2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line review: Surprisingly sporty

Some cars just surprise the hell out of you, and practically nothing in new memory has taken me aback fairly like the 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line. What I considered was likely to be a great midsize sedan with a very little much more ability is basically a properly sporty car or truck.

Genuine rapid, a word about the letter N. The Sonata N Line is just not a complete-bore N, like the Veloster N or impending Elantra N and Kona N. In its place, assume of this as N-lite, just like the Elantra N Line and the new Kona N Line and Tucson N Line. Acquired it? Excellent.

A practiced eye will rapidly spot the distinctions amongst the Sonata N Line and its much more staid counterparts, even though the changes are surely subtle. There is certainly a new grille up entrance with larger sized air intakes, and the Sonata’s wonderful daytime working lights continue to be intact. Close to again, the N Line gets quad exhaust pipes and a redesigned bumper and diffuser. New wheels spherical out the changes, and in general, whilst these upgrades usually are not significant, the N Line seems just as excellent as any other new Sonata.

The major upgrades get started below the hood, where by the Sonata N Line gets a two.5-liter turbocharged inline-four motor, the same just one you are going to locate in the Genesis G80 and GV80, as properly as the Kia K5 GT and refreshed Stinger. Here, it’s tuned to produce 290 horsepower and 311 pound-ft of torque. Energy goes to the entrance wheels by an 8-speed twin-clutch automated transmission, which you are going to also locate in the Veloster N and Elantra N.

The Sonata rips off the line it’ll do a entrance-drive burnout without having even trying. But powerful and impressive as the motor is, the sedan’s chassis is the serious star of the clearly show. The N Line dives into corners, and whilst the suspension keeps the Sonata taut and planted in corners, it’s not so rigid that it effects in a choppy trip over damaged pavement.

The steering is immediate and communicative, and it’s also great and large, which surely provides to in general involvement. Yeah, there’s a ton of torque steer because of the entrance-wheel-drive format, but it’s very easily managed, and actually, it just would make me chuckle.

In Activity Moreover mode, the twin-clutch transmission will downshift below braking, even though you you should not automatically will need this aggressive change sample with how a great deal torque is on tap. Apart from, Activity Moreover immediately turns off the traction management, which is odd, primarily considering that there’s no minimal-slip differential, that means there’s a great deal of wheel spin whilst cornering if you usually are not mindful. Activity mode keeps traction management on and even now provides super-rapid shifts. It is really the way to go.

My tester is shod with Hyundai’s optional 245/forty-series Continental Premium Get in touch with 6 summertime tires, wrapped all over 19-inch wheels. The summertime tire selection provides $200 to the Sonata’s base line, but it’s income properly expended taking into consideration the extra grip these rubbers present.

I will say, even though, terrific as the Sonata N Line is on a winding road, it can be a very little hard all over city. It at times feels skittish and jumpy, and the brakes are grabby. At minimum the N Line arrives regular with a bunch of terrific driver-assistance technologies, including Hyundai’s palms-on Freeway Support that facilities the car or truck in its lane, navigating all over curves and utilizing adaptive cruise management to manage braking and acceleration. It is really not a silky easy cruiser, but if that is your precedence, just get the regular Sonata.

The N Line’s EPA-estimated fuel overall economy figures usually are not way too shabby, either: 23 miles for each gallon town, 33 mpg freeway and 27 mpg combined. Excellent luck attaining those people, even though. Generate the Sonata N Line with gusto and you are going to frequently see figures in the lower 20s.

Apart from N Line-distinct activity seats, this Sonata’s interior is just like any other. Confident, there’s some purple distinction stitching and some N badges, but that is about it. Thankfully, there’s a great deal of place up entrance, the again seat is roomy and the 16 cubic ft of trunk place is much more than ample.

The N Line gets the Sonata’s best infotainment tech, with a snappy multimedia program housed on a ten.two-inch touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Car regular. My colleagues like this program for its simplicity of use, but I usually locate that straightforward instructions need extra taps. For illustration, I won’t be able to cancel my present-day route directly from the navigation map. I have to dig into the navigation menu to do so. Further, the icons are small and effortless to overlook when tapping all over the display screen whilst driving. But hey, I can listen to the sounds of character application that features ambient noise from a snowy working day, a seaside, a rainstorm, a forest and, curiously, an outside cafe. So, bonus I guess?

There usually are not any selection deals for the Sonata N Line, aside from some nicer paint colours and the aforementioned summertime tires. With its Quartz White exterior and improved tires, my tester arrives out to $34,655 including $one,005 for desired destination. Sure, that is much more than $ten,000 above the beginning price of a base Sonata, but this car or truck is even now a remarkable price.

Think of it this way: The Sonata N Line technically competes with cars like the Toyota Camry TRD and turbocharged Honda Accord and Mazda6, but it’s way improved to drive. You are obtaining a car or truck that is nearer to Acura TLX and BMW 3 Collection amounts of pleasure, and those people cars value a total great deal much more. No, the N Line is just not fantastic, but it punches way above its bodyweight and has all of the regular Sonata’s terrific infotainment and security tech, to boot. This Hyundai may well not immediately occur to intellect as a sound activity sedan, but have confidence in me, you ought to drive just one. It may well surprise you.