Never would I have thought in my life that Hyundai would reach the level it's at today. When things first started for the Korean manufacturer in the 1960s, reliability was an issue. Hyundai went thru a challenging time in the 1980s and 1990s. Then, some products started to become attractive in the 2000s, and the Korean manufacturer has never stopped improving since then.
Hyundai has proven to be a very successful car manufacturer in various categories. Its take on luxury models brought to the creation of Genesis. The Ioniq brand is one of the most popular out of every Ev carmakers in the world as of right now. And if it wasn't yet enough, the Korean manufacturer decided to give it a shot at performance vehicles and now offers some serious products.
The Elantra is already a great car, even in its most basic form. The Korean sedan is affordable, equipped with the latest tech, and offers excellent overall quality. However, where the Korean manufacturer really took us by surprise was with the addition of the N version. The N division has given us amazing vehicles so far, like the Veloster N and the Kona N. The Elantra N is a competitive car, and it's a lot of fun to drive. So here are 5 things to know about the 2023 Hyundai Elantra N.
1 – 276 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque
The Hyundai Elantra N might be less powerful than most of its rivals, but it still is a lot of fun to drive. The Korean sports sedan can reach a speed of 250 km/h, and it can beat the 0 to 100 km/h in less than 5.3 seconds with its DCT. The turbocharged 2.0 liter 4-cylinder you find under the hood of the Elantra N is a rather clever engine and one of the best on the market.
2 – DCT or manual
Performance vehicles that offer a manual gearbox are pretty rare these days. Still, vehicles that provide manual and automatic gearboxes are even rarer. It is the case with the Elantra N. So you can choose between a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed DCT. The power is also sent to the front wheels only, which is one reason why this car is such a fantastic vehicle to drive.
3 – Reclusive colors
The Performance Blue is a color reserved for N vehicles only, and this helps to make the 2023 Elantra N feels a bit more special. Nevertheless, the Elantra is still a good-looking car in any color, even the regular ones you find on any other Elantra models. The Elantra N offers contrasting red elements on the outside. The only color I would avoid picking for the body is red.
4 – A lot of unique elements
What I like about the Elantra N is that it offers many features you can't even get on any other Elantra, even as an option. The wheels, the brake caliper, the front and rear bumper, and the spoiler are only some among a plethora of examples.
5 – An actual sports car
Making a performance vehicle with a sedan like the Elantra is challenging. The Korean car has been created to be comfortable, practical, and safe. However, engineers found a way to keep all those characteristics while making the Elantra N a lot more fun to drive and a very performance-oriented car as if it had been conceived like this from the very beginning.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
