Hyundai Elantra N: backpack with handle man

One looks in vain for the Hyundai Elantra in Europe – and has been for a good five years. Since then, the Hyundai i30 is supposed to do the job and that makes the compact class model extremely successful as a competitor to the class leader VW Golf. The fact that the Elantra disappeared from the sales rooms in this country should not have annoyed either dealers or customers significantly. But anyone who sits behind the wheel of the new Hyundai Elantra N in the USA should ponder and not waste a thought on the local competitors VW Jetta or Honda Civic. Alternative drives? SUV? What! So much serious sportiness was once offered by a VW Jetta GLi or perhaps an old BMW 320i of the E21 generation. Because under the strongly contoured bonnet of the American four-door car works the same power pack that drives the Hyundai i30 N to top sporting performances in our part of the world. The look of the Elantra is already a show, because here a limousine with slightly artificial coupé ambitions is rigged up to become a true high-performance athlete. There is also a black face mask that is reminiscent of Zorro or the Boca Negra models from Seat. The rest is done by lavish spoilers, racing trimmings and an attached rear wing that is not ashamed and would do a lot of credit even to a GT racing car.

Even if the 4.67 meter long US Korean is well motorized, as racing as he promises, he is not on the road after all. The turbocharged four-cylinder with a displacement of two liters has an output of 202 kW / 276 hp and a maximum torque of 353 Nm. In the short-term NGS boost – up to 20 seconds long – there are a few more horses and a few more Newton meters that press you into your seats. The turbo sounds quite impressive even in normal mode and brushes over all thoughts that the Elantra is a tired family carrier. In the sporty N mode, the compact model, which has grown into the mid-range, tenses the muscles quite a bit, and really inflates the cheeks. According to the sound of the double exhaust system, it would also have 350 or 400 hp – no chance for boredom behind the wheel. The sports program takes the mountain and mountain pass roads north of Los Angeles. On the legendary Route 2, the ever narrowing Angeles Crest Highway, the front-wheel drive car can finally show what it can do at the limit. The steering works well, but could be more direct, more precise in sport mode. Chassis, brakes and the overall package appeal and spread driving pleasure – if you have come to terms with the sporty appearance, because the technical package is more convincing than the slightly bragging look of the family model, which wants to be a lot more.

The now eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is also well-coordinated, saving you manual gear changes and ensuring that you have both hands on the steering wheel with good grip both before and after the bend. That’s a good thing, because the driving forces of the 1.5 ton Elantra N are all too noticeable during strong acceleration thrusts. If the curve hunter with the Henkelmann rucksack on the Angeles Crest is missing something, then it is an all-wheel drive that banishes the twitching from the steering wheel and also a comfort mode that takes the harshness of the chassis on bad roads.

Despite the wheelbase of just 2.72 meters, the space available in the classic four-door model is more than sufficient and the good standard equipment differs significantly from the tamer engines. So there is not only the handy steering wheel with numerous controls for vehicle functions and the sports attributes that can be booked. The partial leather seats with Alcantara covers are excellent and the suede can also be found on the door panels. Looks good and feels good. The animated instruments and the easy-to-use touchscreen – here, too, the Koreans’ technicians and designers have done a good job and show the competition how consistently one has to play through sector models in order to be successful. Last but not least, this also applies to a very competitive price: US $ 33,400. Something like that could also be used in Europe. With the courage to buy a mid-range sedan and an appetite for the next bend. Thank you Hyundai.