An exterior refresh elevates the Elantra N to an even higher superlative
2024 Hyundai Elantra N DCT review with The Road Beat
Words and pictures by Mitchell Weitzman
There was one solitary aspect holding back Hyundai’s rambunctious Elantra N: it wasn’t pretty. Bearing a daring shape, but sans attraction, the Elantra N’s potential was greatly held back by its juvenile image, with that delinquency extending to the brand and badging itself - a performance Hyundai, it couldn’t possibly be! A couple model years later and Hyundai has (thankfully) replaced its polarizing front chomp with a cohesive design that easily should have been the original starting point, transforming the exterior experience. Now that the Elantra N is bona fide good looking, this is one performance car held back by nothing thanks to its electrifying character and unbeatable value.
I might be a traditionalist in that I favor classic rear-wheel drive designs in most cases, but the Elantra N is the exception, being the more involving and fun car when compared to a Toyota GR86 or Miata. You might be thinking that I'm talking blasphemy by even considering this a rival to such holy saviors, but the Elantra N is indeed a very real rival because of its inherent attitude and aptitude for fun. With a degree of speed that leaves said rivals in its wake, and poise learned from the best circuits in the world (the head of Hyundai N used to engineer BMW's most heralded M cars...), and literally next to zero torque steer, the Elantra N is the most fun new car you can buy for under $40,000. Yes, I said it, and while I would prefer three pedals, it’s even pretty damn impressive with this example’s optional eight-speed dual clutch automatic. Sure, it is front-wheel drive so you can’t do any smoke-infused drifts for a bunch of TikTok kids while their iPhones are recording, but then again it’s nigh impossible to tell that it’s even front-wheel drive anyways thanks to the lack of torque steer.
Open the doors and the interior isn’t exactly luxurious by any means, with the expected hard plastics here and there, but that’s right in-line for the price to performance ratio. The seats at least are terrific, offering a great blend of comfort and lateral support that accommodates my preferred driving position quite well, and the leather steering wheel is tactile and shaped perfectly. I do prefer the manual, even if the DIY transmission isn’t as delectable as the Honda-unit inhabiting the Civic Type R's mechanism of the gods, but it’s still fun and precise, and this dual clutch is highly impressive in its own right, reeling off quick shifts both up and downwards with aplomb. Look, there’s no other way of saying, but this car as a complete package is rather phenomenal, regardless of which angle you approach from, both literally and metaphorically.
What really separates this compact sedan from others is how glued and locked-down the stellar chassis is. I said it earlier, but this Elantra N truthfully is the more enjoyable performance car than closely-priced sports cars like the GR86 and MX-5. The fact this Hyundai is front-wheel drive is just a formality, because this has such deft handling balance with mountains of grip from its front end. Understeer? What understeer; When you see an apex, turn the wheel, and guide this stinger missile to target. You can even aggressively squeeze the throttle through long and looping cloverleaf onramps, and somehow the front just bites harder and harder without any fuss. It's an amazing revelation for what is an affordable performance car, and it's not just the shear capability and grip that elevates the Elantra N, but it's also never short of involvement, simply begging you to push and drive angry, like having a little devil sitting on your shoulder feeding mischief to your ear. Okay, so you can't go drifting per se, but the Elantra N doesn't lose composure as you increase your pace and determination, and as you toss the car left and right on repeat, it becomes addicting fun and highly inclusive of the driver, doing just what we are meant to: drive.
The steering is predictable and features a natural weight, I like that. Confidence grows as you further turn the wheel all while communicating decent enough feedback to its driver to cease speculation. Yet, the suspension isn't punishing like on a Civic Type R, which would definitely have a slight edge in outright speed on a race track thanks to its track-honed and stiff chassis, but here on real world backroads, the Elantra N emerges victorious because of that forgiving nature that's genuinely more suitable and exploitable on imperfect (most all) roads. Despite no power directed to the rear two wheels, the multi-link rear suspension does an admirable job staying in shape and maintaining direction, where like a reliable rear gunner, it keeps things planted and discards any attacking bumps.
Don't think I've forgotten the engine, as the boosted four-cylinder serves up a main course of unexpected quality. The sound isn't even half bad, but impressive enough is a relative lack of harsh vibrations that can easily compromise other vehicles with a similar engine configuration. With 276-horsepower and a burly 289 lb-ft from just 2,100 RPM, progress is easy and effective, made further accessible by the dual-clutch transmission's swift shifting. The midrange is particularly meaty, and on a local favorite route resembling that of a British hillclimb, channeling that inner beef addictively in the 3,000 to 5,000 RPM range allows a freedom to explore both the engine and chassis to practical effect. Taking things to the top reveals a slight falloff in pull, as is normal in most turbocharged engines, but the power unit and noise still convince enough to make redlining worth the journey. The compelling punch also means the Elantra N absolutely vanquishes its Miata and GR86 rivals in a straight line. Also, when you do get aggressive and select the race mode for the active exhaust, there are silly pops and bangs that guarantee smiles. For those concerned with timesheet specifications, 0-60 MPH takes a brisk 4.9 seconds. And for commuters, fuel economy stood at 25 MPG after a full week.
Well, I knew I'd like the Elantra N, having greatly enjoyed the previous one I sampled. All the strengths remain, but now the Elantra N looks actually good rather than unapologetically aggressive and vulgar. The fact it's not only faster, but also more enjoyable than a pair of similarly-priced rear-wheel drive sports cars says oh so much. The dual-clutch is a unique addition and option, but for the maximum sporting experience and inclusion, I do, wholeheartedly at that, recommend the stick shift.
How's it compare to other front-drive hot hatches? Well, VW has the GTI for a similar price, but the VW is just a bit boring in comparison, too safe. And then there's Honda's quintessential Civic Type R. I won't lie - I like the Civic Type R more. But, and this is a huge but, the CTR costs $10,000 extra. That the Elantra N accomplishes so much at its price is perhaps the most shocking achievement yet. And for that, it's entirely all too easy to recommend having a look at the Elantra N.
2024 Hyundai Elantra N DCT
As-tested price: $36,820
Pros: Newly improved exterior; Outrageous fun and performance
Cons: Telling people it's a Hyundai; Choose the manual
