It might be odd to come to a site called BMWBLOG and read a headline about a Hyundai review. However, this isn’t just an ordinary Hyundai. It’s the Hyundai i30 N and it’s been developed in part by Albert Biermann, the former head of BMW’s M Division and one of the people responsible for some of the brand’s best driving cars. So when news of the i30 N started to trickle out, the hopes of ethusiasts from all brands were up, hoping that Biermann could make a fun, affordable hatchback for a brand in desperate need of fun. So has that happened; does a little bit of BMW M magic shine through the Hyundai i30 N? Carfection recently found out.

The car in question is the Hyundai i30 N Fastback, the four-door coupe version (is BMW shining through already?), which comes with a liftback tailgate. Hyundai has revised this car a bit over the standard i30 N; tweaking its suspension geometry, suspension tuning and its driving modes; to make it both more compliant and easier to drive quickly.

But is it actually any fun to drive? Is there any BMW M Division DNA in the little Hyundai? According to Carfection’s Rory Reid, yes. Reid really seems to like the little Hyundai, thanks to its nimble handling, responsive steering and punchy engine. It’s not the fastest hot hatch o the market but it’s certainly quick enough to be fun and engaging. Plus, it comes with a six-speed row-your-own gearbox. And that always makes things better.

So does BMW’s M Division DNA shine through the Hyundai i30 N? Maybe, maybe not. We haven’t driven it ourselves. However, it does definitely seem like Hyundai has finally made a car that triggers emotion, a car that can be loved for the way it drives and the way it makes you feel.