2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line First Drive Review: A Punchy Performance Preview
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The camouflage can't hide the Sonata's curvy shape.
Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow
A few weeks ago, we took our first drive in the redesigned, US-spec 2020 Hyundai Sonata and, to no one's surprise, it was rather good. However, the Sonata N-Line prototype I find myself piloting today is a very different animal.
The camouflaged prototype seen here wears N-Line badging on the grill, steering wheel and center console trim, and sports dual exhaust tips out back. Designed to obscure elements of the prototype's design, this colorway ironically only seemed to attract an uncomfortable amount of attention wherever I went. Thankfully, beneath the eye-popping anti-aesthetics, this N-Line model also boasts a significant performance upgrade, tour hà giang giá rẻ including nearly 100 more pound-feet of torque than the 1.6-liter turbocharged models we've driven previously.
Best of both worlds
The base engine for this eighth-generation Sonata is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The upgrade from there is a slightly more sophisticated 1.6-liter turbocharged setup that makes 180 hp and 195 lb-ft. (I know, it seems more like a lateral move, but the 1.6T is supposed to be a smoother, better-driving engine.)
Displacement and forced induction, the N-Line's 2.5-liter turbocharged mill combines the best of the two base engines.
Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow
The N-Line model's powerplant is sort of the best of both worlds: a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that outputs an estimated 290 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, making this the most powerful Sonata model ever.
The 2.5T exhales through the aforementioned dual-exhaust system, which is louder than the 1.6-liter, but is quiet enough to not be annoying or drone when just cruising around. On this early prototype, the exhaust note isn't quite finalized, so it could potentially change by the time the Sonata N-Line becomes available next year.
The sedan's torque reaches the front wheels via an eight-speed, dual clutch transmission -- the same wet clutch transmission, I believe, that you'll soon find in the Veloster N, but with a slightly different tune. The N-Line model also gains a Sport Plus driving mode with more aggressive throttle and shift programming than the Sport mode on the Sonata 1.6T.
The Sonata N-Line pulls away off the line with a confident shove into the seat. The miles per hour pile up with significantly more zest -- but not much more drama -- than with the smaller turbo, with shifts that are fired off quickly, but with smooth transitions between gears. Overall, the sedan scoots with a surefooted, premium feel. Again, transmission tuning isn't quite finalized -- for example, the gear holding algorithm is still being tuned, kynghidongduong.vn so I noticed a bit of hunting between sixth and seventh gear when cruising in Sport Plus -- but Hyundai's engineers assured me that the kinks would be ironed out over the next few months.