2022 Hyundai Elantra N Fills Civic Type R-Sized Void

• New performance-focused version of Elantra compact sedan
• Turbocharged four-cylinder packs up to 286 horsepower
• Available with either a manual or dual-clutch automatic!

What do you do when the love of your life packs up and leaves? When the one you've counted on to be there through turmoil and strife is nothing more than a void only filled by the memory of their presence? What happens ... when Honda sends the Civic Type R on hiatus?

Heroically, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N is swooping in to pick up the pieces left in the devastating wake of the Type R's departure. You don't have a useful hatchback body style with the Elantra N, but you get plenty of go-fast bits like launch control, adaptive dampers, an electronic limited-slip differential and a turbocharged four-cylinder producing a maximum of 286 horsepower. Front sport seats and cool blue accents are among the many interior upgrades. Honda who?

What's under the Elantra N's hood?

Like the Veloster N and Kona N, the Elantra N utilizes a spunky turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. As in the Kona, the Elantra N's turbo-four produces 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque. Driving the front wheels is an honest-to-goodness six-speed manual (thanks for doing your part to keep the three-pedal layout alive, Hyundai). If you don't feel like rowing your own gears, an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is also offered. Selecting the DCT also adds the N Grin Shift mode, which increases engine output to 286 hp in short bursts. Hyundai hasn't officially said how quickly the Elantra N can accelerate, but we know it's targeting a 0-60 mph time of around 5.0 seconds.

Along with the hot engine and upgrades mentioned above, the Elantra N is also equipped with larger brakes for helping rein in the additional performance potential. And a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires gives you extra grip on the twisty mountain roads that put the Elantra N's sport suspension to the test.

What about upgrades to the Elantra N's interior?

The existing Elantra's interior is pleasantly laid out and surprisingly spacious for rear passengers. These strengths will carry over to the Elantra N, which might actually be more accommodating for those in the rear. That's because the new manually adjustable sport seats have a narrower profile than the standard thrones. The seats are dressed in a combination of leather and grippy faux suede, similar to what you'd find in a dedicated sports car such as the Shelby GT500 or a Porsche 911.

Hyundai's N-branded vehicles are marked by their use of signature light blue accents, and that continues to the Elantra N. The seats, steering wheel and shifter all feature light blue stitching, and the driving mode buttons unique to the Elantra N are painted in a similar hue. These touches, along with N-specific overlays on the touchscreen interface, go a long way in making this sporty compact feel special, even when you aren't driving at ten-tenths.

Edmunds says

The Honda Civic Type R left some mighty big shoes to fill, but the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N is ready to take up the mantle. It's not quite as powerful as the Type R, but with adaptive dampers, launch control, available manual and automatic transmissions, and sporty touches throughout the cabin, the Elantra N certainly has the chops to pull it off.