Hyundai Sonata N Line Is One of the Last of Its Kind

The American Highways were once heavily sprinkled with two and four-door family sedans with a little more oomph under the hood and in the chassis. Suffixes such as SS, GT, and GS, and model names like GTO and Roadrunner, among others, were simply muscled-up versions of conventional sedans out of Detroit. More recently, you could find the 301-hp Camry TRD and V6 Accords with manual transmissions. It is a breed of vehicle that is all but gone from today’s showrooms, but Dick Smith Hyundai still offers one the last of the breed in the Hyundai Sonata N Line. 

N is Hyundai’s high-performance badge, and N-Line steps back slightly with a nod toward everyday usability. The Sonata N-Line is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4, producing 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. This engine is paired with a similarly high-performance dual-clutch 8-speed transmission. Hyundai has offered this powertrain for a few years, but with the attrition of high-performance sedans and just sedans in general, it is now one of the most powerful in the segment. 0-60 comes in 5.4 seconds and the quarter mile is tripped in 14 seconds flat.  

Car and Driver points out that these numbers were a little lower in the 2021 Sonata N-Line model they kept as their long-term fleet a few years ago. They point to the lack of summer tires as the culprit, which they state would also increase cornering and braking stats. Fortunately, that change can be easily made by the owner down the line. However, they praise the improved launch control programming and point out: “Even so, the 2024 N Line dusts both the hybrid Honda Accord and the all-wheel-drive Toyota Camry to 60 mph and through the quarter mile by a second or more.”   

Car and Driver also point out that revisions to the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission have significantly improved the drivability of this new Sonata N-Line vs. the 2021 model they are so familiar with. “…the revised gearbox never once hiccuped, displaying smooth shifts during relaxed driving and crisp gear swaps when getting after it.” 

A vehicle such as this would be pointless if it didn’t serve the practical expectations of a mid-size sedan well. Car and Driver states: “Its spacious interior, highlighted by the supportive yet comfortable trim-specific seats, offers more room in front than the Camry and Accord and only slightly less in back. The trunk opening is generous, making it easy to toss in a stroller or a golf bag.” 

The EPA estimate for this model’s mpg is 23 in the city, 32 on the highway, and 27 combined. Car and Driver, however, achieved 39 mpg on their 75-mph loop, a full seven mpg more than the EPA estimate.  

Car and Driver is pleased that Hyundai still offers a sporty mid-size sedan, and Dick Smith Hyundai is glad that we have it to sell. If you have practical needs but still appreciate a little extra kick in your daily driving, visit Dick Smith Hyundai and test drive the Sonata N-Line.