2020 Hyundai Elantra GT N-Line Channels Sporty Compacts of Old

Ah yes, 1998. Back when life was simple. Presidential scandals involved blue dresses and google wasn’t really a verb yet. It was a time of Game Boys and MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch. Best of all, cars such as the Acura Integra, Volkswagen GTI, and the Toyota Celica had clean, straightforward designs. The world made sense. All that wholesome goodness comes sweeping back in the 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT N-Line. It’s 201 horsepower of turbocharged, front-drive sportiness. It’s a throwback hatchback.

Mazda 3 vs. Civic, Corolla, Golf, Elantra

Hyundai Elantra GT N Line Looks Sportier

As Hyundai’s line of vehicles has spread and grown like red algae, the Elantra GT is about the easiest to overlook. Now that most cars have a massive maw in front, the Elantra GT is state of the art when it comes to blending in. It’s a two-box five-door with a nose that’s a touch longer than a Volkswagen Golf’s. So, it has the silhouette of a high-top sneaker. Think of it as styling by Chuck Taylor. Converse-ly (get it?), it’s a beautifully finished compact with tight body seams, simple switchgear, and high-quality paint.

This isn’t the hatchback version of the sleek, upcoming 2021 Elantra sedan, however. This N-Line model replaced Hyundai’s Elantra GT Sport in 2019 for the sake of branding consistency. Still, there were more than a few significant evolutionary developments from Sport to N-Line, including substantially stiffer springs front and rear as well as firmer engine and transmission mounts, a larger rear anti-roll bar, and revised damper tuning. Visually, the N-Line uses bits that distinguish the Hyundai i30 N sold in other markets; the year-old updates include a fresh grille texture and side skirts. Arguably, the nicest bits, however, are the faceted 18-inch wheels inside 225/40R-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires, which come standard if you opt for the available six-speed manual transmission. Versions with the optional $1100 seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission make do with all-seasons. If there’s anything encouraging about walking up to a test car, it’s seeing that it’s wearing premium summer-spec tires.

Under its relatively long hood is the same 1.6-liter inline-four found in the much-liked Veloster Turbo. Yes, the engine is a carryover from the Elantra GT Sport, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s rated at 201 horsepower, which nearly matches the 205-hp output of the 1.5 turbo-four that Honda shoves into the Civic Si. Equipped with the six-speed manual, the shifter itself feels kind of VW-like. It’s not as sharp in action as a Honda shifter, but it’s lighter and easier to engage. The N-Line’s engine starts quickly and settles into instantaneous anonymity. There’s no distinct note to the exhaust and no noticeable induction noise. A blip of the throttle produces a sound, but not an exciting one.

A similar 2019 Elantra GT N-Line posted a 6.4-second zero-to-60-mph time and a quarter-mile pass of 14.9 seconds at 94 mph during a compact-hatchback comparison test with the Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla, and VW Golf. It finished third in that group, but it was by far the quickest. It also topped its all-season-tired peers with a 0.93-g skidpad orbit and a 157-foot stop from 70 mph, both of which handily beat the previous Elantra GT Sport, which also wore all-season tires.

Facing the GT’s straightforward instrumentation—a big analog tach and speedo with a display screen between them—is when this Hyundai’s old-school feel kicks in. The two big instruments may as well have been ripped out of a 1990s-era Integra, Civic, or 3-series. There’s very little digital trickery in the Elantra GT N-Line. Yes, there’s an easy-to-use touchscreen atop the dash, but there’s nothing eye-popping about it.

There’s plenty of red piping around the N-Line’s upholstery, and its seats are nearly perfectly shaped. This is a small, simple car that feels premium. The modest interior appointments alone could justify the $2850 that Hyundai charges for the N-Line over the regular-strength Elantra GT, which is powered by 161-hp 2.0-liter four that’s lashed to a six-speed automatic.

Only one option beyond the transmission choice is available on the Elantra GT N-Line: a $3850 Tech Package that’s only available with the automatic and includes a moonroof, lots of driver-assistance tech, a wireless device charging pad, ventilated front seats, and a few other extras. Hey, if you want that stuff and have the budget, go for it. But let’s admit that a moonroof is pretty frivolous, the electronic stuff is all subject to imminent obsolescence, and you don’t really need airflow on your back.

There’s some detectable VW GTI-like DNA in how the N-Line performs on the road. But the operative word in that previous sentence is “some.” There’s a muted feel to everything the Elantra GT does. It’s quick, but not spirited. It has relatively neutral handling for a front driver, but it lacks abundant fast-twitch fibers in its reflexes. It rides fairly smoothly, but also feels overinsulated for its mission. It’s chassis is good, but not great, relying more on its grippy tires for excitement than on the tuning of its steering and suspension. It’s a GTI or Si alternative for people who care about their Uber ratings.

And with its more generous back seat and a spacious 25 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind it, this is a hatchback that’s optimized for the Lyft lifestyle, although a Honda Civic hatchback, which won the aforementioned comparison test, is slightly more spacious. But give us the GTI or Si before it, if price is no object.

Price is, however, always an object in this class. At $24,455, the basic Elantra GT N-Line undercuts the $26,155 Civic Si sedan and is far more affordable than a $29,515 VW GTI. The GT N-Line is a bargain with a 10-year powertrain warranty. We all love sharp-edged razors, but butter knives don’t dull over time.

Still, the basic Elantra GT body shell has potential locked in it. The rear suspension is a more sophisticated multilink setup versus the regular Elantra GT’s torsion beam, and its structure feels at least as solid as its sibling’s, the Veloster. You’ll have to settle for the three-door funkiness of the Veloster, though, if you want a full-blown N model and the true hot-hatch experience. But the Elantra GT N-Line, when fitted with its manual transmission and summer tires, is a well-rounded interpretation of a classical sporty compact.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com