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The new high-performance Elantra N model debuts this year with a powerful 276 horsepower four-cylinder turbo. Courtesy | Len Ingrassia
The new high-performance Elantra N model debuts this year with a powerful 276 horsepower four-cylinder turbo. Courtesy | Len Ingrassia
While car sales have been in decline, one company has been bucking the trend churning out practical and racy cars. The latter comes into focus with Hyundai’s debut of the Elantra N — a high performance sport compact that tops the Elantra nameplate.
After spending a week with the N, we concluded it shares Miata’s playful handling with four doors, excellent handling, lots of power and a quickness few can match.
While the N is priced in the low to mid-$30s, the price includes performance, safety and technology options — minus adaptive cruise control. All that’s left is to pick the exterior color and whether you prefer a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Out tester came with the eight-speed automatic with dual clutch control, launch control and an ‘overboost’ feature.
Launch control prevents the engine from over-revving under power while allowing the driver to set the starting rpm. When depressed, a red N button on the lower steering wheel adds turbo boost by forcing more air into the engine.
This feature adds an additional 10% power for up to 20 seconds before releasing. While engaged, a sport exhaust system crackles and pops with all the right notes.
In our independent testing, the N ran the zero to 60-mile per hour sprint in 5.1 seconds, quicker than VW Jetta GLI, Honda Civic Si and Toyota GR Corolla. Just as impressive, the N braked to a dead stop in a respectable 107 feet.
Worth noting, under power the front-wheel drive N did not spin out once and all but eliminated understeer, prevalent in most front-wheel drive cars.
Hyundai engineers deserve kudos for giving the Elantra N road-handling hardware not found in the rest of the lineup. Standard equipment includes multi-link electronically controlled rear suspension, rear chassis brace, oversize front and rear ventilated brake rotors, motor-driven power steering and Michelin Pilot Sport summer tires.
The Elantra N delivers a mostly compliant ride. Around town it scoots when needed, has great visibility and is easy to park in tight spots. At sustained highways speeds we experienced higher-than-normal road and wind noise.
The cabin layout is sleek with digital instrument gauge facing the driver and digital infotainment screen situated at center console. The rest of the interior is basic with generous use of hard plastics, little padding and manual driver seat adjustments.
Exterior of the small sedan got plenty of looks in parking lots. Its four doors are wide and allow easy entry and exit. A blackened mesh front grille and elongated LED lighting assemblies dominate the front end.
Our dark blue tester stood out with arrest-me-red ground effects all around and 19-inch alloys.
The N model comes with the best warranty out there — 10-year/100,000-mile power train, 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance.
There are just a few rivals listed above that compare. Be sure to test them before making your buying decision.
Len Ingrassia is an independent automotive columnist. Contact him at lenscarcorner@comcast.net.
Engine: 2.0-liter, twin-scroll turbocharged four cylinder, 276 horsepower
EPA Mileage: 20 city, 30 highway, 23 combined
Assembled: Fully assembled in Ulsan, Korea.
Crash test ratings: Neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety nor The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationhad evaluated the Elantra N as of this writing, however, both testing agencies gave high marks in all crash tests to the other 2022 Elantra models.
Warranty: 5-year/60,000-mile bumper to bumper; 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain, 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance.
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