Hyundai Elantra N Successor Is Coming And Will Be Gas Powered

Dec. 13, 2022 7:07 PM ET byMichael Butler Sports Cars /5 Comments

Not everything is going EV.

According to Hyundai officials, theElantra N将返回的第二代吗a new gas engine, while international markets will lose the feisty i30 N. The latter will be replaced with the upcoming Ioniq 5 N, which is shaping up to be a600-horsepower hot hatch of note.

Hyundai has become a significant player in the go-faster segment in a relatively short time. Its range of sporty N cars offers impressiveperformance at a fairly reasonable priceand easily compares with more established players. The big turning point was Dr. Albert Biermann, who Hyundai poached from BMW's M department in 2014.Biermann has since retiredbut is still very much involved in an advisory role.

2022-2023 Hyundai Elantra N Driving Front Angle

In a recent conversation with Biermann, Australian motoring publicationCarExpertgot the inside scoop on which N cars will be making it and what the future holds for the N brand as a whole. According to Biermann, the Hyundai Elantra N, known in Australia as the I30 N Sedan, will get to stretch its legs for another generation.

"The i30 N is quite safe, at least the sedan version, so we will see the next-generation car with a new petrol engine, as it's already in our long-range plans," said Biermann. Although Biermann does not detail which markets would be getting the second-generation Elantra N, it would be safe to assume that North America, one of Hyundai's largest markets, would be at the receiving end.

Unfortunately, tightening Euro 7 emissions restrictions means that our European brothers and sisters will not be receiving another ICE-powered N car, which opens up the door for the Ioniq 5 N or even a fully-electric i30 N hatchback.

"If we're talking EVs, then we could very well see an all-electric i30 N in a hatch body with our B- and C-segment plans, but it might take some time to get there, to get it right. So there is definitely a future for an i30 N hatch as an EV," said Biermann.

The Elantra N currently features a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces up to 276 horsepower and a 0-60 mph sprint time of only five seconds. Priced at just over $32,000, this car is an excellent bargain in a class dominated by established players such as the Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf R.

There is no word on what performance specs we can expect from the next-generation car, but since the Elantra N onlymade its debut in the US earlier this year, a replacement is still a few years away.