Remember when Hyundai showed the world the 2021 Sonata N Line. The new model promised to bring some much needed firepower to the Sonata, and also give it a fighting chance against some of its range topping rivals. However, the Korean car giant left us with a cliffhanger when it came to the question of how much it would cost to bring one into your garage? Thankfully, Hyundai has remedied that problem, and has formally released that crucial piece of information.
Pricing will begin at $34,195 for the base N Line which includes the $995 destination fee. The way it’s setup now, the N Line would be the second most expensive in the Sonata family, with the model trailing the top of the line Limited variant by $650. As a whole, the N Line is all about bringing value focused performance to consumers, and it does so even with its exterior styling. While the core Sonata DNA doesn’t change too much, the N Line tweaks the front and rear fascias which helps give the car a much more aggressive persona. Bigger wheels are also part of the deal, and the interior even brings some sporty touches thanks to revised trim as well as far more supportive thrones.
When you look at the equipment on hand, the N Line appears to follow the tire tracks of the SEL Plus model, but like adding an extra ingredient to a good set of brownies, the N Line adds several standard items that would otherwise be optional extras. That includes Hyundai’s phone as a key technology, a sunroof, and even a fully digital instrument cluster.
However, the real meat of the package is found under the hood. While far from being a pure N model, the Sonata N Line is a welcome step in the right direction with the model being powered by a 2.5 liter turbocharged four cylinder engine which produces 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. A novel dual wet clutch eight speed automatic helps funnel the power exactly where it needs to be, and blesses the N Line with good amounts of agility. As expected, braking hardware has also been upgraded, with the N Line boasting enough stopping power to make it be a true all rounder versus being a mere missile of speed.
Looking at the pricing and the basic approach here, it’s obvious that the N Line is shooting to be a strong value player, with the restrained styling perhaps serving as the lone compromise. This is in stark contrast to the Toyota Camry TRD which has far more expressive styling, and marries a V6 to the car for a couple grand cheaper. But with the performance sedan segment shrinking due to the emergence of utility models, the Sonata N Line does have the opportunity to make a strong first impression with buyers.
We have not formally have the chance to drive the Sonata N Line as of yet, but when we do, we will definitely post a review here in the near future. In the meantime, we are curious to see how many Sonata buyers will be swayed to the sporty side of the force when they visit their local Hyundai showroom?
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.