While Hyundai is trying to position its new-ish N brand as something akin to M or AMG, it doesn’t have the history—or baggage—of those storied German brands. It’s a clean slate, so Hyundai can do whatever it wants, whether it’s going full-bonkers with rides like the Elantra N or IONIQ5 N, or giving us something milder: like this Hyundai Sonata N Line. And both approaches feel totally fine.
Compared to the rowdier rides that get an N badge, this Sonata N Line is a mostly standard Sonata with some sporty influences. But in a world overrun with crossovers, I’m stoked that Hyundai is still giving us these sports-inspired sedans.
I’ll again praise Hyundai’s designers
Talking about Hyundai’s design can be repetitive—with every vehicle I try to find new superlatives, and every time I end up using some form of futuristic. I’m a fan of the razor-thin lighting treatment front and rear, and of how the geometric chunkiness of the aggressive front grille complements the silhouette’s softer curves. I’m impressed by the crispness of the spokes in the 19-inch wheels, and just as importantly, I love how the offset and fitment of these wheels feel just right. I’ll once again levy my only possible complaint against this design: it looks great and contemporary now, but will feel old and dated in just a few years’ time? Who knows? Who cares? Let’s just enjoy the moment.
The inside is nice, too
This N-badged performance theme carries through to the cabin, too. The power-adjustable front seats get deep bolsters, microfiber inserts, red contrast stitching and a nifty embossed “N”. The dash also gets some red accents and is finished in a textured plastic reminiscent of carbon fiber. Two high-res digital screens make up the gauge cluster and infotainment system. And the driver gets an N-badged steering wheel and aluminum pedals.
Despite the racecar-inspired touches, the Sonata remains a mainstream sedan—and a comfortable one at that. Space inside is generous for passengers both front and rear, though after spending so much time in crossovers, it is a bit of an adjustment to sit (comparatively) low in a vehicle.
Controls are a mix of touchscreens, physical buttons, and a haptic touch panel for the climate control. Maybe I’m coming around to technology, or maybe I’m just happy that the Sonata doesn’t ask me to dive through menus to make simple changes, but this haptic control panel doesn’t bother me. The surface may be flat plastic, but the controls themselves are permanent, making things easier to manipulate.
There’s some actual performance in this thing
While the N Line is technically the most powerful of the Sonata lineup, it’s not what you’d call rowdy. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-banger rated at 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. And helping get this power to the ground is a paddle-shifted 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission.
The Sonata N Line features cool-sounding technologies like Active Sound Design and an N Powershift feature, but all these do is pump fake engine noises into the cabin via the speakers and pull some refinement out of the transmission’s shift logic. That said, that “sweetened” engine noise does sound good, and this sedan is happy to chirp its front tires with the first few gearshifts when gunning down a freeway onramp, so I’m good with this bit of trickery.
Not to keep repeating myself, this is still a mainstream sedan. It rides like one too, with a smooth ride, direct steering and a tendency to understeer when pushed. Unlike the Elantra N, this isn’t a ride that dares you to push the bounds of what’s sensible. But it’s nice to know that, when the road throws some corners your way, this Sonata won’t be struggling through the curves.
Final thoughts
Okay, I’m gonna keep repeating myself: the Sonata N Line is still a mainstream sedan, and it’s priced like one, too. And if you ask me, that only adds to this ride’s appeal. The Hyundai Sonata N Line starts at a very reasonable $34,500, and with that you get the performance-tuned powertrain, the 19-inch wheels, and all the sporty bits inside and out. This also includes all the higher-end comforts, like heated power-adjustable front seats, the leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system and more.
So for those of you who lament the impending death of the sports sedan, Hyundai is offering a nice one at an even nicer price. And if you’re in the market for a ride like this, snap one up now before Hyundai decides to rebrand the Sonata N Line as yet another crossover.
Justin Kaehler has been covering all things automotive for 20 years, and has been an active part of the car scene for much longer than that. Though he’s grown to love all cars, he’s still particularly fond of the ’80s and ’90s Japanese metal he grew up on. And for those of you who grew up playing The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift game for the PS2 and PSP, yes, he’s also that JDM Justin.