I30N vs Golf R?

[Aleks]

Hello all,

I've been sitting in the background and reading about the n performance and I'm curious if you were in the same situation as I am at the moment.
I need to decide between the N and the mk7.5 R.
Tested both of them and I did enjoy them both.
I tend to like the R a bit better because of the interior quality and the imense grip that the car has with awd.
Engine and dsg gearbox were amazing and loved it.
I'm afraid of quality issues with the vw.
Love the N with the exhaust and I can live with the interior but think it would need more power like 320 310 hp.
Saying that allot of reviews online state that the diff does not work in the rain as good as it should.
Can you guys share your experience with testing other cars and why you have decided for the i30n.
Apologise for my English.
Cheers Aleks

 

[Maverick]

Hello and welcome to the forums. Click me.

 

[nform]

To me the R is just a really really fast hatch and nothing else, it does not feel "special".. to me it feels almost like an appliance. It does all the things its designed to do really well, its a rocket when you push it and its a just a normal family hatchback when you don't. But every time ive driven the GTI or R it almost made me feel like im just a passenger or "disconnected" from the whole experience of driving.

If you driven both and find then equally fun and engaging, i envy you In that case its really a no brainer get the R it's in a different league performance and refinement wise. Especially if you live where it snows.

 

[Brendan]

I had a similar experience to nform. I drove an R and and edition 40 Golf and whilst very competent, I couldn't really see the point of going fast without the thrills of driving. The focus RS was too much on a daily basis and needed crazy speeds to enjoy. Civic type
R was my favourite but lacked a 3rd seatbelt in the back and was more expensive. The N is a good overall entertaining package.

 

[Gavin]

Have driven the GTI and R variant and own the N
As daily drives they all work great, maybe the GOLFS a little better with the DSG but that’s just down to being lazy
When it comes to enthusiastic driving the GTI is good and I mean really good, the R is even better and the N sits neatly in between.
For fun and driver involvement the N is a class above both the GTI and the R, the R is no doubt a little faster in a straight line but through is a few bends and the N really is
close and the GTI is miles behind.
It comes Down to what you what, for me the N is a more involved drive and gives 99% of the performance of the R 99% of the time at a much better price.

 

[Mordog]

Cant help you with that. seen a yt-video of the N and was sold. never looked at another car.
But a golf wouldnt have been an option for me. I simply dont like golfs. They are like waste bins for me, in every home is one.
But thats just me and not relevant for you.

do what your gut tells you. dont overthink it. just buy the car that makes u smile a little bit more.

 

[paul-h]

In what sense does it not work in the rain as it should?

As others have said, there isn’t that special feeling in a golf. I also like the fact that there is less N’s around!

 

[Crocoman]

I’m confused about the ‘diff not working in the rain’ too. I mean, if you hurtle the car into a corner at the same speed and the same way in the dry then the wet, then expect different results!! But that’s just basic driving sense isn’t it....

On the subject of the original thread - I’m not here to diss the Golf R. But it just does not grab me in any way shape or form. It really doesn’t. That doesn’t mean that it’s not a very capable machine. Of course it is.

But as others say, it’s not that exclusive and well, is anything as good as the I30N?

 

[Maverick]

@Crocoman you have to trust the Internets. If they say it doesn't work, then it doesn't.

 

[Gaztalbot]

My short list was golf gti pp/ R, Leon Cupra 300, Fiesta st and i30n very very nearly ordered a golf r and then drove the i30 and was sold, not as nice inside as I love the digital dash in them and dsg is what I was really after but the Hyundai reminds me of my old mk7 Fiesta st in the way that every time I go for a drive it’s going to be fun and I’ll have a grin on my face 100% of the time. Can’t wait for it to come now.

 

[BadShadd]

… it’s going to be fun and I’ll have a grin on my face 100% of the time. ...

That's what the N calls, "N-Grin Control System" - works everytime.

 

[Aleks]

Thank you guys for all the replies... I was curious about others opinions about the cars and the feeling that the car gives you.
I will test ride back to back again and decide later what to do..
Appreciate all the input.

 

[Mordog]

Have fun

 

[Aleks]

I’m confused about the ‘diff not working in the rain’ too. I mean, if you hurtle the car into a corner at the same speed and the same way in the dry then the wet, then expect different results!! But that’s just basic driving sense isn’t it....

On the subject of the original thread - I’m not here to diss the Golf R. But it just does not grab me in any way shape or form. It really doesn’t. That doesn’t mean that it’s not a very capable machine. Of course it is.

But as others say, it’s not that exclusive and well, is anything as good as the I30N?

I will never believe the internet 100% and that is why I raised the question in regards to grip of the car in the wet here in order to get some real feedback... how is the grip in the 2nd and 3rd gear in the wet ?

What made you decide for the I30N and what have you compared it against?


I would appreciate some feedback ..

