2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line

[VarmintCong]

Prefer this. Hopefully we'll get an AWD Kona N as rumored, that'd be more interesting. I think the Sonata and Elantra being FWD makes room for an AWD Kona N.



Like the more conventional interior. Pic is 2021 Kona N Line.

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[YungBoba]

^that thing is hawt. Even the garden variety Kona looks nice, a tarted up version would be cool to see.

Originally Posted by oichan

I think when they have brakes that don't dust... and when old people that think chrome look is cool expire.

Brakes that don't dust...just don't have brakes at all. The original Fast & Furious movie was truly ahead of its time

[VarmintCong]

This confirms Kona N model is coming, and for sure we'll get it since the US is the primary market for mini-SUVs.

I think it's smart - an AWD N model would fill a gap in their lineup.

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/11/09/...n-models-2022/

[AVANTI R5]

Accord Owners Beware? Hyundai Sonata N Line First Test

There’s a new kid in school—who wants your lunch money.


Let's face it: Midsize sedans rarely excite. Examples like the Toyota Camry epitomize the idea of a transportation appliance, little more than a cold collection of car parts for those who just want to get from A to B. As the market shifted toward crossover SUVs, though, buying anything without plastic fender cladding and AWD now feels like an enthusiast move against the grain.

Of the select automakers still dedicated to building sedans, a few offer performance-oriented variants that take advantage of that enthusiast market. Our preference has been for the Honda Accord Sport 2.0T over the Toyota Camry TRD. With a fully redesigned Hyundai Sonata in town and the influence of the Korean automaker's newly proven N division, we may have to reconsider.

The second model year of this redesign brings the 2021 Sonata N Line, a new sport-focused variant of the midsize Hyundai. Although it's not an all-out N car like the riotous Veloster N or upcoming Elantra N, the athlete of the Sonata range features an engine with nearly 100 hp more than any other variant plus unique wheels, dual exhaust outlets, and N Line front and rear styling.
Hyundai was kind enough to lend us a production-spec prototype Sonata N Line to put to the test. How does it hold up? Frankly, it's excellent.

The Numbers Game

You'll find the biggest difference between the N Line and a standard Sonata under the hood. In place of the piddly powertrains at work in the base car and the Sonata Hybrid sits a version of the 2.5-liter turbo-four offered in the Genesis G80 and GV80.

In this application, the engine develops a hearty 290 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers compare favorably to the Accord turbo-four's 252 hp and 273 lb-ft, and the Sonata's powerplant offers fewer horses but more torque than the Camry's 301-hp, 267-lb-ft V-6. We'll note that the Sonata works with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic routing power to the front wheels instead of the eight- and 10-speed conventional autos in the Camry and Accord.

Performance is not at the top of most sedan buyers' priority lists, but among this company, it matters. With newfound power and torque, this Sonata slings to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds, tying the discontinued Ford Fusion Sport for the quickest non-luxury midsize sedan we've tested. The Honda and Toyota are about a half second behind to 60 mph, and the gap remains the same at the quarter mile.

Drivers are most likely to feel the difference in passing power. Hyundai's N-modified Sonata accelerates from 45 to 65 mph in 2.5 seconds compared to 2.8 in the Accord or Camry. The Sonata is quicker 'round our figure eight, too, speaking to superior braking performance (stops from 60 mph in 110 feet are 6-9 feet shorter) that helps deliver higher average grip in that test.


Impressions

So yes, the Hyundai Sonata N Line is a proven athlete, but that wouldn't mean much if it were a bad teammate. That is not the case. This Sonata's cabin is as airy and spacious as its less performance-minded siblings, and for the N Line the seats are upholstered in black leather and microfiber with red details.
The front sport seats are another model-specific touch. They don't just look great, they also feature more lateral bolstering to keep the driver secure under high cornering loads. The bolsters are adjustable, too, so you can tighten them to keep yourself from sliding around in the mountains and open them up to relax on the drive home. Although this feature is available in some luxury cars, it's unheard of at this price point.

