Volkswagen Golf GTI vs Hyundai i30 N: which is our favourite hot hatch?

MT: What’s best about the i30 N is its chassis. It’s clear where the development budget has gone, which is the right place to spend it on a hot hatch. It feels a bit like the previous Honda Civic Type R to that end: fast and focused, but with a bit of explaining to do as a daily driver.

RB: The chassis is probably one of the biggest criticisms the car’s received, in terms of its overly harsh ride. And when I jumped back in the i30 N having spent some time in the GTI, I can’t argue there was a stark difference. The many speed bumps in my suburban road were felt quite a lot more. But, actually, once you’re accustomed to it, it’s a very usable daily car.

MT: I wonder if in part that harsher ride also comes from its heavier weight. You really notice the extra weight in the i30 N, and that’s why its extra power is needed. When you’re up to speed, the GTI feels the faster car because it’s more agile. At our handling day last year, the GTI only gave away 0.3sec to the i30 N over a lap at Castle Combe – a fast track where power tends to have more of an advantage. Which shows just how quick the GTI is when you look beyond the headline figures.

RB: Most people love to pigeonhole cars, typically by performance, and in performance and headline figures terms the GTI ranks bottom. It gives away loads of power. Yet the power it has is so usable. It just feels like the right amount for a car of its size and weight.

MT: I know you’ve wished for a bit more low-end torque in the i30 N, but for me, that was a real strength of the car. It’s a very strong engine, very tractable, and feels a performance level up from the GTI.

RB: The torque in the GTI is definitely more linear than the i30 N. While I’d like a little more shove at a roundabout in the Hyundai, the mid-rev-range acceleration is actually more surprising and exciting for that very reason. Getting it up to motorway speeds from a slip road is real fun, especially with that distinctive exhaust note, which is much punchy than the GTI’s.

MT: I’d agree that the i30 N sounds much more like a hot hatch should.

RB: I also much prefer the gearchanges in the i30 N. I can’t deny that the GTI’s are smooth and the longer ratio in first is better. But the i30 N has accurate, swift changes that are incredibly satisfying in this type of car.

MT: Which again shows where Hyundai has spent the budget – on the ‘hot’ part of the hot hatch formula. For me, a good example of the differences between the two cars is how the steering wheel feels in your hands. The GTI's just nestles in your palms and is a lovely grippy material, while the i30 N’s seems somewhat cheap. There’s not much to tell an N from any other i30 inside, too, which is a shame when the GTI nails it over a standard Volkswagen Golf with those seats and that gearknob.

RB: It’s true – the GTI stands out far more than the i30 N inside. The cabin differences between the two hot hatches were what I noticed first. The GTI has manual seat movements, the i30 N automatic; the GTI has a traditional key start, the i30 N a keyless start. Where Volkswagen has respected the GTI’s heritage with its interior, the new i30 N has instead opted for convenience. The i30 N is nevertheless the clear winner in one important aspect: its good old-fashioned manual handbrake lever. Much more satisfying than the GTI’s electronic one.

MT: What’s worth repeating again about the i30 N is just what a stunning achievement the car is, as Hyundai’s first hot hatch. The firm did not set out to build the world’s best hot hatch and instead spent the cash on making one with a competitive powertrain and chassis. But I’d still rather have the GTI.

RB: I agree, the GTI is the more obvious choice, but the i30 N’s character makes it the more exciting pick out of the two. And it’s almost £4k cheaper than your Golf GTI when you’ve added all the options.

Volkswagen Golf GTI 2.0 TSI 230 specification

Price as tested £32,520 Options Onyx White Premium Signature paint (£990), Seville Dark Graphite alloys (£495), Dynamic Chassis Control (£830), climate windscreen (£295), Discover Navigation Pro (£1325), rear view camera (£265) Engine 4cyls, 1984cc, turbocharged petrol Power 226bhp at 4700-6200rpm Torque 258lb ft at 1500-4600­rpm Top speed 155mph 0-62mph 6.4sec Claimed fuel economy 44.1mpg Test fuel economy 34.2mpg CO2 148g/km

Hyundai i30 N specification

Price as tested: £28,580 Options: Clean Slate paint £585 Engine 1998cc, turbocharged petrol Power 271bhp at 6000rpm Torque 260lb ft at 1450-4000rpm Top speed 155mph 0-62mph 6.1sec Claimed fuel economy 39.7mpg Test fuel economy 28.0mpg CO2 163g/km