2021 Sonata N Line: Hyundai decides to give BMW a run for its money

Hyundai Sonata N Line: Hot rod Hyundai?

Price: $33,300 as tested. No options on test vehicle.

Conventional wisdom: Motor Trend says “the Sonata N Line goes, steers, stops, and rides in a way that is well beyond what is expected …” but notes, “Weak points? Not many. The dual-clutch transmission occasionally gives you a nice thump … and the gray-on-gray interior is a bit bland.”

Marketer’s pitch: “Longer. Lower. Wider. And meaner.”

Reality: So mean it could kinda stand some therapy.

Catching up: While I have your attention fixed on sedans — after the Kia K5 fought to the top against the Mazda6 and VW Passat — here’s a faster way of moving the family around.

What’s new: The whole new model. Hyundai redesigned its Sonata (alongside Kia’s twin K5, which I’ll be referencing throughout) for 2020.

The N Line, however, takes the Korean sedan and goes full tilt with it. I’d been looking forward to this since I had a chance to test a Limited a year ago. This time, I had it in the driveway the same week as a hybrid BMW 5 Series sedan, the perfect comparison.

Up to speed: Where the other Sonatas are powered by a 1.6-liter turbo four, the N Line gets a 2.5-liter turbo four boasting 290 horsepower, a bump of over 100 horses.

So this one arrives at 60 mph far more quickly: in 5.3 seconds, according to Motor Trend.

Unfortunately, the model tested was front-wheel drive, and this much horsepower makes the front end feel as if it’s going to separate from the rest of the vehicle during hard starts.

On the road: That much pull also turns hard starts into a raucous affair, sending the sedan left and right and taking away much of the control of the vehicle. This is a natural force of physics with any vehicle under hard acceleration, but the N Line Sonata really enhances it.

The front-wheel drive also makes cornering a real challenge at the vehicle’s limits. It’s quite responsive under more restrained driving conditions, though — going right where you point it and feeling highly maneuverable.

» READ MORE: New Kia K5 kicks off a round of affordable sedan tests

Shifty: Where K5 drivers will enjoy not just a shift lever but a silver T-bar lever that’s beautiful and responsive, the Sonata has a push-button transmission a la Honda or Acura. Paddle shifters offer shift capability for the 8-speed gearbox, but that’s not as much fun.

Unfortunately, turning the vehicle to Sport or Sport Plus modes means that shifting is a real requirement, as the vehicle stays in lower gears for an uncomfortably long time. Click, click, click. Bor-ing.

But if that’s the most boring part of a Sonata, we’ve come a long way.

And for a dual-clutch transmission from a Korean brand, it was exceedingly smooth. They’ve had their jerkiness issues, but I never noticed it.

Driver’s Seat: When I wrote about the Sonata Limited, I mentioned that “comfort comes standard.” It must be an option in the N Line, because these seats are super firm. Now maybe it’s not fair that I had a BMW 530e that same week, but I think the N Line seats are tough on their own merits. I feel as if I’m back in the Mazda RX-8.

Controls and digital dial gauges are easy to read and nicely arranged, and turn red in sport mode.

Friends and stuff: The rear seat offers snug headroom and foot room, and legroom is a little better in comparison. The seat slants OK but the headrest tilts oddly back.

Cargo space is a healthy 16 cubic feet.

Play some tunes: The 10.25-inch touchscreen for the navigation runs very horizontally, so it’s not as big as all that but is fairly nice to operate. Buttons allow for switching among modes and a volume knob helps, but lack of a tuning dial is a pain. Some days, I just can’t decide, so I want to switch from station to station and see what’s there. A pair of arrows means a long ride from Sirius 105 down to 31. Get those presets marked, but still — fussier than it was, to save the cost of a knob.

Sound from the system is pretty good, maybe a B+ or an A-.

Or don’t: The exhaust sound is really cool, in any mode.

Keeping warm and cool: Dials control the temperature and pretty chrome toggles adjust the fan speed and source, with a small digital display.

Fuel economy: I averaged about 22 mpg in a high-speed round of country-road driving. Feed the N Line whatever.

Where it’s built: Montgomery, Ala.

How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Sonata’s reliability will be a 3 out of 5.

Next week: So is a BMW 530e really worth double?