In the Philippine motoring beat, there seems to be a shared sentiment that the Hyundai Elantra is still in its proving grounds. While the nameplate has been around since 1990—with a brief hiatus somewhere in between—it still hasn’t inspired the confidence that Honda and the Civic give buyers of compact, performance-inspired sedans. To be fair, the Civic has an 18-year head start on the Elantra.
Hyundai N is even younger, and perhaps it’s the one that needs more credibility and trust than the Elantra does. The full potential of Hyundai’s compact car with the N division is realized in the Elantra N, which thoroughly impressed us—and you can watch that video here—but it is at its most accessible with the Elantra N Line. Still, this particular sedan will need to work double duty to push the needle further for the Elantra nameplate and then generate interest for the N division.
Styling
Since this version of the Elantra debuted at the 2025 Manila International Motor Show earlier this year, it’s drawn mixed reactions with its many dramatic design curves. Personally, I liked the design from when I first saw it at MIAS, and it hasn’t lost its appeal months later. I do acknowledge that there is a lot going on, but it still looks put together and neatly sporty.
The lines and curves on the hood, the metal accents around the honeycomb grille, and the thin headlights all converge at the matte, silver Hyundai logo up front, which is complemented by a small N Line badge on the lower left side. It’s a lot, but it’s organized.
The tailgate houses what I believe is the best execution of the H-shaped taillight that current Hyundai models are famous and infamous for—some of us haven’t forgotten about the facelifted Stargazer. The longer taillights on each end are sharply slanted, further complementing the other sharp curves on the back. It’s then connected by a light bar that runs throughout the tailgate. The Elantra letters are then paired with the glossy black rear garnish, all in all looking quite elegant, but still with a sporty touch.
Tying this all together is the N Line exclusive Ultimate Red Metallic color, which also balances elegance with toughness. It demands distinction without screaming nepo baby—in a sea of Honda Civics and Toyota Corolla Altises, this stands out. However, one contradiction to the controlled chaos is the 18-inch N Line-exclusive wheels. It looks too fragmented and messy for my taste, and I would’ve preferred a cleaner design to go along with the blacked-out finish.
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Interior
The cabin also gets an N Line makeover, which mostly comprises red accents and stitching. Upon first glance, the interior feels solid, with just a few creaks around the passenger-side grab handle and the drive mode selector. Legroom throughout the cabin is pleasantly spacious, and there is still a decent amount of headroom. It’s most dressed in black leatherette, which looked fine at first, but over time, it began to feel less than luxurious. Mind, this car costs P1.795 million.
The same sentiment goes for the infotainment display: Fine and clear at first, but over time, I began to notice the individual pixels on the screen. Thankfully, the steering wheel and seats are wrapped in more premium materials, which greatly sustains the Elantra’s superb driving experience.
Climate controls and the wireless charging pad were also precisely within reach from my seat position, adding to the seamless drive. However, whenever I would use the USB-A or USB-C port instead of the pad, the cables would get tangled up with the gearshift. The cup holders are impressively wide and adjustable, but my big water bottle would also get in the way of the N Line-branded shifter.
Engine performance
The 1.6-liter turbocharged engine makes a conservative roar upon startup, which goads you into pushing it to its limits. Out on the highway, it glides effortlessly and overtakes with confidence. Given the opportunity to be a little more spirited, there is some turbo lag, which is then followed up by another bellow. Once the Elantra N Line gets over that tiny hump, it’s back to slick and smooth driving.
Mated to the powertrain is a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), and it does a good job at managing the 204hp and 265Nm of torque that the engine produces while on the highway. But in city driving, the transmission can be considerably jerky. That is common for DCTs, but with that much power on hand, it may be more unstable than other dual-clutched vehicles.
That power also sips a decent amount of fuel. In the city, through stop-and-go traffic, the Elantra N Line returned between 7 to 8km/L. On the expressway, it was able to hit as high as 12.7km/L—all in all, it’s decently efficient and an excellent road trip companion. Once you get out of the city, of course.
Ride and handling
I previously mentioned the great driving experience on the Elantra N Line, and that is truly where it shines. Even down to the base variant, the engineers at Hyundai have done a great job in constructing a cockpit where the driver feels planted and integrated into the vehicle. From the outside, the Elantra looks like a long car, but it drives like a speedy, nimble thing. In fact, it is about 35mm shorter than the other variants in its stable, coming in at 4,675mm long.
However, because of that driver-vehicle cohesion, I bore the brunt of potholes and other road imperfections. The suspension on this sedan rides on the stiffer and more rigid side, which is great for long open stretches of road, but not entirely practical for Metro Manila streets.
Hyundai has outfitted the Elantra N Line with racing-style seats that give great side-bolster support for twisties and all-around comfort for daily drives. There are times I wish the seat could drop even lower, but that might just be my racer aspirations acting up. As I mentioned, the steering wheel feels great, and it’s accompanied by a sportier N Line-designed shifter.
There is a ‘Sport’ drive mode, but I didn’t get the chance to really try it out. Upon switching to Sport, steering does feel a bit heavier, but I didn’t have the environment to really step on the gas and pump up the revs to feel how the throttle response has changed.
Some of that engine roar does enter the cabin, and faster drives forced me to turn up the volume on the infotainment system. However, while idling in traffic, NVH levels were decently low.
Extra features
Hyundai added a remote-start feature to its sporty sedan, which is a must-have for our warm climate, and especially if you’re paying close to P2 million for a new car. However, when it starts, the climate settings don’t hit full blast to cool the cabin as quickly as possible, unlike the Honda Civic. Instead, it goes back to the settings you last left it in.
The Elantra N Line also gets Hyundai SmartSense, the brand’s suite of advanced driver-assistance systems. The adaptive cruise control performed smoothly on the expressway, and it also comes with a stop-and-go function. Other features include lane-keep and -following assists, which also work well, though the steering corrections were quite aggressive. Oddly, the suite doesn’t include a 360-degree camera system, and that’s a big letdown given the price point. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto try to make up for it, but that extra visibility would’ve been great for a car with long corners.
Verdict
As I noted previously, Hyundai needed to hit two landing spots with this release, and the Korean carmaker accomplished that—for the most part. As a vehicle, the Elantra N Line is a joyous and stylish option in the compact-sedan segment. However, the cost-cutting may be too much for more pragmatic drivers, especially with more affordable variants available.
The Elantra N Line is a great representation of what Hyundai can offer to the mass market, especially those who want a bit of pep in their daily driver. It could also be the car that makes new buyers fall deeper in love with automotive culture. However, its accessibility is questionable. The P1.795 million price tag makes it a difficult recommendation to those who aren’t already enthusiasts of the nameplate. The hybrid Elantra Premium sounds like the best deal right now at P1.68 million, but the Elantra N Line is just too much fun. Hyundai took two steps forward with this release, but cost-cutting and the high price may have put the brand half a step back.
SPECS: 2026 Hyundai Elantra 1.6T N Line 7DCT
Price: P1,795,000
Engine: 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline I4
Power: 204hp
Torque: 265Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Layout: FWD
Seating: 5
Score: 8.5/10
More photos of the 2026 Hyundai Elantra 1.6T N Line 7DCT:
