by Baron Wilton
posted on August 17, 2022
Turbocharged fun that’s affordable
There’s something so magnetic about taking the perfect turn around a corner. The sticky grip of the tires, the subtle hug of your seat as your weight shifts to the side, and the crisp white line meandering through the curve will have you thinking the center of your world is just around the bend. To keep this feeling lasting forever, Hyundai’s new N brand amplifies their vehicles’ cornering prowess with high-performance variants of their traditional models. The idea of selling performance cars under a separate brand entity is not new; just look at Lexus F or BMW M for examples. However, it is rare to see a dedicated performance sub-brand released from an auto manufacturer traditionally focused on value.
You can pump racing pathos into just about any letter of our alphabet, but Hyundai will convince you that there’s nothing more special than the letter “N.” All Hyundai N vehicles are designed at the Namyang R&D Center in South Korea, and perfected around the 154 corners of the esteemed Nürburgring track in Germany. This rigorous testing and perfecting process brings the N brand lineup into a league of its own. In the US and Canada, Hyundai turned up the volume on the Elantra sedan, Kona SUV, and Veloster hatchback, and in the UK, you can find the i20, i30, and i30 fastback in N form.
The roster of N cars may not have the repetitional cache of well-known athletes like the Civic Type R, VW Golf, or Subaru WRX, but Hyundai is just beginning to write their own chapter in motorsports history. The spiked Elantra, Kona, and Veloster share a turbocharged V4 engine with 275 hp and make the sprint to 60 mph seconds faster than their traditional counterparts.
Even more exciting, the Veloster and Elantra come standard with a manual gearbox, and all three models boast a dual-clutch automatic offering which enables ultra-quick shifting and better fuel economy. These transmission options are rarities, especially among non-luxury performance cars, and are not offered by competitors like the Civic Type R, Subaru WRX, Camry TRD, or the future GR Corolla. All Hyundai N cars also come standard with Hyundai’s SmartSense technology suite featuring lane centering assist and forward collision avoidance, instilling confidence to the driver whether on a twisty mountain road or within the urban jungle.
Hyundai N aims to make motorsports-inspired performance vehicles accessible to everyone, first starting with gasoline powered beasts. With gas engines, N cars are more economical to produce and are more quickly adopted by driving enthusiasts (save the manuals!). Plus, the max power and acceleration stats merely scratch the surface of these cars’ capabilities. Each N model is equipped with specially constructed high-performance Pirelli tires, a dynamic front axle, customizable exhaust notes, and five driving modes labeled as the “Grin” system. The most advanced mode, N Custom, will take the vehicle into overdrive. Cue the “Star Power” theme song from Mario Kart. For 20 seconds, the car maximizes its acceleration, torque, horsepower, and of course the exhaust sound, all of which Hyundai ensures will make you grin.
For those drivers looking for a lite version of the N experience, Hyundai offers the N-Line trim on most of their traditional vehicles, like Ian’s upgraded Kona. This trim differentiates from N vehicles in that the trim introduces aggressive visual cues and peppier acceleration without actually changing the driving mechanics. Although N-Line cars are a more common sighting, Hyundai is mainly investing its resources into perfecting and expanding the N brand’s global presence.
It won’t be long before Hyundai electrifies their N cars. Hyundai’s R&D arm, aptly named the Rolling Lab, has teased a full lineup of electric N cars and the world’s first hydrogen hybrid, the N Vision 74. This DeLorean look-alike has two electric motors and a hydrogen fuel tank that outputs 670 hp and 373 miles of range. If successfully mass produced, the N Vision 74 could completely disrupt the motorsports universe as the first viable hydrogen fuel cell competitor. But first, Hyundai will begin with N versions of its Ioniq 5 hatchback and soon-to-be-released Ioniq 6 coupe.
Hyundai clearly isn’t afraid to shake up the status quo, especially not without a little flare. As evidenced by the Ioniq 5 and 6, Hyundai is going full retro. We’re talking full eye candy. The 5 showcases pixelated taillights, razor sharp body lines, and a boxy, aggressive stance that resembles the Lancia Delta if it was redesigned for Grand Theft Auto. By contrast, the 6 flaunts a smooth, aerodynamic coupe frame that pays homage to what concept car designers of the early 1900s thought cars of the “future” would look like (if they weren’t flying by now). The proposed Ioniq 5 N and 6 N will only be beefier, zippier versions of their traditional counterparts. Taking advantage of this distinctive styling and its standardized electric platform, we can expect Hyundai N to weave an electrified legacy for future value-based performance brands to follow.
Though it will be tough to compete with enthusiasts’ favorite hot hatchbacks, Hyundai’s N carves a new path for tuner cars to be produced as part of a fleet of wild performance vehicles. Whereas road warriors like those featured on Tokyo Drift are modified by the individual driver, Hyundai N packages up the best the brand has to offer and delivers an enjoyable final product that you have to drive to believe. Hyundai N cars are just hitting the streets, making them a rare find you don’t want to sleep on.
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Baron Wilton
Baron is a walking encyclopedia of car facts. His favorite sport is behind the wheel of his Jaguar F-Type, which he drives more in the canyons of SoCal than on the streets.
