Used Hyundai i30N 2018-2024 reliability

When viewing a used car, always follow our used car buying checklist.

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.

Click here for more information. Contact your local Hyundai dealer if you believe your vehicle is involved in a recall.

We consider the i30N to be a reliable car. Although it didn't feature by itself in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, the i30 as a whole did and it finished sixth out of 29 cars in the family car class. Its reliability score of 96.2% puts the model above the rival Ford Focus and Mazda 3 but below the Toyota Corolla.

Hyundai i30 owners told us that 17% of their cars had a glitch, with the battery, engine, electrics and suspension the most common faults. All cars could still be driven and half of them were repaired within a day. Even better, all remedial work was covered by Hyundai.

Hyundai, as a brand, also did rather well, finishing in seventh place out of 32 car manufacturers – above Ford and VW but below Mini and Toyota.