The Sonata N Line's standard tech is also impressive. A 10.3-inch center infotainment display trounces the 7.0- and 8.0-inch touchscreens in the Camry and Accord, although it's smaller than the optional 11.6-inch system in the Subaru Legacy. That said, Hyundai's interface is responsive and easy to use, even for drivers unfamiliar with the system. Hyundai also includes a 12.3-inch instrument cluster display with different themes for each drive mode.

Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist semi-autonomous tech is included as standard, too. It combines adaptive cruise control and lane centering for a system that performs more confidently than the one in the $80,000 long-term Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 I drove to the test track. Even the shortest following distance left enough space for a car to scoot ahead of me, but other than that, it's perfect.
Candidly, I like nearly everything about this interior. The climate control system utilizes handsome, nicely weighted knobs and hard buttons. The elongated armrests are not only comfortable, they create a long, ergonomic grab handle for tugging the door closed.

Sitting in the back behind my just-over-6-foot self, there are about 4 inches between my knees and the seatback. Despite the sloping roofline, there's even decent headroom front and rear, although I wouldn't want to be much taller.
Driving

As soon as you flex your right ankle, it becomes obvious this is a Sonata unlike the others. Both the Sonata Hybrid and the standard car with the optional 1.6T engine can feel wheezy and underpowered; the N Line has enough grunt to flash the traction control light even in Normal mode. This 2.5-liter turbo-four doesn't sound great (few four-cylinders do), but once on boost there's enough torque to compress the seat padding behind you at a moment's notice.

Ride quality is on the firmer side, which makes sense for a sporty variant like this. You learn more about the imperfections of the road than you would in a standard Sonata, but it's not punishing. Tire noise is noticeable. Some staffers also noted a bit of dual-clutch transmission clunkiness in the shifts between gears.

Driving some noodly bits of tarmac leading up to Mount Baldy, I really began to appreciate the N Line. The body control is outstanding; this car moves like a single mass rather than a collection of cobbled-together parts. It's as if Albert Biermann—who famously joined Hyundai after years leading BMW's M division—chiseled the thing from a single billet of Korean steel. This ranks as one of only a few non-German vehicles to display such Germanic high-speed composure.
I carried more speed through these bends than I expected to. The steering is weighty and immediately accurate off-center. Grip is impressive, too, thanks in part to the optional 245-section summer tires fitted to our test car's standard 19-inch wheels. Through a corner, though, the front tires give way before anything else, and turn-in suffers at higher entry speeds.

In the tighter bits, the front-end limitations and open diff mean the N Line struggles to put down power, but only if the driver attacks the apex with much more aggression than the typical midsize sedan buyer. Were Hyundai to make a whole-hog Sonata N (not just an N Line), I'd recommend a limited-slip front differential like the one at work between the front wheels of the Veloster N.

Should I Buy It?

It's at somewhere around six-tenths that the Sonata N Line feels the best, confidently linking apexes and finessing through corners instead of crushing them, and that's how it seems this car will be driven. For that one twisty section on your evening commute, the surprise mountain pass on a road trip, that fleeting moment of fun buried amid hours of the highway slog, the N Line is a capable, willing, engaging companion.

And the N Line executes the slog well, too. This Sonata's driver-assist tech is well tuned and genuinely useful, its cabin generously proportioned and thoughtfully designed, and its infotainment system easy to use. This is the Sonata to buy. We won't make any grand statements until we can drive them back to back, but if this Sonata N Line prototype is any indication, that Accord better hold on to its lunch money.

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/hyun...a-n-line-test/

[VarmintCong]

How are these 270 hp open diff cars to drive? I found my Civic Sport with 180 hp badly needed an LSD.

It comes with fat summer tires I'm sure for that reason - must be fun when you put the snow tires on and get 270 hp + low grip tires.

[Sid03SVT]

Originally Posted by VarmintCong

How are these 270 hp open diff cars to drive? I found my Civic Sport with 180 hp badly needed an LSD.

It comes with fat summer tires I'm sure for that reason - must be fun when you put the snow tires on and get 270 hp + low grip tires.

I can't speak to the Hyundai stuff, but a first gen MS3 even with an LSD was no fun in rain, and that was 263 horsepower in a ~3,200lb car. Admittedly that was over a decade ago, tires have advanced, but FWD is still FWD.

