These two $40K warm hatchbacks take different approaches when it comes to rewarding the driver. Let’s see which one does it better.
Overview
Do you want a hatchback with sporty style? A frisky five-door that’s fast but not too flash, and you don’t have the money or the desire to pony up for peak performers like the Hyundai i30 N or the Volkswagen Golf GTI?
You’re in luck. Both Hyundai and Volkswagen make what we’re calling sporty with spice. These two machines bridge the gap between mainstream hatchbacks and hot hatches, but they do it in subtly different ways.
Let’s take a look at these two and see which one does it better.
Introduction
Hyundai i30
As one of the mainstays of Australia’s small car segment, the 2021 Hyundai i30 range offers a little bit of something for everyone, from cheap runabouts to hot hatch heroes.
Second only to the Corolla in sales, the i30 includes – for the first time – sedan and hatch variants. The edgy sedan is a new design, but for now the hatch is an updated version of a model available since 2017.
In the case of the 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium hatch, the updates may not appear at first glance – externally there’s not much to set the new model apart, but inside the changes are more pronounced.
Sitting just below the i30 N hot hatch hero, the i30 N Line Premium starts from $34,220 plus on-road costs base price – a comfy $10K under the i30 N, and just under $11K more than a base i30 – all when equipped with a manual transmission.
The more popular option, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, adds $2000 to the price. Opting for one of the available premium paint finishes, like the Intense Blue seen here, adds another $495.
As far as options go, though, that’s it. The i30 N Line Premium hatch is otherwise standard with a full swag of equipment (more in a moment) – of particular note, though, are the sporty exterior styling cues.
Gloss-black mirrors, 18-inch alloy wheels, N design front and rear bumpers, a mesh grille, black bezel LED headlamps, and partial LED tail-lights all help set the N Line apart from other members of the i30 range.
In a similar vein, sport styled and warm hatch models like the closely related Kia Cerato GT, Mazda 3 G25 GT, or the Skoda Scala Monte Carlo might also fall on your consideration list – falling into a similarly sporty niche with close mid-$30K pricing.
Sitting atop the mainstream Volkswagen Golf range, the Golf R-Line aims to inject some sporting style into the very liveable non-performance Golf range.
Want to go a little faster? There’s the Golf GTI and soon the Golf R for that, but if getting the look matters most, perhaps the R-Line is for you.
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf R-Line arrives as what could potentially be the last of its kind. As traditional small-car sales shrink, buyers look to SUV alternatives, and overseas emissions regulations push electric vehicles to the fore, the eighth-generation Golf might be the last Golf as we know it.
Putting its best foot forward, this new Golf does what every Golf since the first generation seems to have done so well. Evolving the breed, rather than revolutionising it. Adding new tech, features and finesse, and upholding the Golf’s position as something of an upmarket option among more fleet-focused competitors.
Priced from $37,450 plus on-road costs, the Golf R-Line won’t grab attention with bargain pricing, though that position belongs to the entry-level Golf 110TSI from $29,350 as a manual or $31,950 as an automatic.
All members of the Golf range, before the more sporty Golf GTI, share the same 1.4-litre turbocharged engine and eight-speed automatic. The latter is a new-to-Golf addition in Australia after years of dual-clutch automatics.
Aimed at similar near-prestige rivals like the Mazda 3 G25 Astina and Peugeot 308 GT-Line (the current model is on borrowed time), the new Golf separates itself from the pack with a focus on tech.
| Key details | 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium | 2021 Volkswagen Golf R Line |
| Price (MSRP) | $36,220 plus on-road costs | $37,450 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Intense blue | Moonstone grey |
| Options | Metallic paint – $495 | Sound & Vision package – $1500 Premium paint – $300 |
| Price as tested | $36,715 plus on-road costs | $39,250 plus on-road costs |
Inside
Hyundai i30 As one with the lot, the i30 N Line Premium carries a long list of standard equipment.Leather-appointed seats, steering wheel and gear selector, N Line front sport seats, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, and wireless phone charging are all along for the ride.
