The 2025 Hyundai Elantra is a competitive, if boldly styled, small car. It’s not particularly memorable to drive, but that changes when you hop into the sport bucket seats of the 2025 Elantra N. This high-performance version isn’t just memorable; it’s one of the most fun, capable, and downright enjoyable cars you can buy—and it’s not even that expensive.
Photo: James Riswick
The Elantra N, launched in 2022, received many of the same updates as the standard model highlighted in our 2024 Hyundai Elantra review. The N also received steering updates for improved feedback and precision, new forged alloy wheels that shed a significant 33 pounds of unsprung weight, enhanced engine and brake cooling, and suspension upgrades for better ride and handling. Hyundai made no changes for 2025.
The Elantra N sits atop the 2025 Elantra lineup, which also includes gas-only versions (SE, SEL, Limited, and N-Line) and hybrid trim levels (Blue, Sport, and Limited). All are four-door sedans. Note that the N Line is a separate trim with modest performance upgrades, including a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine. Base prices range from $23,370, including the destination charge, to $31,045 for the Hybrid Limited. The N starts at $35,595.
For this 2025 Elantra review, Hyundai provided a test vehicle equipped with N trim and a single option: the eight-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission (DCT).
The test vehicle’s manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) was $37,095, including the $1,245 destination charge to ship the sedan to your local dealership from the Ulsan, South Korea, assembly plant.
Photo: James Riswick
The Elantra N might look similar to other Elantras (though with sportier trim pieces inside and out), but I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that it drives like a completely different car. It probably shouldn’t be surprising given the long list of unique features, mechanical parts, and tuning efforts.
The engine is the headliner: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque. Pressing the NGS, or N Grin Shift, button on the steering wheel increases horsepower to 286 for 20 seconds. You know it’s exactly 20 seconds because a small countdown appears in the instrument panel. You must wait 40 seconds before pressing it again.
A variable exhaust system offers different volume levels, including an “upshift bang sound” that pops during exuberant acceleration. There’s also some sound enhancement, with an “N Sound Equalizer” that amplifies or replaces the engine’s actual noise with a selection of different tones played through the car’s sound system. These include two race-inspired options: the Rally tone was my favorite, while the boisterous “TCR” race car option felt fake.
A six-speed manual transmission is standard, but my test vehicle came equipped with the eight-speed DCT with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. That’s not all, though. The number of available gears varies by drive mode: the full eight in Normal and only the first six in N mode. The DCT also features a “power shift” function that adds a “push-feel” when upshifting to mimic the feel of certain race cars.
Hyundai also upgraded the chassis and suspension in the Elantra N, strengthening the body and suspension components. The suspension features special bushings and struts, along with multi-mode dampers that adjust damping force based on the drive mode and conditions. Hyundai has improved and enhanced its electronic stability and vehicle control systems for high-performance driving. An electronic limited-slip differential (e-LSD) reduces understeer by distributing power between the left and right front wheels while cornering.
The ventilated brakes measure 14.2 inches at the front and 12.4 inches at the rear. They sit behind the black spokes of the 19-inch forged alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires.
In addition to the visible exterior design features, such as the rear wing, Hyundai made some less noticeable changes to enhance aerodynamics and improve component cooling.
The interior features manually operated sport seats, simulated suede upholstery, red accent trim, and a great leather-wrapped steering wheel with buttons for NGS and two customizable drive-mode presets.
Photo: James Riswick
Never mind the wildly different driving experience between the N and other Elantra trim levels; the N varies greatly depending on your chosen settings. There are not only the usual Normal and Sport modes but also a max-attack N mode and two custom modes that you can quickly access via big steering wheel buttons.
You can adjust the usual steering effort, throttle and transmission response, and suspension firmness, but you can also tweak the exhaust exuberance and engine noise. Trust me, it often takes a lot of trial and error between settings on the touchscreen before you find that perfect Goldilocks menu that suits your preferences or specific driving scenarios. Once you do, however, chef’s kiss.
Ultimately, even when I just put the Elantra N into Normal mode, it was engaging, responsive, and simply fun. The first tap of the accelerator and turn of the wheel were enough to show that this seemingly modest compact sedan was a completely different animal from every other Elantra.
The steering, in particular, is taut, direct, and perfectly weighted. Indeed, Normal could be the only setting, and I’d still walk away satisfied. Yet, when I selected Sport, there was a perfect increase in effort for higher speeds that didn’t muddy feedback or hinder turning through tighter, technical corners. I found that this occurred with the heavier Sport+ setting, but that’s the benefit of the custom settings—different strokes for different folks.
