Numbers vs. Reality?

That was unfortunate, because the acceleration figure doesn't give an accurate picture of what the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N Line can do. Many of our staffers observed that, although there was some turbo lag, once the revs and the boost picked up, the engine offered plenty of power and was good fun to wind out to redline.

Unfortunately, that couldn't help the Elantra N Line in the quarter mile. It trotted down the strip in 16.4 seconds with a trap speed of 89.4 mph, just barely beating the Elantra Limited (16.5 seconds) and Elantra Hybrid (16.6 seconds). The Honda Civic Si was 1.1 second quicker and 3.4 mph faster in the quarter mile, and even those numbers are nothing to brag about. Again, we really hoped the Elantra N Line might be a good match for the Jetta GLI, which made the run in a 14.6 seconds at 98.8 mph. No contest.

Braking was more in line with our expectations, with good bite and pedal feel, but the Hyundai's stopping distance of 111 feet from 60 mph just trailed the Civic (110 feet) and the Jetta (109 feet).

Figure Eight: The Fun Is There, But the Grip Isn't

As for the Elantra N Line's handling, we loved the way the car took on our figure-eight course. It inspired confidence and felt capable, not too far off the Civic Si. However, its vague clutch and shifter feel were negatives.

Indeed, our test readouts showed once again the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N Line trailed the Civic Si: 0.91 g of lateral grip and a 26.3-second time through the figure eight, averaging 0.66 g. The Civic's numbers were 0.93 and 26.3 seconds at 0.67 g, just a shade behind the GLI. Close, but the Elantra was still bested.

All in all, it was a bad day at the track for a car we still rather enjoy. With its $25,000 price tag, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N Line is a great deal for a family-friendly stick-shift sedan that can generate big grins on a curvy road. But performance testing is a by-the-numbers business, and those numbers don't flatter: The Hyundai Elantra N Line nips at its competitors' heels for braking and grip, but in acceleration testing, it gets left in the dust.

2021 Hyundai Elantra N Line Specifications
Base Price	$25,105
Price As Tested	$25,260
Vehicle Layout	Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine	1.6L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4
Power (SAE net)	201 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Torque (SAE net)	195 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm
Transmission	6-speed manual
Curb Weight (f/r dist)	2,960 lb (60/40%)
Wheelbase	107.1 in
L x W x H	184.1 x 71.9 x 55.9 in
0-60 mph	8.6 sec
Quater Mile	16.4 sec @ 89.4 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph	111 ft
Lateral Acceleration	0.91 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight	26.3 sec @ 0.66 g (avg)
EPA city/hwy/comb	25/34/28 mpg
On Sale	Now