Oh, front-wheel-drive vehicles. They’ve usually the standard option for other vehicles that can have all-wheel-drive available. Front-wheel-drive cars are a few thousand dollars cheaper than their all-wheel-drive counterparts while getting a bump in fuel economy, thanks to not having the heavier all-wheel-drive system. The problem with front-wheel-drive cars is, they’re not exactly known to be sporty. Now before I go on, I know that the VW Golf GTI and Honda Civic Type R are both quick and handle well, but they were built to be like that from the beginning.
This brings me to Hyundai. Whichever trim level you choose, they’re all front-wheel-drive only. For most of their models, that isn’t a bad thing. The Sonata is quite the looker and is for the more sedate driver. That’s not bad, but the regular Sonata doesn’t give you a smile. Thankfully, that’s where Hyundai’s “N” division comes in. Similar to how AMG is to Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai’s N cars are modified to be more fun, quicker, and put a smile on your face. In the last few years, Hyundai has been sprucing up its models, and the Sonata is no exception. It also gets the N treatment and all the goodies attached.
In this form, it’s called the N Line. From the rear, you’d have to have a trained eye to know right away that this is the performance model. It has the same giant Hyundai logo and SONATA in huge letters, but if you look lower, you’ll see quad tailpipes. That’s the first sign of “we mean business”. The entire silhouette is just beautiful with a spectacular front-end. I think the Sonata is the more handsome midsize vehicle currently being built. This particular Sonata N Line had the Portofino Gray paint along with N-Line specific 19” wheels with a unique design. If you want the Mustang EcoBoost next to you know that you’re the special N-Line, there is badging on the side and a little badge on the front.
Jumping inside, the first thing you see is…the buttons for the transmission. They don’t feel especially “sporty” and take up enough space that a traditional shifter could be. There are paddle-shifters for those that want to change gears, which we will get to later. If you still look in front of you, you’ll see some analog-style digital gauges with a multi-display screen to see your MPH. There are a few other N logos on the steering wheel and next to the weird button transmission. The steering wheel has all the usual controls for the radio and adaptive cruise control. Climate controls are simple to use and the Sonata gets heated-seats, but no heated steering wheel or ventilated seats.
If you’re looking for a big infotainment screen, Hyundai has you covered. The big 10.25” touchscreen has standard navigation which you’ll use for about a minute before you connect your phone and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Two little gripes: first off, since this doesn’t have a 360-degree camera, part of the screen doesn’t look right next to the back-up camera screen and you can see you’re not in the top-of-the-line model. Also, there are touch-sensitive buttons around the screen which are a bit of a stretch if you’re trying to hit the ones on the left side. Just stick with the touchscreen or the buttons on the steering wheel.
Now let’s hit that blue starter button and let the main reason you get the N-Line come to life. Instead of the standard Sonata’s 1.6-liter engine, the N-Line gets a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that has an extra 110-horsepower! That means it makes 290-horsepower and 311 lb-ft. There’s also an extremely quick-shifting 8-speed dual-clutch automatic. All of this means the Sonata N Line gets from 0-60 MPH in around 5 seconds. Off-the-line, it definitely feels quick, but there is a trade-off. Front-wheel-drive cars usually don’t do too well with a lot of power, and this powertrain is almost-too-much for it. You really can’t take your hands off the wheel because it has “torque steer” or has so much torque that it drags the car to one side. It’s annoying but it’s a signature trait of front-wheel-drive vehicles.
Almost every vehicle these days have selectable drive modes that include a Normal, Eco, and Sport mode, but Hyundai kicks it up a notch with Sport +. Does it need it over the regular Sport mode? No. Should it have it? Why not? If you go into Sport or Sport+, those white dials turn red because red always means performance. Word of advice: don’t use Sport+ in something like traffic or regular driving. The N Line will just want to shred its front tires and you may want to give into it. I didn’t, but you might. Wait until you can get onto the highway and get to the speed limit and not an MPH more which is exactly what I did. If you want to take control of the transmission, the paddles shift the transmission quickly and the handling is almost as good as you can get for a front-wheel-drive family sedan. Basically, this car is fun. Really fun.
This also brings up the price. You do get quite a lot for your $34,000. There are no options since Hyundai just does straight-up trim levels, and oddly enough, this isn’t the top-of-the-line model. Since it isn’t, it doesn’t get the ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, or other options. It also doesn’t get Hyundai’s “Smaht Pahk” (if you didn’t see the commercial for this, it’s Hyundai’s Smart Park party trick for parking assistance without having to be in the car). Hyundai’s are usually known for being a good value, and the Sonata N-Line does seem like it.
So did I like it? Yes, yes I did. Do I wish it had the other options mentioned above along with all-wheel-drive? Yes, but that would bring the price up substantially and would put the Sonata against the actual Korean sports sedans such as the Genesis G70 and Kia Stinger with their smaller engines. Still, this was quite the enjoyable family sedan. Even if you don’t want or need the extra power, I’d recommend the N Line. If you don’t want or need a heated steering wheel, get the N Line. You won’t be disappointed.
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