Three Doors Down
Hyundai is gearing up to revive the gasoline-powered i30 N, injecting excitement back into the global hot hatch scene. Yet once again, the United States is left watching from the sidelines.
According to Autocar, the reborn i30 N is aimed squarely at markets outside America. For US enthusiasts, it is a familiar story. The original i30 N never came here either, despite its cult following overseas and its status as the car that launched Hyundai’s N performance brand.
But there is a silver lining. The spirit of the i30 N has already lived on in America once before, in the Veloster N, a quirky three-door hatchback that shared its core mechanicals with the European original. The Veloster N became a surprise hero for American drivers who wanted a raw, engaging, front-wheel drive performance car. Its disappearance left a void, but Hyundai’s recent engineering moves suggest that void might not remain empty for long.
Why We Miss Out, and Why That Might Change
Hyundai’s decision to keep the i30 N abroad stems from simple market math. Compact hatchbacks are niche sellers in the US, and electrification pressures in Europe pushed Hyundai to focus resources where demand is strongest. The brand retired the i30 N and i20 N in 2024, while emphasising high-performance EVs such as the Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N. Many assumed that signaled the end of combustion for N models.
Now, Hyundai is making clear that combustion will still play a role in its performance future, with hybrid assistance expected in the revived i30 N. That fact alone does not promise American entry, but it does hint at something more important. Hyundai is not done building engine-driven performance cars. And that opens the door for a new US-bound model that fills the space the Veloster N left behind.
Hyundai
The Veloster N: Our Best Clue for What’s Coming
The biggest reason for optimism comes from Hyundai’s recent development mule: a wild Veloster-based prototype that hides a brand-new high-revving combustion engine. They mounted it mid-ship for testing purposes, but its layout is flexible. The key detail is the mule itself. Hyundai chose the Veloster of all things as its test bed.
This choice suggests Hyundai sees value in resurrecting the Veloster’s role as the US-friendly gateway to N performance. The brand does not test engines in old shells by coincidence. That makes this mule feel less like a quirky engineering experiment and more like a quiet signal that Hyundai is preparing a next-generation Veloster N or a Veloster-like successor that channels the same snappy, playful, daily drivable magic.
What the World Gets and What We Might Get Soon
Autocar spy shots from the British publication show that the facelifted third-generation i30 will debut next year, with the reborn i30 N expected by late 2026 or early 2027. Hyundai has already confirmed plans for seven new N models by 2030 with combustion, hybrid, and electric powertrains. That is a wide enough umbrella to fit an all-new small performance car tailored for the US.
So while we once again miss out on the i30 N nameplate, the signs point to something equally exciting on the horizon. If Hyundai’s Veloster-based test mule is any indication, the next great N car for America may already be warming up. And if it captures the spirit of the old Veloster N, American fans could end up with a comeback that is more rewarding than getting the i30 N ever would have been.
Hyundai
from Autoblog News https://ift.tt/BLVv1Ib
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