2025 Hyundai Elantra N AT Review: Posers Need Not Apply

The Drive

4 hours ago

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When it comes to accessible performance cars, we have it pretty good these days. Yes, the price of entry is a bit higher than it used to be (though not by as much as you'd think), but the market offers a solid breadth of options—all of them good, but more importantly, all different. The Hyundai Elantra N is among the best of them. It's fun and feisty, but it isn't for everyone, and that's why it rocks.
Take me, for example. I'm rapidly approaching my mid-thirties. The world tells me I should leave the boy racer thing behind; that a touring car-cosplaying wing and red splitter are beneath me now, that I should drive something that doesn't signal to the world that I'm pining for my twenties. The Elantra N kicked me right back to being fresh out of college. It's juvenile and raucous, but don't mistake that attitude for overcompensating, because it's also an uncompromisingly sharp sport sedan.
What's New With the Hyundai Elantra N
Right off the bat, I'll say I never drove the Elantra N before its recent refresh that tightened up the chassis. This latest iteration has a revised steering rack, new urethane rear suspension bushings, improved control arm bushings, reinforced engine mounts, and tweaked adaptive dampers. It also has a lower, leaner-looking front fascia. By some automakers' standards, that'd be enough change to mark a new generation.
Still, I've never been a huge fan of the way this car looks. I won't knock it for that—taste is subjective—but when I see it, I just get the sense Hyundai's designers didn't want to stop. You have red lipstick around the bumpers and side sills; matte black pops of trim that unfortunately look pretty cheap up close; and a rear deck so pointy you could cut yourself on it. That's a criticism you could levy at the regular Elantra, too, of course, but the N only amps up the aggression.
I'd argue this car doesn't need any of it to be great, which it is. But here's the thing: In a world where the Civic Type R has toned down its fighting-mecha flair and Ford isn't making anything with an ST or RS badge (the Explorer will never count), somebody has got to step in and be the shouty, cheap-ish sports compact. I don't mind that Hyundai has taken up the mantle.
Inside, the Elantra N is very modern, very tech-forward, but also ergonomically sound and surprisingly roomy. Like, really spacious. I could easily fit behind myself in the rear seat, with plenty of room for my head at 5'10.' This is something that also truly impressed me about the Elantra's cousin, the Kia K4, though the less performance-minded K4 didn't have this Elantra's well-bolstered Alcantara seats. (Yes—real, licensed-with-a-capital-'A' Alcantara.)
Quality in here is good enough, though don't get your hopes too high. The sticker might read $37,000, but this is still a $23,000 car at its core with miles of plastic. That weird handle next to the front passenger seat is practically a magnet for people to grab hold of, then wince when it inevitably creaks. And I have absolutely no idea what is going on with the circular thing to the left of the steering wheel, which Hyundai has admitted serves zero purpose. It needed to be gone yesterday.
Strangely, just like in the Genesis G70 I drove last year, the Elantra's USB-C port marked with a charging icon does not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto; for those, you need to plug into the USB-A port beside it. A slightly frustrating quirk of older Hyundai Group infotainment systems, but worth highlighting nonetheless.
Driving the Hyundai Elantra N
My Elantra N came with the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission rather than the six-speed manual. This adds $1,500 to the sticker and 110 pounds to the car; it also slightly bites into gas mileage, resulting in a 20 mpg city/27 highway estimation from the EPA, compared to 21/29 for the 6MT. I can't speak to the quality of Hyundai's manual, but with fewer automakers even offering the choice nowadays, I'm glad Hyundai still is.
Otherwise, the Elantra N packs the same two-liter turbo-four it always has, making a Gentleman's Agreement-approved 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque. That torque rolls in early, at 2,100 rpm, so you can amuse yourself even in moderate traffic. Nevertheless, torque steer is well mitigated thanks to a clever Integrated Drive Axle front suspension design. The exhaust pops and grumbles while vibrations from the powertrain are kept to a minimum, and I'm happy to report that you can turn off additional fake engine noises piped in through the Bose speakers.
It's how this thing feels in the corners that makes it really special, though. The Elantra N is optimized, in every way, for stunning front-end grip and weighty, palpable steering. Electronic power steering can be hit or miss, but the Elantra N just has that perfect measure of elasticity, combined with a short ratio that will delight anyone looking for more precision from their daily. And the equipment ahead of you backs that up; every Elantra N comes standard with forged 19-inch wheels (seriously), Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, and massive, 14.2-inch diameter brakes, which are better cooled following the front-end redesign.
It's been a minute since I've driven a Civic Type R, but nothing else in this set that I can think of—not the GR Corolla, which I happen to own, nor the Golf GTI or R, or the Subaru WRX—feels this sharp at the nose. Hyundai quite simply nailed it.
That's helped by the N Adaptive Damper system, combining McPherson struts at the front with a multi-link rear calibrated across three drive modes. This, too, is standard, which is ideal because the highest spring-rate Sport+ setting is truly spine-cracking over long periods. That said, even at its most compliant, the ride still isn't particularly comfortable. How the Elantra N looks on the outside, hard-edged and serious, is more or less how it runs.
Hyundai Elantra N Fuel Economy
If you're after outstanding fuel economy, you obviously aren't going to find it among the Elantra N and its competitors. That said, the alternatives fare better. Again, Hyundai promises 20/27 mpg across city and highway, which seemed accurate in my testing and places it on the lower end of the class' efficiency spectrum.
Here's how the Elantra N compares to its closest rivals in fuel efficiency. Fueleconomy.gov
The Elantra N, when equipped with the automatic, pales against the manual-only Honda Civic Si and especially the auto-only Volkswagen GTI by a considerable margin. The GR Corolla, one of the few cars in this category that still comes both ways, is quoted below the Elantra N (though I'll add from experience that the manual GR Corolla can easily top 30 mpg on the highway).
Hyundai Elantra N Value and Verdict
Reflecting the unending upward charge of all car prices, the Elantra N is not exactly cheap, starting at $35,595 for a six-speed model. But in context, it's almost a bargain.
The Civic Si starts a lot lower and is arguably a better daily, but it's down 76 horsepower on the Elantra. The GTI can be had for a couple of grand less, but it's much worse equipped as standard, and not quite as sharp to drive. The all-wheel-drive Subaru WRX and GR Corolla offer more car for more money, but also force you to spend more for better materials. And the Civic Type R is the zenith of performance compacts—but, by that point, you're spending five figures more than this Elantra N.
When everything's said and done, none of those cars, bar the Type R, quite measure up to the Elantra N in the engagement factor. Is it the best daily? Money-no-object, I'd choose a GTI Autobahn if I wanted the most comfortable yet fun commuter. But Hyundai's idea of a fast small car is something different; one that's relentless in its commitment to precision, that doesn't try to bury its hardcore nature. Whether that's right for you or not, there's nothing else quite like it, for quite so little.