Queensland University of Technology who loves to travel, briefly lived in the US, and has a particular interest in the American car industry.

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