The current, seventh generation of Hyundai's Elantra model will soon welcome a sportier variant to the family. The Korean automaker has just published a few images of the 2021 Elantra N Line to highlight the transformations the base model is getting to spruce itself up. To be clear, we're not talking about the metamorphosis reserved for Hyundai’s N performance products, but the Elantra N Line does features a more muscular design that undoubtedly hides a few mechanical improvements.
Befitting its performance-associated classification, the new variant takes position at the top of the Elantra hierarchy. Aesthetically, designers gave it a more-angular face, characterized by a specific black grille. The air intakes are also wider with chevron-shaped openings at the ends. As well, the car gets side skirts, shiny black trim around the windows and on the mirrors, a spoiler mounted on the trunk and two right-side exhaust tailpipes.
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Hyundai did not share images of the vehicle’s interior, but it did say that red accents will dominate. We also still don't know what's under the hood, but the larger brakes visible through the 18-inch alloy wheels tell us that there's a bigger engine coming between the front wheels. Odds are good it will be a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine tuned to deliver at least 200 hp. An automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters will definitely be in the mix, inside of a front-wheel-drive configuration. As for the presence of a manual transmission, we'll have to see; fingers crossed.
Chassis height adjustments are also expected. It is likely that an independent multi-link rear suspension will be integrated instead of the more basic swing-arm configuration of the regular Elantra. The idea is that this N Line will be a competitor to the Honda Civic Si and Volkswagen Golf GTI.
The 2021 Hyundai Elantra N Line will get a world premiere online this summer, following which it should hit showrooms in the fall - around the same time as the hybrid version of the model.
