Hyundai’s N performance division has gone from strength to strength since the i30 N was first introduced and the new Elantra N could be the finest of all Hyundai’s sporty models.
The South Korean car manufacturer lifted the veil on the 2022 Elantra N back in August and recently invited members of the U.S. media to put it to the test around a racetrack. Zack Klapman from The Smoking Tire was among those that tested the car and was left very impressed with what he found.
Read More: Hyundai Unveils America’s 2022 Elantra N With Up To 286 HP And A Manual Gearbox
Like many other Hyundai N models, the flagship Elantra N is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that pumps out 276 hp and 289 lb-ft (391 Nm) of torque. U.S. customers can choose between a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, both of which transmit power through the front wheels, allowing the car to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in around 5.0 seconds.
The example tested by Klapman was equipped with the dual-clutch ‘box. We’ve sampled this new transmission in the facelifted i30 N and were very impressed. It provides very quick shifts and comes with Hyundai’s N Grin Shift, N Power Shift, and N Track Sense shifting technologies that make it more involving to use than some other DCTs.
Klapman is particularly impressed with the handling balance of the car. It can be pushed into understeer but with a quick lift on the throttle, the rear-end starts to step out. The steering is also very responsive and communicative and the brakes were more than up to the task of lapping the circuit without even the slightest hint of fade.