Hyundai Elantra N, Kona N Pricing Announced

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.