RE: 2023 Cupra Leon 300 vs Hyundai i30 N
Discussion
Mr Tidy said:
I'm getting old but why can't they make a car with a suspension set-up that gives a decent ride and capable handling in the first place?
I don't see anyone with E30/E36/E46 BMW M3s wanting to mess about with configurations, or fake noise!
It does have a decent ride and handling in the standard mode / first place. It is if you whack it up to full N mode it gets a bit skippy on country roads. The flip side of this is that it is ace on track in full N mode. It is good to have this versatility. Non adjustable suspension has its compromises. My Impreza, lauded for its bespoke British B road suspension package is awesome on the road but lollops and leans about on track.I don't see anyone with E30/E36/E46 BMW M3s wanting to mess about with configurations, or fake noise!
Wab1974uk said:
But the one thing that even puts me off the i30N is the vast array of modes for everything. Why does everything have to be configurable within an inch of it's life?
You'd never know if you were in the right setting for each road. Like hot hatches of old, and with the GR-Yaris, just make it great out the box. Simples.
It is a pretty simple one in those regards. The only thing you need to worry about getting wrong is the suspension setting and you just need it set soft for the road. The other configurable stuff is just personal preference, like exhaust volume, steering weight etc. Set up your preferred configuration once and it is there at the touch of a steering wheel button whenever you need it. You'd never know if you were in the right setting for each road. Like hot hatches of old, and with the GR-Yaris, just make it great out the box. Simples.
CG2020UK said:
Personally I found it a very heavy car, it feels 200kg heavier than its rivals. It’s also not as fast and the mpg is literally half. It felt well sorted but then I found it wasn’t going as fast as its rivals. The cabin is very dark and feels cramped.
It is fairly chonky, that would be my main criticism of it. I never felt the cabin was cramped and I'm a decent sized guy, family trips out no problems, and I'm used to really spacious stuff like american pickups and SUVs and I'm quite sensitive to tight cabins. I often don't like BMWs as they feel too claustrophobic.Speed wise it is pretty much there with the rivals, difference coming down to drivers in most situations.
For what I was doing with it I thought the MPG was understandable.
NGK210 said:
Why is the i30N such a fuel guzzler?
On the same Somerset to London roundtrip, I’ve seen low-30s in an N, high-30s in a Mk7 R and low-40s in an FK8.
It’s as if the N went back to 2003 for its map.
I wonder if there is something about the N that makes people drive like a hooligan and get the economy low. I was never too upset by mine. On a 500mile up and down Wales trip / hoon it averaged 35.7mpg on the dash display (apparently maybe higher in real world). I took my wifes Cooper S on a similar trip last weekend and that averaged 33mpg (2litre turbo too, with even less power). On the same Somerset to London roundtrip, I’ve seen low-30s in an N, high-30s in a Mk7 R and low-40s in an FK8.
It’s as if the N went back to 2003 for its map.
Driving back down south after a trackday at Cadwell Park driving with some mates I was doing 43mpg.
Seano1878 said:
although the N wouldn’t see where the GRY went on most occasions.
Never had a problem keeping up with rivals. Every trackday I went on I was overtaking GRY, even modded ones. The only time I struggled was against one was on a very wet Castle Combe when I didnt have much tread left. When it dried I had no problem. Margins between all the hot hatches are pretty tight, me, very much an amateur was putting my N around Combe only 2 seconds slower than Jason Plato was in a GRY / Civic Type R so no problem keeping up with other normal guys driving them and other typical track stuff. Personally I think you’d have to be smoking crack to think the Hyundai is better looking. It’s a bland base with some Halfords aftermarket parts stuck on. I do like the blue colour though.
The looks, combined with the mpg, it being manual, slower and more expensive to lease would lead to me choosing the Cupra for a daily driver.
If I was buying used, were doing less miles and was looking predominantly for fun then I’d have the i30n
The looks, combined with the mpg, it being manual, slower and more expensive to lease would lead to me choosing the Cupra for a daily driver.
If I was buying used, were doing less miles and was looking predominantly for fun then I’d have the i30n
Seano1878 said:
The fuel consumption is comical though, it’s an old engine design and actually uses a closed deck version of the old Evo X 4B11T block (it was semi closed in the Evo) which gives you an idea of the age of the design, although it’s solid with plenty of facelift cars now running 400bhp and one on the UK owners group that was tuned in Germany producing just short of 500bhp. I’m happy with mine as is but it’s a decent upper limit.
