ARGUABLY, what a hot hatch needs to have above nearly everything else is versatility.

True, a cracker engine, eager chassis and fun-to-steer nature add to a hot hatch’s likeable characteristics, but it needs to be able to balance these features with everyday usability, approachable limits and an affordable pricetag.

Enter Hyundai’s first attempt at dethroning the long-reigning Volkswagen Golf GTI hot hatch king with its i30 N front-driver.

202kW/353Nm from a turbocharged 2.0-litre and suspension tuning at the Nurburgring ensure Hyundai’s hot hatch bid sports plenty of attributes to like, while its i30 roots and sub-$40,000 pricetag make it feasible in terms of usage and cost.

Has Hyundai knocked this one out of the park on its first go? Or will the i30 N need a few more iterations to iron out all the teething problems?