Setting the N Line Premium apart from other models in the range are exclusive features like a powered driver’s seat, heating and ventilation for the front seats, solar-control window glass, a panoramic sunroof, and a self-dimming interior mirror.
The exterior may be dressed up in activewear, but inside there are plenty of items to pamper occupants.
With a relatively tall and upright roof line, compared to swoopier hatches like the Mazda 3 or Toyota Corolla, the i30 provides useful space for adult occupants, both front and rear.
While the front seats have a sporty profile and additional bolstering, they’re still roomy enough for freedom of movement. Rear seat passengers get a more traditional bench seat, with flash red seatbelts, and rear ventilation outlets.
As nice as it is inside, the interior presentation feels a little off the pace. The interior is certainly well-built and feels sturdy, but looks a touch dated. All the more so when you place the i30 hatch alongside its fresher sedan counterpart.
The way the infotainment screen sticks out, and the clunky digital display integration, feels like a bit of a rushed effort.
Boot space is a decent 395L to the rear seats, or 1301L with the rear bench folded. Under the boot floor is a space-saver spare tyre.
By far the most divisive element of the new Golf is its almost entirely buttonless interior, with the infotainment screen handling most car controls and settings, with a few shortcut buttons within the cabin.
While the concept itself is hardly new, having been pioneered somewhat by Peugeot, more and more brands are making the move. Volkswagen signalled its intention to make the Golf a rolling iPad with concepts and interior mock-ups in the lead-up to the new Golf too.
More on that in the Infotainment and Connectivity section below.
In terms of design, the Golf looks – rather comfortingly – like a Golf on the inside, much as it does on the outside. There are a few changes centred around the user interface, but the design is clearly still very Volkswagen. Simple, unfussed and effective.
As part of the R-Line package, there are some sporting touches, like sportier seats with added bolstering and integrated head restraints, suede-esque microfibre trim, and a leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel.
The R-Line also comes loaded with manual seats, but with height and lumbar adjust for both front occupants, dual-zone climate control up front and rear temp (but not fan) adjust for the rear, keyless entry and start, wireless phone charging, auto lights and wipers, and 30-colour interior ambient lighting.
If you know the old Golf, you know the new Golf in terms of spaciousness. While this is a new-generation car, its shared underpinnings with the previous generations mean interior dimensions remain largely the same.
That’s no bad thing, as the Golf’s more upright stance and large glasshouse give an airy feel, and the back seat is right-sized for adults.
Run a fine-tooth comb over the interior and in some places it feels like Volkswagen may have taken a step back with finishes and materials to allow it to squeeze in more tech. Some past Golf owners may baulk, but anyone stepping out of a recent Toyota or Hyundai will still feel like they’re getting an upgrade.
Boot space is a solid 374L with the rear seats up – not the biggest in the segment, but not small, narrow or shallow in any way that makes it a challenge to use. A 60:40 folding rear bench (and fairly upright tailgate) means up to 1230L of space is available for bigger, bulkier items, or you can simply lower the rear seat pass-through to load long items and leave the outboard seat in use.
| 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium | 2021 Volkswagen Golf R Line | |
| Seats | Five | Five |
| Boot volume | 395L seats up / 1301L seats folded | 374L seats up / 1230L seats folded |
| Length | 4345mm | 4286mm |
| Width | 1795mm | 1789mm |
| Height | 1453mm | 1456mm |
| Wheelbase | 2650mm | 2636mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
Hyundai i30
The driver faces a 7.0-inch partial digital instrument cluster, and infotainment is delivered by a 10.25-inch touchscreen.Within there’s access to AM/FM/DAB+ radio, Bluetooth connectivity, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and inbuilt satellite navigation. A seven-speaker Infinity sound system delivers your tunes – but it could stand to be a bit punchier.
The system is quite simple to understand. The graphics look modern, and there’s no real lag or extended loading times if you jump from menu to menu.
The new Golf’s big leap forward comes in terms of its infotainment, with a new 10.0-inch centre screen and a comprehensive software overhaul compared to the outgoing model.
