Used Hyundai i30N 2018 - present reliability

Brakes

Check that the brakes operate smoothly and are free from any judder under light applications. If not, the discs could be warped, and you may be left with a costly repair. 271bhp Performance versions have bigger discs than the standard 247bhp i30N.

Clutch

Make sure there isn’t any in-gear slip when you accelerate, otherwise your clutch could be worn. You can also check this by putting the car in a high gear from rest and try to pull away. If it stalls, then the clutch is good.

Tyres

Look at the tyres and find out how worn they are, whether they’re the correct size and that they’re the ones recommended by Hyundai. Performance versions use a specific Pirelli P Zero tyre that can be identified by a ‘HN’ marking on the sidewall.

Alloy wheels

The standard 18in and larger 19in alloy wheels on Performance variants can be susceptible to kerb damage if you’re not careful. They’re diamond cut, too, which often takes longer to repair than ordinary alloys and are therefore costlier to fix.

Bodywork

Since this is a performance car, there’s always the risk that it could have been pranged in the past. So make sure all the panel gaps are even and that the paint finish is nice and uniform. If not, then the car might have been poorly repaired.

The i30N hasn’t shown up any major concerns so far. If an issue does arise that’s not related to wear and tear, then even the earliest example will still have the majority of its manufacturer’s warranty left.

Hyundai, as a brand, also did rather well in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing in fifth place out of 32 car manufacturers. The i30N didn't feature as a standalone model, but the regular i30 family car finished fifth out of 37 cars in its family car class, an excellent result.