Well there you go, had no idea about this - doing a little digging things like the pistons and rods are shared but the block is different as you say. All stemmed from this 'Global Engine Alliance' between Chrysler, Mitsu and Hyundai (thanks wikipedia!) where they agreed to share 4 pots.Edited by Seano1878 on Saturday 25th February 19:31
That does somewhat explain the MPG then as its using somewhat old architecture. 21-26mpg still stings mind, but I do use it alot around town..
Ultrafunkula said:
macky17 said:
MK4 focus ST is worth considering. I guess people assume it's just more of the same half-arsed psuedo hot hatch that the MK3 was but nothing could be further from the truth: 2.3 litres, massively improved chassis, adaptable dampers, e-diff, torque vectoring by braking, variable geometry turbo and (with the performance pack) switchable dampers and rev matching. It's very very good. Better than these? Don't know as I've not driven either but it wouldn't surprise me. I think ford, in light of the fact there would be no MK4 RS or Mk5, decided to go to town on the ST. I actually prefer it as a road car to the fk8 I owned for two years previously. More playful.
I have no idea why they have chosen to compare the Cupra to the i30N here. The Focus ST is the obvious alternative, as it always drew with the Hyundai in comparisons when they came out. I chose the ST over the i30N as it was more fun to drive when I was looking, but they were very close.The Cupra should be up against the BMW 128ti really.
Why offer a VAG product as an alternative to another VAG product?!
The motoring press seem to treat the Focus like it's dead already, even though production doesn't stop until 2025. This is the date that the MK4 would have ended anyway having completed it's 7 year cycle. So the fact that there will not be a Mk5 is irrelevant in 2023.
The MK4 ST is a very good hot hatch and combines everyday usefulness and fun really well. It should be on anyone's list as an affordable hot hatch. Buyer or Road tester!
Especially as the supply issues seem to be resolved and it's back on DTD from £33k (£4k saving).
See links below for the extensive tech it contains and how
competitive it was with the previous Type R
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/focus-st...
https://youtu.be/JNZG3NvB5_0
Don't forget it's now also available with the Track Pack adding Brembo brakes, KW suspension, lighter wheels and P Zero Corsa tyres. Which will surely give any hot hatch a run for it's money, regardless of price!
Honourable Dead Snark said:
Personally I think you’d have to be smoking crack to think the Hyundai is better looking. It’s a bland base with some Halfords aftermarket parts stuck on. I do like the blue colour though.
The looks, combined with the mpg, it being manual, slower and more expensive to lease would lead to me choosing the Cupra for a daily driver.
If I was buying used, were doing less miles and was looking predominantly for fun then I’d have the i30n
The comment on stuck on parts works for the FK8 but I’d say the design is actually pretty clean, to me the rear end looks like a bit like the previous Leon Cupra with the high black bumper trim, I’ve seen plenty of people say that on forums too.The looks, combined with the mpg, it being manual, slower and more expensive to lease would lead to me choosing the Cupra for a daily driver.
If I was buying used, were doing less miles and was looking predominantly for fun then I’d have the i30n
RB Will said:
Never had a problem keeping up with rivals. Every trackday I went on I was overtaking GRY, even modded ones. The only time I struggled was against one was on a very wet Castle Combe when I didnt have much tread left. When it dried I had no problem. Margins between all the hot hatches are pretty tight, me, very much an amateur was putting my N around Combe only 2 seconds slower than Jason Plato was in a GRY / Civic Type R so no problem keeping up with other normal guys driving them and other typical track stuff.
Didn’t mean on track, the N seems to do pretty well on track. I’ve seen a lot of videos from the ring where they’re all over much more expensive metal. This video of an M3 onboard (albeit in wet conditions) shows how good the N is on track as it reels them in every time on twisty sections, Misha is a very experienced driver there too. https://youtu.be/qW45PAoEDTs
On the road though in all but the best conditions the GRY is gone, the grip levels in that thing are honestly insane, my brother has timed his to 62 in under 5 seconds, it’s such a quick car, I’d have had one when he bought his but needed more space. I’ll get one sooner rather than later.
