Touring XT 4dr All-Wheel Drive Sedan
2023 Subaru Legacy

2023 Legacy Photos
Ann Arbor, Mich. — The Hyundai Elantra N is a neat little thing. It’s a firecracker of a sedan, its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine making 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque. That power is put to the front wheels via a standard six-speed manual transmission or, in the case of this tester, an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters. People take notice of it, especially in the lighter exterior colors that make the sporty red accents really pop. And if they don’t see you coming, they’ll hear you — the valved exhaust is capable of quite a racket. We’ve already given the Elantra N our First Drive treatment, certifying its worthiness as a successor to the dearly departed Veloster N. I spent a week with the car, doing normal things with it, all while it goaded me to do naughty things with it. So, in addition to the one question that kept popping into my head as I drove it — “This is an Elantra?!” — here are nine thoughts about the 2023 Hyundai Elantra N. The DCT is excellent. This thing shifts mighty quickly. Not quite synaptically fast, but we’re talking about a mere sliver of a second here. Considering the quickness, what’s even more impressive is just how smoothly it trades gears. Even under full throttle, you get seamless transitions until you’re shifting high in the rev range. Then you’ll get just a tender shove. Left to its own devices, the shift logic is excellent, regardless of drive mode. The shift paddles on the back of the steering wheel, though, are all too inviting, and the Elantra N rewards you for taking matters into your own hands. The slickly executed instant feedback is addicting. It’s still not as involving as a proper manual transmission, but this auto really makes a strong case for itself. The exhaust sound is wild and crackly. This ties into the last one. Tickle those paddles just right, and massage the accelerator in just the right way, and you can elicit a soundtrack of crackles and pops like a bowl of Rice Krispies with a megaphone. And it doesn’t just give it to you. You gotta work it out a little bit, like that important, belt-loosening belch after Thanksgiving dinner. The NGS button (more on that later) gives you a free, 20-second ticket to easy cracklin’s. Don’t want to piss off your neighbors? You can put it in a quiet mode, and it’ll behave itself a bit. Still, an Elantra has no business sounding so boisterous and exciting, but I’m glad it does. NGS is an underwhelming gimmick. “N Grin Shift.” What does that even mean? The NGS button on the steering wheel is just an overboost mode, giving you an extra 10 horsepower for 20 seconds. That’s not enough to really make a difference. I don’t really ever feel like I need any sort of push-to-pass type of feature in in the Elantra N. It also shifts it down to the lowest possible gear …
Full Review
Ann Arbor, Mich. — The Hyundai Elantra N is a neat little thing. It’s a firecracker of a sedan, its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine making 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque. That power is put to the front wheels via a standard six-speed manual transmission or, in the case of this tester, an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters. People take notice of it, especially in the lighter exterior colors that make the sporty red accents really pop. And if they don’t see you coming, they’ll hear you — the valved exhaust is capable of quite a racket. We’ve already given the Elantra N our First Drive treatment, certifying its worthiness as a successor to the dearly departed Veloster N. I spent a week with the car, doing normal things with it, all while it goaded me to do naughty things with it. So, in addition to the one question that kept popping into my head as I drove it — “This is an Elantra?!” — here are nine thoughts about the 2023 Hyundai Elantra N. The DCT is excellent. This thing shifts mighty quickly. Not quite synaptically fast, but we’re talking about a mere sliver of a second here. Considering the quickness, what’s even more impressive is just how smoothly it trades gears. Even under full throttle, you get seamless transitions until you’re shifting high in the rev range. Then you’ll get just a tender shove. Left to its own devices, the shift logic is excellent, regardless of drive mode. The shift paddles on the back of the steering wheel, though, are all too inviting, and the Elantra N rewards you for taking matters into your own hands. The slickly executed instant feedback is addicting. It’s still not as involving as a proper manual transmission, but this auto really makes a strong case for itself. The exhaust sound is wild and crackly. This ties into the last one. Tickle those paddles just right, and massage the accelerator in just the right way, and you can elicit a soundtrack of crackles and pops like a bowl of Rice Krispies with a megaphone. And it doesn’t just give it to you. You gotta work it out a little bit, like that important, belt-loosening belch after Thanksgiving dinner. The NGS button (more on that later) gives you a free, 20-second ticket to easy cracklin’s. Don’t want to piss off your neighbors? You can put it in a quiet mode, and it’ll behave itself a bit. Still, an Elantra has no business sounding so boisterous and exciting, but I’m glad it does. NGS is an underwhelming gimmick. “N Grin Shift.” What does that even mean? The NGS button on the steering wheel is just an overboost mode, giving you an extra 10 horsepower for 20 seconds. That’s not enough to really make a difference. I don’t really ever feel like I need any sort of push-to-pass type of feature in in the Elantra N. It also shifts it down to the lowest possible gear …
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Retail Price

$37,695 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 2.4L H-4
MPG 23 City / 31 Hwy
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission Lineartronic 8-spd CVT w/OD
Power 260 @ 5600 rpm
Drivetrain Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive all wheel
Smart Buy Program is powered by powered by TrueCar®
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