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People still ask me why Road & Track named the Hyundai Veloster N our Performance Car of the Year back in 2019. It beat out storied icons like the Porsche 911 and the Chevy Corvette, while also trouncing enthusiast sports cars like the Supra, BMW M2, and Lotus Evora GT. The reason it won was simple: It was just that good.
The Veloster N came out of nowhere and blew every judge away with its performance, feedback, and charm. It was a car we could beat half to death on a race track then bomb for hours down our favorite canyon, and it would never skip a beat. Pair that with the sub-$30,000 price tag and a 10-year warranty, and its victory was all but ensured by the end of the test. The craziest part is, the Veloster isn’t even the best N car Hyundai makes anymore. That title goes to the Elantra N.
The Elantra N was among the cheapest and least powerful cars at our 2023 Performance Car of the Year event in September. The only car with a lower price and fewer horses was the softer, heavier Subaru WRX. But like its funky hatch-shaped sibling, the Elantra N was a clear standout, despite what the numbers suggest.
Hyundai says that 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four makes 276 hp, but it feels like it’s making about 30 more than that. And unlike most copy/paste turbo four-pots these days, this engine is brimming with character, with plenty of cool noises and a knack for crackling with every lift of the throttle. Paired with the slick six-speed stick shift in our tester, it was happy to zip up and down the rev range with zest and enthusiasm, egging you on to grab another gear at every opportunity.
The cabin, too, helps the Elantra N impress. The seating position is excellent, as are the seats themselves. The cabin isn’t as stunning as the Civic Type R’s, but it’s practical and easy to get used to. Auto rev-matching can be turned off with the push of a button, and individual drive mode setups can be configured using the two big blue buttons on the steering wheel.
But the chassis setup is what makes the Elantra N stand out. This is the most oversteer-happy front-wheel-drive car I’ve driven since I got rid of my Fiesta ST. Flick off stability control and you’re treated to on-demand slides with every lift of the throttle. That might sound scary, but in practice the Elantra’s rotation is delightfully predictable and adjustable. After a few corners, it becomes addictive.
It’s this sort of approach that makes the Elantra N feel as fast as cars that cost way more money. The Civic Type R, for example, has a starting MSRP that’s nearly $10,000 higher than the Hyundai’s. Yet the two feel similarly quick on a race track. The times back me up, with our quickest hot lap in the Civic coming in at less than two seconds quicker than the Hyundai’s around Monticello Motor Club’s North Course.
The Elantra is exciting on the road, too. Because it’s not a billion-horsepower supercar, you can actually use most of the power without immediately getting yourself into trouble. The short ratios mean you’re always going between gears, while the torque-vectoring differential counters tight, uneven corners with sure-footed grip.
The Hyundai isn’t perfect, obviously. While it feels quick, the controls aren’t nearly as satisfying to use versus the near-perfect Type R. The exterior doesn’t generate much excitement either, with most staffers displaying open disdain for the Elantra N’s hyper-angular looks. And don’t get me started on the weird clutch programming.
Most of that stuff goes out the window once you consider the value aspect of it all, though. The Elantra N’s playful drivetrain and drift-happy chassis setup would alone make it a great buy at $33,245. But once you consider this is also a useful four-door sedan with a real back seat that gets decent fuel mileage, it becomes even more compelling, even amongst the greatest supercars of today.
Road & Track staff writer with a taste for high-mileage, rusted-out projects and amateur endurance racing.
