Brand’s answer to Civic Si a worthy opponent

Hyundai is expanding its performance N Line trim into every vehicle in the lineup, and one of the latest models to receive it is the Elantra, Hyundai's smaller sedan.

But does adding a performance bent to a sedan make up for the compromises? Let's take a look at the 2021 Hyundai Elantra N Line.

Who is this car for? While the demographic is definitely dwindling, there are still folks out there who prefer to have a classic sedan rather than make the switch to a highriding SUV.

One of the largest benefits of the sedan's body style is that the lower centre of gravity makes for a naturally better handling vehicle, and brands can exploit that further by adding performance upgrades.

However, choosing a sedan over a crossover still comes with its share of compromises.

Now, you may be asking what's included in this N Line trim, the middle of the road for Hyundai's performance N segment. You can't get a fullblood Elantra N yet, but it's currently in the works. Under the hood is a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 201 horsepower. The engine connects that power to the front wheels via a sevenspeed dual-clutch transmission, and call me old school, but that's pretty impressive for a sedan.

A six-speed manual is available, but the nice thing about the DCT is that you can just put it in Smart mode, and then it turns into a normal car again, and is much easier to drive in traffic.

This isn't just a bunch of fancy badges and red contrast stitching either, Hyundai has messed around with the chassis as well. The N Line has an independent rear suspension unlike the base model, as well as bigger brakes, firmer dampers, stiffer anti-roll bars, and stiffer springs.

The bent-on-performance clearly comes through when you look at the dashboard. The N Line has to have some of the coolest gauges fitted to a brand new car, and they're actually analog, which adds to the experience.

The drive mode selector is also right in front of you on the left side, so it's easy to switch back and forth from Smart mode to hooligan mode. In a wild departure from regular vehicles, i noticed that the tachometer reads 2,500 rpm when maintaining around 110 km/h, and with a seven-speed transmission, that puts the gears remarkably close together and helps with acceleration, unfortunately at the cost of fuel mileage.

The gas mileage is just OK, 8.6 L/100 km in the city and 6.6 on the highway, 7.6 combined. However, you're probably going to get worse than the quoted numbers because you're going to drive this car like an animal.

For the price, you aren't going to get something like torque-vectoring all-wheeldrive. DCT transmissions in the city can also be a bit of a pain, especially when parking. A definite tradeoff for the quick shifting.

It's kind of an animal, a turbocharged four-cylinder shouldn't sound this good, especially not in a commuter car, but it does. If you're gonna drive like a hooligan, you're going to want some safety equipment and the N Line is decently equipped with lane keep assist, cruise control, and front crash avoidance, which I've found is a pretty decent indicator of how late I can swerve around an object.

This car feels like it's $10,000 more than it actually is. The Elantra starts at $17,899 but stepping up to the N Line is just $29,524 including destination charges.

The power numbers and size suggest that it should be competing with the Civic Si, which is honestly a tough fight. Luckily, it's actually a great time to get one of these because Honda isn't making a Civic Si for 2021, and the 2022 looks like it fell off the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.

Everything feels high quality; everywhere you look there are small details that add up to a much more luxurious vehicle. The stalks on the steering column are an excellent example, they have this knurling on them that was so unexpected the first time I went to use the turn signals.

They could have cheaped out on these, but they didn't. As for creature comforts, heated seats and steering wheel are also included, as is dual-zone climate control and wireless phone charging.

This is a car that favours driving over lounging, and as such, the infotainment is kind of a disaster. What's more, is that the screen is just a little too far away if you're in a comfortable position. I've got long arms and reaching for the control knob is a bit of a stretch. It doesn't have satellite navigation, but Standard Apple Carplay and Android Auto means you can still get around easily enough.

The styling: you're gonna love it or you're gonna hate it. But at least it's different. I, for one, think it looks cool. It's such a wild change of pace from the bland styling of pretty much every other sedan maker.

The trunk is also huge, but it should be a hatchback like the Kia Stinger, which would add more versatility in a segment that already struggles to sells cars.

The Hyundai Elantra N Line is definitely punching above its weight, as are all models in the brand's lineup. For those still interested in sedans, the N Line is a worthy competitor to more expensive and frankly less exciting offerings from more experienced brands.

If you're willing to live with the compromises of a sedan over a crossover, the Elantra N Line adds a spot of fun to the otherwise dreary commute.