Hyundai Sonata N Line – A new breed of Hyundai

The new 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line is an entirely new breed of Hyundai Sedans. Instead of the reliable transportation that the Sonata has been known for, this Sonata adds some spice to the Salsa. The Hyundai Sonata was never bland, to begin with, but in this form, the new Sonata acts as though someone lit a fire under its tailpipe. But how did we get here? Come along as Napleton News takes a look. 

The Sonata N Line – One of Several Sonatas.

The new 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line is one of the latest models to enter the family lineup. It provides an attractive entry point into the N brand and joins the newly introduced Sonata and the Sonata Hybrid to make up a complete array of Sonata automobiles. But with the N in its name, the ante has been upped!

N

The letter N isn’t just the 14^th letter in the alphabet. As far as Hyundai is concerned, it denotes hallowed ground. And it comes with quite a pedigree, to be honest. N stands for Hyundai’s Namyang R&D Center in South Korea. Albert Biermann, who helped put BMW’s M division on the map, now serves as President of the Hyundai High-Performance Vehicle & Motorsport Division and is the “godfather” of the N family of vehicles!

In the case of the 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line, it gets its power from a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 making 290 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 311 lb-ft of torque between 1,650-4,000 rpm. It mates to an 8-speed N wet dual-clutch transmission with standard steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers.

Steering via a power-assisted engine-RPM sensing power steering is standard. The suspension comprises a MacPherson Strut front suspension and a multilink kit in the rear. It’s perfect for a day at the track and then some. Overall, the Sonata’s engine is so stout that it will chirp the wheels when you decide to put your foot into it.

How does the Hyundai N Line Look?

Based on the midsize Hyundai Sonata sedan, the new 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line takes the blank palette of the existing platform and tarts it up a bit with a bold and athletic look that centers on the brand’s “Sensuous Sportiness” design language. Others might not be so sure because the looks of the new Sonata may be a bit off-putting. You either love it or don’t! It’s equipped with side skirts, 19-inch alloy wheels for an added sense of aggression. Add to that dual exhausts and a rear under-bumper diffuser to amplify the Sonata N Line vibe.

Inside the Hyundai Sonata N designs

Modern strength is a prevalent theme on the new Sonata N Line. That carries over to the interior as well. High tech accoutrements lend a certain flair that will be hard for the competition to shake off. Using dark chrome, N Line red stitching on both the steering wheel and sport seats, the Sonata N Line will cause your pulse to race.

Elsewhere in the cabin, drivers will find an open and modern look that is inviting until you reach to change the radio station. That’s because there is only a volume knob. That’s right, no tuning knob on the dash. Use the scan or direct-entry keypad to enter your desired channel number.

There are enough flatscreens inside to open a BestBuy. This includes a 12.3-inch gauge cluster display and a 10.25-inch touchscreen display with navigation and controls for SiriusXM, Pandora, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Our N Line tester included a Bose 12-speaker Premium Audio System that had us turning the volume up and down depending on whether we wanted to hear music or exhaust note. That turned out to be a tough choice.

Safety included on the Hyundai Sonata N Line

The N Line is loaded with the latest safety technology too. That includes the following highline items:

• Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist w/Pedestrian detection
• Front, Front-Side impact and side curtain airbags
• Lane Follow Assist and Lane Keep Assist
• Side Exit Warning

Behind the Wheel of the Hyundai Sonata N Line

This Sonata is like no other we’ve driven. It’s one of the fastest front-wheel drive sedans we have experienced. The 2.5-liter turbo proves itself from the moment you push the starter button. This Sonata even has launch control that optimizes the engine and transmission to help it off the line in a faster, more sure-footed stance.

The electronic shifter has taken a few minutes to get used to, but it becomes second nature after a while. Once we are underway, this mild-mannered family sedan behaves like any other. In fact, in most cases, you would think it was just any other Sonata. That is until you squeeze the skinny pedal, which had some testers squealing like a little girl as the 2.5-liter turbo bangs through the gears and the speeds climb upward.

Shifting into Manual mode allowed us to flex our mitts while using the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shift levers. “Big yikes” were heard from the back seat as the N Line velocity climbed.

From those sounds, we instantly knew Hyundai was onto something.