zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Won't Go Full N
The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Won't Go Full N-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:12:50

Image for article titled The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Won't Go Full N

When the dropped at the New York Auto Show in April, we declared ourselves extremely here for it, which is not something we normally say about a midsize sedan. We still are, but now our excitement has been slightly tempered with marketplace reality thanks to Wednesday’s confirmation that, while the Sonata will have an N Line variant, it won’t go full N.

You can probably figure this out on your own, but just in case: N is Hyundai’s peak performance line. So the is more like the AMG Sport or BMW M Sport models. The Hyundai Elantra GT is already sporting an N Line option, which added stiffer engine, transmission and transmission mounts, stiffer springs, and a whole host of other upgrades. So it’ll be kind of N, but not really.

The 2019 Hyundai Veloster N gave the sport compact scene something new to be stoked about at last…

That means we won’t get a full-force Hyundai Sonata N in the vein of the hot hatch, which we also love. Sad, but understandable.

The Sonata N Line will be dialed up a touch, with a 290 horsepower turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It’ll also come with the same eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission as Hyundai puts into the Veloster N along with some aesthetic changes, like larger wheels and a quad exhaust layout, according to . It’s a step up from the current scrawny 180 HP 1.6-liter four-cylinder in the regular Sonata.

While disappointing to us gearheads, it’s a smart move on Hyundai’s business side. An N Sonata would have seen extremely limited sales, while the N Line Sonata has just enough spunk to make SUV-obsessed buyers look twice at a rumbly four-door sedan without being intimidated.

Plus, let’s be honest. Nobody was gonna track a Sonata anyway.

We’ll just tack the Hyundai Sonata N up on our Big Board Of What Could Have Been, and move on with our lives.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I love tiny, of . I have a that is roughly half the size of a normal cat, and she’s perfect. I own a 2013 , which is like the miniature version of a normal-sized vehicle (at least here in Texas) — but beyond that, I also own a Hot...
Jul 27, 2025
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
At long last, we are about to get behind the wheel of for the first time. Sure, , and sure, , and sure , but hey — what can you do? Anyway, before we get behind the wheel of this three-row electric beast, we want to know what you...
Jul 27, 2025
Subaru Had It Right All Along
Subaru Had It Right All Along
When first came to the United States, it sold small funky cars that were decidedly un-American. As the company grew its own identity and became more established in the U.S., it became the first automaker to offer an all-wheel-drive passenger car in 1975. Subaru was also an early-adopter of...
Jul 27, 2025
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
MotorWeek’s is some of the on the internet. The long-running automotive news magazine has a treasure trove of tests after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you find detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten cars like the or a ? MotorWeek’s recent Retro Review upload is...
Jul 27, 2025
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I have two automotive loves: The first is the Miata, the second is off-road racing. For a while I raced air-cooled Volkswagens in the deserts of California and Nevada and I was lucky enough to co-drive in a class 11 stock bug in the Baja 1000 a few years...
Jul 27, 2025
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
closed its São Bernardo Plant in November 2023, marking the end of its first overseas production facility. The closure caps off a period of continuous car production in São Paolo, , lasting over 60 years. The plant was home to a Komatsu 700-ton press that predates itself. And now...
Jul 27, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved