These are the first official pictures of the second-generation i30 three-door, due to debut at the Paris motor show on 27 September and very much as a sportier alternative to the five-door model, which was released in South Africa in June.
Its distinctively raked beltline, angular glasshouse silhouette and longer front doors give it a dynamic profile, while a black mesh insert and central bar accentuate Hyundai's signature hexagonal grille.
There's more mesh in the new foglight clusters - which have round spots connected to LED daytime running light strips - and the re-profiled lower front bumper.
There's a new rear bumper as well, with horizontal foglights, rather than the upright units of the five-door, combined with a new black insert at the bottom of the bumper to create the impression of a wider, sportier rear design.
And, of course, the three-door runs on special 16” alloys.
It will be available in Europe with a choice of four engines and five power outputs, together with six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, including the new U-II 1.6-litre turbodiesel, for which Hyundai quotes 95kW, at a remarkably 'green' 97g/km of CO2.
Hyundai's new Flex Steer system with driver-selectable steering-assistance modes is standard across the range.
Korea's No.1 carmaker is laying great emphasis on the i30's European heritage - it was styled by ex-Audi design guru Peter Schreyer at the Hyundai skunk works in Russelsheim, Germany, and will be built in the Czech Republic - but sadly, there are no plans at present to release the three-door i30 in South Africa.