Once upon a time, Volkswagen was among the few automakers offering a proper compact hot hatch: the popular Golf GTI.
Eventually, other companies started chasing this sector, and we now have a multitude of hatchbacks with powerful engines and good driving dynamics to choose from.
One of the newcomers is the Hyundai i30 N. It’s the Korean brand’s first-ever hot hatch and it uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine, with 250PS (246hp / 184kW) or 275PS (271hp / 202kW). It takes 6.4sec or 6.1sec, respectively, to sprint to 100km/h (62mph).
Watch Also: The VW Golf MK2 GTI Is Still Everything You Like In A Hot Hatch
On paper, it doesn’t sound that exciting, and surely it cannot beat the iconic Volkswagen Golf GTI in a drag race, right? Now, we won’t spoil the following video by telling you which of the two is faster, but we will remind you that the German model is less powerful: 230PS (226hp / 167kW) as standard, and 245PS (241hp / 180kW) in the Performance Edition.
Its turbo-four helps it reach 100km/h (62mph) in 6.4 seconds and 6.2 seconds, respectively, when paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Opt for the 7-speed DSG that’s available with the Performance Edition and watch it go from rest to 100km/h (0-62mph) in the same 6.2sec as the stick shift variant. The entry-level Golf GTI can also be had with a 6-speed DSG, and it’s just as fast as the manual transmission version.
But enough technical specs and let’s see which one is faster, so this would be a good time to place your bets.