[KC]

Originally Posted by Sid03SVT

I can't speak to the Hyundai stuff, but a first gen MS3 even with an LSD was no fun in rain, and that was 263 horsepower in a ~3,200lb car. Admittedly that was over a decade ago, tires have advanced, but FWD is still FWD.

So have TCS programming, sampling, and limiting.

--kC

[mhoward1]

Looking at the new Models, I think the K5 Turbo maybe the better option. Plus I like the styling better

[AVANTI R5]

I don't usually post drag races but I thought this one was kind of interesting because results don't match what the numbers are.


Acura TLX, Honda Accord And Hyundai Sonata N Line Drag & Roll Race:

Even with the rising popularity of SUVs and crossovers on our roads, there is still some fierce competition going on in the midsize sedan segment.

Three notable players are the Acura TLX SH-AWD, Honda Accord 2.0T and Hyundai Sonata N-Line. Due to how similar they appear on paper, Throttle House did a comparison of the three sedans, using a drag race and a roll race as their metric.

The Sonata N-Line is the leader in terms of power, as it has 290 hp (294 PS / 216 kW) and 311 lb-ft (422 Nm) of torque. Next up is the TLX, with 272 hp (276 PS / 203 kW) and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) of torque, while the Accord falls just a little bit short of the TLX, having 252 hp (255 PS / 188 kW) and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm) of torque, but it might make up that power difference with its lower weight.

In terms of pricing, the TLX is the most expensive, with a starting price of $37,500 (before SH-AWD), although that is to be expected of a car that classifies itself as a luxury vehicle. Next up is the Sonata, which at $33,200 is a good deal cheaper. Last, we have the Accord, which is cheaper than both, but not too far off the Sonata as it starts at $31,910. It should be noted that this is all U.S. pricing, and the Canadian cars in the video, along with their individual trims and specs, lead to the TLX being more expensive, and the Accord and Sonata following.

The drag race plays out quite surprisingly, as despite having the most power of the lot, the Sonata comes in last, with the TLX second and the Accord in first place. The reviewers suspect it has something to do with each car's gearing, so they decide to conduct a roll race to hopefully even out the playing field.

And, wouldn't you know it, that's exactly what happens. Not having to deal with launch control cutting torque to mitigate wheelspin, the Sonata is able to stretch its legs and pull away from the other two cars. While the Accord and TLX have very similar power figures, the Honda still prevails over the Acura thanks to not having to haul the extra weight of an all-wheel drive system.

All in all, the comparison does a good job at showing the strong suits of each car in terms of performance. If you want off-the-line speed, get the Accord. If you want a good highway puller, go with the Sonata. An if you want a more luxurious car that falls somewhere in the middle, the TLX is your best bet.

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

[subyski]

Originally Posted by AVANTI R5

I don't usually post drag races but I thought this one was kind of interesting because results don't match what the numbers are.


Acura TLX, Honda Accord And Hyundai Sonata N Line Drag & Roll Race:



https://youtu.be/P0Plz4XVVpk

Car and Driver just posted test results for the Sonata N Line.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...-n-line-drive/

5.0 seconds 0-60 mph
13.6 seconds 1/4 mile at 105 mph
5.2 seconds 5-60 mph

Compared to the Accord 2.0T AT they tested: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...c-test-review/

5.5 second 0-60 mph
14.1-second 1/4 mile at 102 mph
6.1 seconds 5-60 mph

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by subyski

Car and Driver just posted test results for the Sonata N Line.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...-n-line-drive/

5.0 seconds 0-60 mph
13.6 seconds 1/4 mile at 105 mph
5.2 seconds 5-60 mph

Compared to the Accord 2.0T AT they tested: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...c-test-review/

5.5 second 0-60 mph
14.1-second 1/4 mile at 102 mph
6.1 seconds 5-60 mph

2018 STI

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15081577/2018-subaru-wrx-sti-test-review/

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 13.0 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 26.1 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.0 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 12.3 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 9.1 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.8 sec @ 102 mph

It just gets less and less competitive.

[AVANTI R5]

Not bad info video hits the main points fast about the Two fuel intake system, in-house Tranny, etc,and to what's unique to said model. Also, some quick drives
So anyway for a potential buyer.

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)