The display is bright and crisp, certainly, but the learning curve is steep. The driver’s interface is designed to mirror that of an iPad or smartphone – great in theory, but not always practical for making adjustments on the move.
Even adjusting the volume or temperature is done via touch sliders, but these don’t illuminate at night, which makes their use imprecise. The same goes for the capacitive touch buttons in the steering wheel, with a haptic ‘click’ feedback that’s so delayed you can often have made your change and moved your finger away before you get that feedback.
No doubt time and careful attention will make some of these quirks easier, but in many ways it feels like Volkswagen is pushing users towards the ‘Hello Volkswagen’ voice-control system, which is impressively responsive and accurate. It’s just that I’m not particularly a fan of barking orders at an inanimate object when a quick and simple button tap would do.
The system itself packs integrated satellite navigation, Bluetooth, wireless connection for both Apple and Android smartphones, plus lets you customise the home screen display and cabin colours. Still, even with all those tech credentials, there’s no way to access digital radio.
Wireless charging comes standard, and the interior is somewhat future-proofed via the inclusion of USB-C ports throughout. Adding in the Sound & Vision package brings punchy premium audio with an eight-speaker (plus centre speaker and subwoofer) Harman Kardon-branded audio system.
Add in a virtual instrument display with a range of display options (standard) and a head-up display (part of the Sound & Vision package), and the Golf certainly has vital info for the driver covered.
Safety & Technology
Hyundai i30
The Hyundai i30 hatch range carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating dating back to 2017.
Safety gear for the N Line Premium includes seven airbags, a rear-view camera, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors.
Under the Hyundai SmartSense label, the i30 includes autonomous emergency braking with both pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, and driver attention monitoring.
Perhaps a little oddly, the N Line and N Line premium miss out on blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and safe exit warning (available on the i30 Elite) which feel like features the N Line Premium, at least, should get. Hyundai blames the vehicle’s (older) design for not being able to accommodate the required hardware.
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf range scored a five-star ANCAP safety result based on 2019 test data (in line with its European introduction). Section scores include a 95 per cent adult occupant protection rating, 89 per cent for child occupant protection, but a lower 76 per cent for vulnerable road user protection (pedestrian and cyclists).
All Golf models come with eight airbags, outboard rear ISOFIX child anchorage points, and a space-saver spare wheel under the boot floor.
Safety systems wear the IQ.Drive label, including functions like forward and reverse low-speed braking, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assist, driver fatigue detection, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, exit warning, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.
| At a glance | 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium | 2021 Volkswagen Golf R Line |
| ANCAP rating & year tested | Five stars (tested 2017) | Five stars (tested 2019) |
| Safety report | ANCAP report | ANCAP report |
Value for Money
Hyundai i30 While the i30 may appear largely unchanged from the outside, in N Line Premium trim it’s not featured like an out of date vehicle. There’s plenty of equipment loaded in, and some feature rivals just can’t match for the price.Hyundai offers a five year, unlimited kilometre warranty. Capped price servicing is also available, at $299 per visit for the first five 12 month or 10,000km service intervals.
Claimed fuel consumption is 7.1 litres per 100km, with 91-octane regular unleaded suitable. On test we recorded 9.4L/100kmm from a week largely spent within the confines of metro Melbourne, with only a couple of quick freeway jaunts.
There’s no hiding the fact that the Golf R-Line sits at the higher end of the small-car pricing spectrum, particularly with the optional Sound & Vision pack added. For that you do get a very comprehensively equipped vehicle.
The R-Line packaging is rather fetching, and helps the Golf carry its price tag a bit more comfortably than the more basic looking lower-grade models.
If you’re watching your week-to-week spend, Volkswagen claims the Golf will use premium unleaded at a rate of 5.8 litres per 100 kilometres. For this test we stayed within urban confines and returned 7.3L/100km, which is damn near the official 7.2L/100km city-cycle claim.
