DRIVER'S CARS

If it’s time to grow up, but not old: here are 10 unlikely driver’s cars that will still spark joy

01 UNLIKELY DRIVER’S CARS

HYUNDAI i30 N-LINE

PRICE: $29,420

PWR: 114kW/tonne

ENGINE: 1591cc inline 4, DOHC, 16v, turbo

IN ITS PRE-UPDATE SR-badged guise, the Hyundai i30 was seemingly the default answer to any warm hatch question. Today, the segment is as packed and as closely fought as ever, but Hyundai’s keenly positioned N-Line is still well worth your consideration.

Much of the winning formula remains, as the attractive list price affords you a gutsy turbocharged 1.6-litre inline-four, a segment-leading 150kW/265Nm, and generous levels of standard equipment.

Factory Michelin Pilot Sport 4s and 305mm front brakes signal real sporting intent and the Korean hatch follows through with excellent body control. Front-end grip is tenacious and ultra-progressive in the way its controls lighten to communicate when its limits of grip are tested.

Damping is firm, but it’s liveable and well-controlled. Steering, too, is nicely weighted, precise and direct; with a tactile front-end that firms nicely with speed.

Opting for the six-speed manual also sees the list price dip below $30k, but even the seven-speed dual-clutch is an effective and fun unit to engage with, delivering solid and decisive shifts through its paddles or tiptronic shifter. The full-fat i30 N is still the range’s enthusiast hero, but the N-Line captures a lot of that magic for a smaller price. It’s more accessible in its talents and will spur smiles on a challenging road while nailing the brief as a pragmatic hatchback.

02 UNLIKELY DRIVER’S CARS

BMW X3 M40i

PRICE: $113,900