Are you ready for a big suprise? Well, I have one for you as I often do when I discover a special car hiding in pain sight. This blog as well as thne web video version here is all about the suprise thrill we got from the Elantra N. Hyundai is expanding its N performance sub-brand with bolder, ballsier version of its new Elantra compact car.
Here's a bit of trivia: N is the official name of Hyundai's high-performance brand. If you look at German carmakers like Mercedes AMG, BMW M, Audi RS, and Volkswagen R, it's easy to see that the N stands for high performance.
The "N" in the name i30N stands for Namyang, home to Hyundai Motor's global R&D centre in Korea since 1995, where the idea was born, and also for the Nürburgring (of course), home to Hyundai Motor's European test centre, where the i30N was further developed and tested. The Namyang R&D Center in South Korea is the heart of Hyundai Motor's global R&D network, and the birthplace of the new i30 N. It consists of a multitude of facilities and test roads that cover over 3.3 million square meters of land. he Namyang R&D is divided into three main areas: District A consisting of Design, Engineering and Powertrain Centres, District B with a wind tunnel, acoustics chamber and extreme weather testing facilities, and District C which features a crash test facility capable of performing 17 different types of crash tests up to 600 times per year. More than 10,000 people are employed within the various departments, from designers to engineers.
Located approximately 40 km southwest of Seoul, Hyundai's Namyang R&D centre is an 870-acre research facility constructed on land reclaimed from the sea. It was established in 1995 – up until then, all research work was conducted within the Ulsan manufacturing plant group. Considering the global impact Hyundai delivers to the marketplace, we just had to bring you up to speed on this vital automotive trivia. Now back to the Elantra N.
With the dynamic N, the suspension, transmission, limited slip differential, steering, and brakes are built for maximum driving dynamics – and each can be adjusted for a more personalized driving experience. Even the design gets your pulse racing with N-exclusive badging and aggressive styling.
This Elantra is the meaner, more aggressive version of the Elantra compact and its straight up fun. You get a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic. The Elantra N’s vibe is athletic enough to challenge established Subaru WRX, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, and the upcoming Toyota GR Corolla; tough competition for sure.
The 2022 Elantra N is powered by a 286-hp 289 lb ft of torque version of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder from the award-winning Veloster N hatchback. That gives the Elantra N leverage over some of its competitors. An eight-speed automatic is available with a six-speed manual that’s standard. The throttle response is aggressive, giving me all the more thrills. The handling is sharp and crisp. The sound - ohh yeah, revs up the blood.
The Hyundai Elantar N is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 sec, from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.1 sec, from 0 to 160 km/h (100 mph) in 13.3 sec, from 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 22.8 sec and the quarter mile drag time is 14.1 sec.
The Elantra N's longer wheelbase gives it a more compliant ride than the Veloster N but it still delivers the surefootedness we look for in a sports sedan. Its a marvelous automobile tha is more than just a thrill ride, but its a functional winned in the sedan space.
The 2022 Hyundai Elantra N is one of those high-performance, track-focused sedans that will pass for a regular practical car. Like other models in the N performance sub-brand, we found that the the Elantra N has a unique and distinctive personality but lacks consumer awareness that can make a big difference.