Servicing is due at 12-month/15,000km intervals, whichever comes first. Servicing can be pre-purchased with $1200 three-year and $2100 five-year plans available. You can also pay as you go via capped-price servicing, but will pay $1504 over three years and $2898 over five.
| At a glance | 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium | 2021 Volkswagen Golf R Line |
| Warranty | Five years / unlimited km | Five years / unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months / 10,000km | 12 months / 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $897 (3 years) | $1495 (5 years) | From $1200 (3 years) | $2100 (5 years) |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 7.1L/100km | 5.8L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 9.4L/100km | 7.3L/100km |
| Fuel type | 91-octane petrol | 95-octane petrol |
| Fuel tank size | 50L | 50L |
Driving
Hyundai i30
With a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine under the bonnet, and 150kW/265Nm outputs, the N Line Premium sits neatly between the 120kW non-turbo 2.0-litre base i30, and the 206kW i30 N hero.Warm hatch positioning feels about right for this one too. It’s sensible enough to handle the daily grind, but if you do find yourself on a more exciting piece of road, it’s not out of its depth either.
There’s not a heap of character from the engine around town, and arguably, where you’d like things to simply be point-and-shoot, that’s not a bad thing. It’s got enough torque in reserve to duck in and out of fast-flowing traffic too.
The seven-speed dual clutch automatic isn’t the newest kid on the block. Where the more sophisticated control of Hyundai’s newer eight-speed DCT in cars like the i30 N, Sonata and Santa Fe makes for smoother and more seamless low-speed manoeuvering, the i30 still has some minor rough edges.
It’s not enough to make driving a chore, but from time to time you can catch the car unsure of how to tackle a low speed reverse park up a hill, or caught momentarily between gears as you roll to a slow, but then jump back on the accelerator.
Without going overboard, the handling package feels suitably sporty, nimble and agile. The ride is buttoned down and firm, without being bone jarring.
The odd sharp-edged pothole will crash through, but most of the time the i30 N Line is decently well-mannered around town.
Even things like road noise, often a bugbear of cars that skirt the performance spectrum, is well managed here. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres fitted here aren’t an aggressive performance tyre, but nor are they a cheap and grilless economy tyre.
Couple the focussed ride and handling, with some decently weighted steering, and the i30 N Line Premium is a much more engaging car on the right stretch of road than you might expect.
Volkswagen GolfThe new Volkswagen Golf R-Line delivers mixed results on the road – some of which may be the fault of the sportier R-Line package.
Before I touch on that, though, the engine itself, found in the entry-level Golf, Golf Life and Golf R-Line, is a happy little camper under the bonnet of this car.
It’s a 1.4-litre turbo petrol, which might seem small in a class with plenty of 2.0-litre engines, but the turbo boost helps to bring it up to speed – so to speak. With 110kW and 250Nm, there’s enough grunt available to feel nimble about town, or to confidently accelerate up to speed on a freeway entry ramp.
The engine pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission, but for the new Golf Volkswagen it moves away from a dual-clutch auto and back to a conventional torque converter automatic. It’s not an all-new transmission, appearing elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group range, and having been used in overseas markets for a while now.
Still, it’s one that perhaps ever so slightly dulls the super-slick gear changes of the old, instead feeling a little ‘softer’ as it travels through gears. The ultimate upside, though, is that any hint of jitteriness or hesitation when parking or trying to move through slow traffic is now gone.
That feels like a real win for urban buyers, though the reality is that the more efficient dual-clutch auto and a new 1.5-litre engine used overseas have been prioritised for markets that demand low emissions.
As for the mixed side of things, the R-Line equipment largely centres around the car’s visuals, but also adds firmer sports suspension and upsized 18-inch wheels, both of which eat into ride quality slightly.
There’s no doubt the Golf R-Line feels like a keen little steer when the conditions are right, but it can also be left feeling uncomfortably tense over the kinds of patched tarmac and speed-bump-strewn roads that often litter suburban streets.
Some hits crash into the cabin with an alarming shock, and even lightly scarred roads tend to jitter and jiggle occupants.
There’s also an over-representation of tyre noise at higher speeds, almost like a door has been left ajar, and certainly more than feels comfortable at times. Regardless of the R-Line’s sporty skew, for something attempting to be premium, better noise management would do wonders.
