Hyundai vehicles are known for their value, generous warranties, and great tech, but performance has been climbing up the list of reasons to love the South Korean automaker’s products. A few years ago, the Veloster N hit the streets with raucous performance and a manual transmission, making for a real-deal hot hatchback with performance to spare. Since that car’s unveiling, Hyundai has shown off two other models with the N treatment, and today we learned pricing for the pair.
The Elantra sedan and Kona crossover get the hotted-up N treatment for 2022. While each represents a performance value in its respective segment, their prices might come as a shock for buyers expecting the usual Hyundai bargain. The Elantra N starts at $32,925 with a 6-speed manual gearbox and $34,425 with the available 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The Kona N starts at $35,425 and comes only with the DCT.
Both cars get a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine cranking out 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque. The full force of that powertrain comes on during a temporary over-boost function called “N Grin Shift,” which drives horsepower up to 286 and hastens transmission shifts to their quickest level. The function is only available for 20 seconds and requires a cooldown period of 40 seconds before the driver can get after it again.
The Kona N and Elantra N are the most expensive versions of their respective model lines, but there’s enough performance gear, safety equipment, and tech to soften the blow. The Elantra N and Kona N get electronic limited-slip differentials, 19-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, electronically controlled suspension, and reinforced bodywork. Standard safety kit includes forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, lane-keeping assistance, driver attention warnings, and the Kona gets Hyundai’s Safe Exit Assist warning system.
Though Hyundai’s electric-vehicle lineup is proliferating, its performance lineup is ballooning as well. The Kona N and Elantra N join the Veloster N and N Line versions of several models, including the Sonata, Tucson, Elantra, and Kona. N Line models are intermediate between Hyundai’s regular cars and the full-fat, race-inspired N versions.
Hyundai is the source of information for this article. It was accurate on December 1, 2021, but it may have changed since that date.
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