2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan N-Line renders reveal athletic intentions

John Law

Contributor

Last week, editor Tom was lucky enough to preview the all-new Hyundai i30 Sedan – the brand’s Elantra replacement – ahead of its full launch later this year.

In that video he referred to the still camoed-up N-Line variant of that car, well, Hyundai has revealed renderings showing what the sportier variant will look like when it arrives in 2021.

While Elantra might be the more familiar name, for 2021 Hyundai Australia will drop the older badge in favour of the more streamlined title of i30 Sedan, with the new car largely mirroring the styling of the updated hatch.

2021 Hyundai i30 sedan side — *The non N-Line i30 Sedan.*

But this is the first time we’ve seen the updated N-Line body shape. Taking cues from the Germans, Hyundai pitches its N-Line products as sportier variants of their regular vehicles, sitting between those and full-fledged N models.

More of those will be coming in the next 12 months, and it’s likely we’ll see the N-Line sub-brand grow as Hyundai pushes for greater interest from private buyers. Naturally, this will put the new i30 in direct competition with the Volkswagen Golf and Honda Civic.

Defining the N-Line Sedan from side-on a set of five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels. The front end is perhaps the most telling angle, though, with the N-Line Sedan’s grille growing in width, and sharper edges dominating the bumper design.

2021 Hyundai i30 N-Line sedan Front — *The N-Line looks much more aggressive.*

The sharp-edged cents will mark the front end out on the road, as will the updated LED signatures above the lights that will further accentuate the Sedan’s width.

A ‘heckblende’ style LED strip runs the width of the N-Line Sedan, as it does in the regular car, though the designers have accentuated the boot lid’s acute angle. The renderings show promise – in fact, we think the BMW 4 Series design team could learn a thing or two back here.

Enhancing the sporting credentials further are bespoke side skirts, and a pair of real exhaust pipes exiting below the trapezoid-themed rear bumper.

2021 Hyundai i30 N-Line sedan Rear — *A sharp bootlid and full-length LED signature just pop.*

The peculiar triangle motive remains from the regular Sedan, we’ve not made our minds up on that detail yet, but it’s certainly something that marks the heavily facelifted i30 Sedan out from its competition.

Inside the N-Line will most-likely borrow a lot from the less sporty variants, and in this case we reckon that’s a good thing. The refreshed interior design is different and pleasing to the eye, though presumably red stitching and faux carbon fibre will rear their heads in the N-Line.

As for what will provide power for the i30 Sedan N-Line, details have not been confirmed yet. However, the regular i30 Sedan utilises a new Smartstream two-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder with a power output of 117kW.

2021 Hyundai i30 sedan Interior — *The regular car’s interior. Expect the N-Line to be fairly similar.*

It’s plausible that the brand’s 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection engine will carry over for 2021. Found in the current i30 N-Line hatch, that engine kicks 150kW and 265Nm to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

There has been no word on the hybrid powertrain slated for US market cars, though we doubt it will make it to the sportier N-Line Sedan.

Just like the non-sporty variants, the N-Line will very likely have an Australian specific suspension tune developed for it. However the settings will be on the more athletic side of comfortable, we presume.