If the ride were more compliant, and freeway cruising were less raucous, the Golf R-Line could be a segment-leading all-rounder.
| Key details | 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium | 2021 Volkswagen Golf R Line |
| Engine | 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol | 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol |
| Power | 150kW @ 6000rpm | 110kW @ 5000rpm |
| Torque | 265Nm @ 1500-4500rpm | 250Nm @ 1500-4000rpm |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic | Eight-speed torque convertor automatic |
| Power to weight ratio | 109.1kW/t | 84.4kW/t |
| Weight (tare) | 1375kg | 1304kg |
| Tow rating | 1300kg braked, 600kg unbraked | 1500kg braked, 660kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 10.6m | 10.9m |
Conclusion
The Hyundai wins the first round with a slightly sharper price of $36,220 (with auto) plus on-roads, undercutting the Golf by just over $1000. But that’s not going to sway buyers either way, because these two machines are not about the bottom line, they’re about the enjoyment of driving. So, let’s get into the nitty gritty.
The Golf R-Line lifts itself above more mundane Golfs with sporting flair, but even though the suspension is firmer and it wears 18-inch alloys, the enhancements are largely of the visual variety, not physical. The engine is the same 110kW / 250Nm unit as fitted to lesser Golfs. But hey, it’s a robust powertrain that’s easy to drive and doesn’t mind being hustled.
The Hyundai i30 N Line Premium, on the other hand, packs a more powerful engine under the bonnet but forgoes sports suspension, instead relying on sportier Michelin Pilot Sport tyres to increase both grip and grin.
Mechanically, the Golf’s powertrain is outgunned by the Hyundai’s 150kW, 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine even though VW offers an eight-speed torque converter auto compared to the Hyundai’s seven-speed dual-clutch unit.
This means that the Hyundai is a quicker car to drive onroad, even though it weighs around 10 per cent more than the lightweight Golf. The Hyundai also has a smaller turning circle, making it more nimble in tighter situations, but the Golf’s sports suspension sets it up better for more spirited driving and makes the most of its fewer kiloWatts through the corners.
In terms of cabin comfort, the Golf is a more polished affair, but you need to be okay using the touchscreen interface to do everything short of drive the car. The Hyundai’s slightly sportier cabin – how’s that red accenting on the seats, seatbelts and vents! – is also more conventionally supplied with buttons. We’re not going to call a victor on this front because both camps have their advocates. Okay, if you’re going to push us, the Golf’s presentation is more upmarket and premium but the Hyundai’s is easier to operate. Happy?
The Hyundai’s cabin is also slightly larger thanks to a longer and wider body and marginally longer wheelbase. That’s most obvious in the boot (395L v 374) and also a small boon for back seat occupants. But you’re the driver, so who cares whether your beanpole mate is cosy or comfy back there.
Safety is a win to the Volkswagen, because while they’re both rated five stars by ANCAP, only the Golf has blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert – and that’s a bizarre omission from Hyundai on a $40K car.
Now, running costs. This one’s tough to call. The Hyundai has (much) cheaper servicing costs but requires servicing more frequently. The Golf used 20 per cent less fuel on test but demands premium unleaded which trims that advantage.
So, now we have all the facts, how do we decide between these two intriguing machines? One brings more power, the other adds dynamic finesse and a more premium feel.
At Drive, we try desperately to avoid calling comparos a tie. It should always be possible to choose a winner. But in this case, it really comes down to what you prefer.
In this case, the numbers say the win goes to the Volkswagen Golf – its fresher underpinnings, impressive tech, and highly habitable interior give it an edge. In saying that though, there’s an old-school charm to the Hyundai i30.
With more willing performance, user-friendly infotainment interface, plus a more daily-appropriate suspension tune, it shouldn’t be ignored if you’re in the market for a humble hatchback that packs some zing.
The post 2021 Hyundai i30 N Line Premium v Volkswagen Golf R Line appeared first on Drive.
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