Now, there’s one thing the Elantra N lacks: torque steer. For a car that delivers 289 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels only, it’s impressive that there’s never a hint of the tell-tale wheel tug when gunning the throttle while exiting a corner. Nor is there any sign of it when mashing the gas from a stop. Among the N’s various upgrades is something vaguely called “Torque Steer Control.” Hyundai doesn’t describe exactly what went into it, but it works.
The same applies to all those suspension upgrades, including the multi-mode dampers. Ride quality in Normal mode is definitely firm, but there was no head bobbing over highway expansion joints or jarring responses to sharp impacts. It’s comfortable.
It becomes less noticeable in Sport, but I found it perfectly suited for my mountain road evaluation route. It provided just enough firmness without making everything so stiff that I was shaken apart or the chassis became unsettled over mid-corner bumps. That’s what happened in Sport+, which seems best suited for a track.
The solid, confidence-boosting brake pedal feel and the Elantra N’s impressive neutral handling defined the rest of the mountain drive. It didn’t push through corners (kudos to the e-LSD), and there was no lift-throttle oversteer. It simply rotated smoothly, stayed composed and forgiving, all while keeping a quick pace.
Finally, I must admit that I was disappointed to review an Elantra N with the eight-speed DCT. My experiences with the automatic transmissions in the Subaru WRX, Volkswagen GTI, and even the Ford Mustang have been disappointing (Honda doesn’t even offer one in the Civic Si or Type R). Not only do I prefer a manual transmission, but I’ve found the automatics in this price segment lack the quick responses and intelligence needed for a performance vehicle.
Well, that is not the case with the Elantra N; it’s exceptional. When set to Sport+, I never thought about pulling a paddle shifter while blistering through my mountain road evaluation route (always the best sign of a great performance car automatic). It constantly and skillfully anticipated the need for downshifts based on braking and upshifted exactly when it should have, without hanging onto revs. It’s more like Porsche’s excellent PDK than anything offered by the competition.
The engine also impresses with precise throttle response, regardless of the setting, and ample power for quick launches, highway passes, and exiting corners. It sounds great, even if sometimes it's a bit contrived and mostly fake. That I waited this long to mention its impressive engine says a lot about the rest of the Elantra N’s handling skills.
Photo: James Riswick
Plenty of cars can put a smile on your face on a back road or track, but they are uncomfortable and impractical everywhere else. That’s not the Elantra N.
In terms of comfort, I’ve already noted the surprisingly smooth ride. The unique front seats provided excellent long-haul support and plenty of adjustability for a 6-foot-3 driver, despite their manual controls. It’s rare for manual seat bottoms to drop down far enough in the rear to give me enough thigh support, but these did. They also allowed for a comfortable reach to the attractively contoured steering wheel.
The back seat, meanwhile, is just as spacious as in all other Elantras. Not only could I fit comfortably, but my four-year-old son’s dangling feet weren’t anywhere close to the passenger seat while riding in his huge convertible car seat. There’s no center armrest, though, and the hard door plastics contrast with the higher-quality materials up front.
The trunk provides 14.2 cubic feet of space—the same as other Elantras. In my testing, I managed to fit three roll-aboard bags, two larger suitcases that would need to be checked, and a medium-sized duffel bag with some room to spare. This is comparable to what I could fit in the Hyundai Kona small SUV. Notably, though, the structural enhancement bars (painted red) that cross in the middle of the trunk’s pass-through compromise the Elantra N’s cargo versatility.
Another curiosity, though of a different variety, is that the Elantra N comes with Hyundai’s usual array of safety technologies (forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning), but it does not include adaptive cruise control (ACC). It does, however, have lane-centering steering assist on the highway. It’s the only vehicle I’ve encountered that has that without ACC.
Also missing are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (you need a wire). It also features Hyundai’s previous-generation tech interface, but I prefer its design and find it to be perfectly quick and visually appealing. The included Bose audio system is quite good, although the Elantra N is very noisy, especially on the highway, so it needs to be.
Photo: James Riswick
Overall, the 2025 Hyundai Elantra N is a thrill to drive and easy to live with. It costs several thousand more than a Honda Civic Si or Volkswagen’s Jetta GLI and GTI—cars that offer a similar mix of performance and everyday usability—but everything about its driving experience suggests it should. I wouldn’t only choose it over those, but I can easily see myself saving thousands of dollars by opting for this hot Hyundai over the pricier Civic Type R or VW Golf R. It is that good. That the Elantra N doesn’t get more attention than it does is a shame.
James Riswick has been testing and reviewing cars since 2007, serving as an editor at Edmunds.com and Autoblog. He has also contributed to Autoguide Magazine, Autotrader, Capital One Auto Navigator, Car and Driver, and Hagerty. He resides in Southern California and owns a 1998 BMW Z3, a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 Wagon, and a 2025 Cadillac Optiq.
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