Introducing the 2023 Hyundai i30 sedan!

Mid-life transformation for the Hyundai i30 small sedan with hybrid option and modern design

The 2023 Hyundai i30 sedan – known as the Hyundai Avante in Korea – has been unveiled in its home market, giving Australian consumers a glimpse of what to expect when the updated model arrives here in the second half of the year.

The biggest changes appear to be cosmetic, with no major cabin or mechanical updates. However, carsales understands that the 104kW/265Nm 1.6-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain – as seen in the Kia Niro Hybrid – is tipped to join the local ranks as part of the mid-life update, along with a facelifted i30 N sedan flagship.

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The current model’s rounded front fascia has been replaced with a blockier look featuring wider intakes, sharper headlights and a new full-width lighting signature. The Volkswagen-like front-end design is matched at the rear by a chunkier and more aggressive bumper and crisper tail-light graphics.

Other tweaks include a new side-profile trim insert and refreshed alloy wheel designs. Hyundai has also added ‘sage green’ interior trim and “new bio-friendly materials” to the cabin, however only one trim level has been revealed so far, with no official sign of the sportier N-Line or N variants.

That said, camouflaged prototypes of the latter have been spotted testing with similar, albeit more aggressive, styling tweaks.

There’s also speculation the raucous but hugely capable Hyundai i30 N sedan may also ship with a new – read quieter – exhaust system in some markets in the wake of a high-profile incident in California which saw an owner fined (and the car taken off the road) for driving it in N-mode.

When the facelifted i30 sedan arrives in Australia, it will bring with it the normally-aspirated 2.0-litre (117kW/191Nm) and turbocharged 1.6-litre (150kW/265Nm) four-cylinder petrol units, as well as the hybrid powertrain and the N variant. Local pricing, specifications and launch timing are still to be confirmed, but all models are expected to arrive together.

The 2023 Hyundai i30 sedan is set to make a big impression when it arrives in Australia later this year. With a bolder, more dynamic exterior design, a range of efficient engines and the potential addition of a hybrid powertrain, the facelifted i30 sedan looks set to be a popular choice for Australian drivers.

Inside, the cabin has been given a subtle refresh with the addition of ‘sage green’ interior trim and “new bio-friendly materials”, while the range-topping N variant is expected to feature a quieter exhaust system. With pricing, specifications and launch timing still to be announced, the updated i30 sedan is sure to be a hit when it arrives in Australia.