Thank you,

Aleks

 

[Deleted member 360]

@Aleks I'm with the others about the Golf R, sounds daft but they're clinical, they've got no soul, but they're great cars. For me I wasn't interested because of this and because I see a dozen of them on my commute everyday (not all real Rs, R-lines and whatever else they've done with it).I couldn't justify the price hike. The Focus RS I just couldn't bring myself to go for, I don't think it's particularly my bag, but again great cars, plus not too far from us they constantly get stolen, and I didn't want that bothering me even thought we live in a very low crime area it was a niggle. I think I would have had a Civic Type R, but they're much more expensive and I'm not sure they'd fit on my driveway (it's a hill, low cars scrape etc etc), so I steered well clear of it because I knew I'd love it and then be gutted about it. So the N sat neatly in the middle, and for a bit less on the price and it ticked off my weird list of things I like. It's a good laugh to drive, it'll get you round corners and the best bit...everyone just thinks it's a silly hyundai with tinted windows, they'll try and give you some grief because they're impatient and all you do is tap that accelerator and you're gone. The look on their faces is priceless.

But I think it's one of those things, you get in the car and you just know.

 

[Stev0156]

The I30n is the only car I have driven since my lotus which felt fun and engaging. It’s not the fastest, especially compared the the Golf R, but in real world driving it wouldn’t be far behind. I was close to buying another Golf (current car GTI PP) but drove the N and was blown away. Ordered one straight away...bye bye VW!

 

[asd]

I will never believe the internet 100% and that is why I raised the question in regards to grip of the car in the wet here in order to get some real feedback... how is the grip in the 2nd and 3rd gear in the wet ?

What made you decide for the I30N and what have you compared it against?


I would appreciate some feedback ..

Thank you,

Aleks

If you are looking for better grip, especially in slippery conditions like wet or snow, I don't think a FWD can beat AWD, and I think no kind of LSD will change that... If after test driving the N and Golf R you are undecided, you should probably go one of 2 ways: take the cheaper one, if you liked it just as much as Golf R, or go look for what else are the differences between them, narrow your filter, eliminate and choose the one that better suits you. It is no secret the Golf will have somewhat better interior finish, is more popular and is faster.
For me the looks are also really important, because I like a car that not only appeals to me in performance and driving feel, but also needs to make me look back with a smile when I leave it on the parking lot. For me Golfs lack that something in design, and in my opinion is worse bang for buck. N has sufficient performance specs, while being fun enough to drive.

Any car I compared the N to had some major issue for me, be it price, looks, driving feel, specs, some outside factors like distance to nearest service, experiences with different services and last and least - a pinch of brand bias in some cases

 

[Aleks]

I am not expecting the same levels of grip in the wet with a FWD car and I have had an S4 before 4.2l engine and did not enjoy the quattro sytem from 2005 , but this new generation of haldex system is allot better and the way the car puts the power to the ground is quite impressive...
On the other hand i did really enjoy the I30N and the way the differential pulls in corners and how stiff the suspension is and also the fact that it has minimum body roll
I will be doing 3 or 4 track days a year but generally the car is to be used all year round as a commuter and fun car in A and B roads. The package the I30N has to offer is impressive the only thing that is holding me back maybe is that the car would probably need another 30 hp to be up to par with what I am looking from a hot hatch. This is probably a remap away from that and its probably under development as we speak ...
Price difference at the moment between the R and the I30n Performance is around : £4000 pounds which is allot but the VW will depreciate less and hold the value better if there is an intend of selling after 4 years when the warranty runs out.
I would be terrified of having a DSG car with allot of things that can go wrong when the warranty runs out, this also depends on how reliability is going to be within the time of ownership.
Any thoughts on Hyundai reliability for this engine and gearbox?
More advice and experiences are always welcome...

 

[Deleted member 360]

It sounds like the Golf R is what you want, the N has just made you think maybe there might be another option...

 

[asd]

I am not expecting the same levels of grip in the wet with a FWD car and I have had an S4 before 4.2l engine and did not enjoy the quattro sytem from 2005 , but this new generation of haldex system is allot better and the way the car puts the power to the ground is quite impressive...
On the other hand i did really enjoy the I30N and the way the differential pulls in corners and how stiff the suspension is and also the fact that it has minimum body roll
I will be doing 3 or 4 track days a year but generally the car is to be used all year round as a commuter and fun car in A and B roads. The package the I30N has to offer is impressive the only thing that is holding me back maybe is that the car would probably need another 30 hp to be up to par with what I am looking from a hot hatch. This is probably a remap away from that and its probably under development as we speak ...
Price difference at the moment between the R and the I30n Performance is around : £4000 pounds which is allot but the VW will depreciate less and hold the value better if there is an intend of selling after 4 years when the warranty runs out.
I would be terrified of having a DSG car with allot of things that can go wrong when the warranty runs out, this also depends on how reliability is going to be within the time of ownership.
Any thoughts on Hyundai reliability for this engine and gearbox?
More advice and experiences are always welcome...

As mentioned >here< engine has the same base as Lancer Evo; but I don't think anyone can really tell much about mid-long term reliability of engine/gearbox since the car was just launched and it's a first on the sporty side by Hyundai...

Most people here probably have faith in Albert Biermann's input, Hyundai's 5 year no km limit warranty and how high the stakes are for Hyundai not to fuck this up... Plus maybe their former experiences with Hyundai whatsoever...