Hyundai Elantra N to make PH debut at MIAS 2024

Remember the Hyundai Elantra? The compact sedan gained some popularity in the local market when the Korean automaker’s previous distributor, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) introduced its fifth generation back in 2011. It even received the title as the 2011-2012 Car of the Year Philippines. Sadly, after the previous generation, it never came back. That is until now.

The Hyundai Elantra is set to make a Philippine comeback as Hyundai Motor Philippines, Inc. (HMPH) announced today and it’s not just any other Elantra, they are bringing in the high-performance Elantra N. 

Now this does not exactly come as a surprise as HMPH already teased the arrival of the N performance brand late last year. It was only a matter of guessing which model would arrive first. Hyundai says that the N name comes from the company’s R&D center in Namyang, South Korea, and technical center in Nürburgring, Germany.

So what can we expect from the Hyundai Elantra N? Based on the seventh generation of the compact sedan, the Elantra N is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged Inline 4-cylinder direct injection gasoline engine that produces 280 horsepower and 392 Nm of torque, mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. A 6-speed manual transmission is optional for those who prefer to shift gears by themselves but we don’t know yet if it will be made available here as well.

Various upgrades have also been done underneath the vehicle to improve driving performance such as a stiffer chassis and a different suspension setup, among others. In addition, it gets larger disc brakes, and grippier Michelin Pilot Sport tires.

In terms of appearance, the Elantra N gets larger and more aggressive looking air intakes, sportier bumpers, a rear diffuser, and a rear spoiler. Red accents can also be found around the vehicle’s exterior. The same goes on the inside where it gets a sportier three-spoke steering wheel, N bucket seats, in addition to a handful of sporty accents around.

“At Hyundai Motor Philippines, we ‘Innovate Everyday’ so that we can make it possible for our diverse Filipino customers to experience progress in their everyday lives. So for those who enjoy and are passionate about high-performance, we are pleased to share with you that our technology powerhouse, N, is arriving in the country,” said HMPH President Mr. Dongwook Lee. 

“To all existing, and soon-to-be, ‘N-thusiasts’, we are excited to be giving you access to the ground-breaking cars that came out of our rolling lab. Outstanding pleasure and that fun-to-drive thrill will be at arm’s reach starting this April.”

Official pricing is not yet available at this time but we don’t have to wait too long as its local debut will happen at the 2024 Manila International Auto Show which is just around the corner, happening on April 4 to 7, 2024. Oh and also, to be displayed alongside the Elantra N at the motor show is the Elantra N TCR, the 2023 winner of the TCR World Tour Drivers’ Championship.

Of course, this might just be the first of many. Hopefully following soon is the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N which was used in the teaser images and videos when HMPH announced the arrival of the N brand. Are you excited?