Honourable Dead Snark said:
The looks, combined with the mpg, it being manual, slower and more expensive to lease would lead to me choosing the Cupra for a daily driver.
N was pretty cheap to own. Had mine on a PCP for about £185 / month, when I moved it on dealer bought it off me for £1500 less than the new price so all in cost me about £80 a month. There were a fair few owners who managed to make money on them as they were being sold on such good deals new. Dunno if the facelift one holds its value as well.
Driver101 said:
The newer 1 series is better looking than the older 1 series.
The M140i has a nice engine and RWD, but it's far from a proper driver's car.
I guess it’s personal preference. I preferred the last generation 1 series which I thought looked pretty good in M Sport trim and better than the car that replaced it. The M140i has a nice engine and RWD, but it's far from a proper driver's car.
The latest M135i hasn’t really generated a reputation as a drivers car either.
They look incredibly.similar from the front, and I think the cupra looks a bit more interesting at the back.
Haven't ever liked those copper badges though.
My pick would be the n20 in the blue colour which looks a lot more interesting than either of these, like a little rally car and looks a lot better in the flesh than pics.
Haven't ever liked those copper badges though.
My pick would be the n20 in the blue colour which looks a lot more interesting than either of these, like a little rally car and looks a lot better in the flesh than pics.
RB Will said:
N was pretty cheap to own. Had mine on a PCP for about £185 / month, when I moved it on dealer bought it off me for £1500 less than the new price so all in cost me about £80 a month.
There were a fair few owners who managed to make money on them as they were being sold on such good deals new. Dunno if the facelift one holds its value as well.
That’s a cracking deal to be fair There were a fair few owners who managed to make money on them as they were being sold on such good deals new. Dunno if the facelift one holds its value as well.
MyV10BarksAndBites said:
BigMon said:
I had an I30N for two years and only sold it as I could walk to work and my wife hated it so we kept her car instead.
It put a smile on my face pretty much every time I drove it.
You had to sell “your” thing that kept a smile on your face because your missus hated it and you could walk to work and she has a car anyway… ?It put a smile on my face pretty much every time I drove it.
This reads very sad and tragic to me….
(But it’s your life so…)What car does she drive and is it more interesting than the Hyundai ?
She had a 2012 Leon Cupra R which I was happy to use. It was as quick as the I30N, but the handling and gearbox were nowhere near as good.
However, she has now seen the light and, thanks to her desire to still have a manual gearbox and handbrake (and the fact the Cupra is starting to have one or too little niggling faults) we pick up this in the next few days.
Last one of four in the country at the time. It's colour is 'Dark Knight'.
BigMon said:
Holy thread revival Batman!
She had a 2012 Leon Cupra R which I was happy to use. It was as quick as the I30N, but the handling and gearbox were nowhere near as good.
However, she has now seen the light and, thanks to her desire to still have a manual gearbox and handbrake (and the fact the Cupra is starting to have one or too little niggling faults) we pick up this in the next few days.
Last one of four in the country at the time. It's colour is 'Dark Knight'.
What colour was the LCR, I had a 2010 LCR in yellow, loved that car.She had a 2012 Leon Cupra R which I was happy to use. It was as quick as the I30N, but the handling and gearbox were nowhere near as good.
However, she has now seen the light and, thanks to her desire to still have a manual gearbox and handbrake (and the fact the Cupra is starting to have one or too little niggling faults) we pick up this in the next few days.
Last one of four in the country at the time. It's colour is 'Dark Knight'.
I sold it go get a 2014 Leon Cupra, different animal, especially when I was running 420ps (vs 375ps of the LCR) but the DS etc made it little soleless. I enjoyed thrashing the i30N at Millbrook.
the-norseman said:
What colour was the LCR, I had a 2010 LCR in yellow, loved that car.
I sold it go get a 2014 Leon Cupra, different animal, especially when I was running 420ps (vs 375ps of the LCR) but the DS etc made it little soleless. I enjoyed thrashing the i30N at Millbrook.
White.I sold it go get a 2014 Leon Cupra, different animal, especially when I was running 420ps (vs 375ps of the LCR) but the DS etc made it little soleless. I enjoyed thrashing the i30N at Millbrook.
It's been a great car, and we were tempted with a new Cupra 300.
If it hadn't got the godawful haptic controls and touchscreen crap then that may have been the next car tbh but I'm more than happy to have another I30N.
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