2021 Hyundai Elantra N Line: More Go, More Show

Competes with: Honda Civic Si, Subaru WRX, Volkswagen GTI, Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Looks like: An aggro Elantra

Powertrain: Turbocharged 1.6-liter engine good for up to 201 horsepower; six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission; front-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: End of 2020

In COVID times, we could all use a little more joy, right? Hyundai agrees. On the heels of the debut of its upgraded, fun-centric 2021 Veloster N hatchback, the automaker announced the Elantra is joining the slightly lesser N Line club for 2021 with an upgraded engine and the styling to match.

Related: 2021 Hyundai Veloster N: Performance Standard, Automatic Optional

We have high hopes. Hyundai’s Veloster N hot hatch is our reigning Most Fun-to-Drive Car of the Year, so the Elantra N Line has some performance promise.

Exterior

The Elantra was redesigned for 2021 with edgy new exterior styling, and the N Line builds on that look. It features a low and wide look, and its cascade grille gets more attitude with an N Line badge and specific geometric design; two air intakes flank the lower portion of the grille.

It rides on 18-inch alloy wheels and gets additional sporty looking extras like gloss-black trim on the wheel wells, sideview mirrors and side skirts. In back, there’s an integrated spoiler, twin chrome exhaust and N Line rear diffuser.

Interior

Inside, the cabin gets some performance-oriented add-ons such as a leather-wrapped perforated N steering wheel with metallic spokes and N sport seats with leather bolsters. The gearshift also wears metal and leather accents, along with alloy pedals. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are standard.

Engine, Transmission and 0-60 MPH

Under the hood is a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine paired with a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Hyundai says it’s good for up to 201 horsepower and 195.2 pounds-feet of torque, which should sound familiar: It powered the 2020 Elantra GT N Line hatchback. The 2021 GT will likely be a U.S. version of the Hyundai i30 that debuted at the 2020 Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland.

Mechanical upgrades to the N Line include increased suspension stiffness, a multilink independent rear suspension and larger front brake rotors. Hyundai said the model’s paddle shifters and a drive mode selector system should also enhance the car’s sporty character.

The N Line engine joins the regular model’s 147-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine and the available hybrid powertrain, which pairs a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor and a 32-kilowatt lithium-ion battery for 139 hp total system output.

Safety 

Hyundai says the Elantra N Line will have a bevy of safety features, including forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, the semi-autonomous lane-following assist, blind spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist and a driver attention monitor.

Up next, Hyundai says, is the Sonata N Line. It’ll use a new turbocharged 2.5-liter engine and be released later in 2020.

More From Cars.com:

• 2021 Hyundai Elantra First-Look Video: Interior, Tech … and Triangles
• 2020 Most Fun-to-Drive Car of the Year
• The 2020 Hyundai i30 Fastback N Is the Hyundai You Want But Can’t Have
• Can the 2020 Hyundai Veloster N’s Automatic Transmission Make It Even More Fun to Drive?
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