2024 Hyundai i30 N hot hatch facelift spotted again

The updated 2024 Hyundai i30 N hot hatch has been spotted on the road ahead of showroom arrivals due sometime next year.

It is the second facelift of the i30 N since it launched in 2018 – following the first update in 2020 – and is expected to introduce mild cosmetic changes intended to extend the life of the current model until the middle of the decade.

Arrival timing is yet to be announced, however it is expected at a similar time to – or shortly after – a similar second facelift for the regular Hyundai i30 hatch range, which will now be built in the Czech Republic, rather than South Korea.

While the regular i30 hatch will be forced to go on hiatus in Australia – as South Korean production ends seven months before the updated model begins to be built in Europe – a smoother transition is expected for the i30 N, which has always been built in the Czech Republic.

MORE: Hyundai i30 hatch to go on hiatus, pause orders until facelift late next year

Hyundai has been hesitant to commit to another generation of the i30 hatchback, amid declining sales as buyers shift to SUVs in greater numbers – and electric cars grow in popularity in the i30 hatch's other main market, Europe.

The 'spy' photos posted to Instagram by photographer @laffey_chino07 show the changes to the i30 N for its next update will be minor.

The only changes visible through the camouflage are red rectangular inserts in the front air intakes, and new side skirts with red highlights, similar to the i30 Sedan N – which uses different, newer underpinnings.

The grille shape, headlights, tail-lights, rear bumper and exhaust tips all appear to be the same as the latest model, last updated in 2020 in Europe, and Australia in mid-2021.

It is unclear if there will be any interior changes, given how minor the exterior revisions are.

The i30 N hatch is not currently available with a widescreen digital instrument cluster, as fitted to the i30 Sedan N, i20 N, and now-defunct Kona N. However there is no guarantee this mild update would introduce such a feature.

There is an unusual white finish on the front Hyundai badge, compared to silver on the car in showrooms today. One possibility is Hyundai may be adding adaptive cruise control technology – but this is yet to be confirmed, and it may just be what it seems: a new finish for the badge.

No changes are expected to the engine, which underwent a major upgrade with the 2020 facelift including a power boost from 202kW/353-378Nm to 206kW/392Nm, and the introduction of an optional eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The 2.0-litre turbo engine in the i30 N is entering its final years of service, as it is not expected to meet Euro 7 emissions regulations previously due to come into force in 2025 or 2026 – but expected to be delayed to 2030.

The 2024 Hyundai i30 N is expected to arrive in European showrooms late next year, shortly after the standard range goes into production mid next year.