Hyundai used this week's 2023 Shanghai auto show to preview its planned update for the Elantra compact sedan by unveiling the updated version in fiery Elantra N guise.
Expected for the 2024 model year, the updated Elantra is set to take on a sharp new look highlighted by a front end that reflects the updated 2024 Sonata's futuristic look.
The grille is smaller but the lower air intake is larger. The headlight shape has changed, and the lights and a trim piece combine to give the face an unbroken horizontal line.
The lights at the rear stay the same but the fascia below, at least on the N variant, features a new design with a larger blacked-out section that appears to give the car a wider stance.
Hyundai hasn't shown the updated version of the regular Elantra, but a camouflaged prototype was spied earlier this year, with what looked like a revised front fascia beneath the camouflage gear. Some interior changes may also be part of the update.
It isn't clear if any mechanical changes are planned. The current Elantra N uses a 2.0-liter turbo-4 that sends 276 hp to the front wheels. Both 6-speed manual and 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission options were retained for the 2023 model year. In a first drive of the Elantra N during its debut model year, we found the compact sedan excels on and off the track.
Hyundai hasn't said when the updated Elantra will debut but the reveal can't be far off. The current Elantra, the nameplate's seventh generation, arrived for the 2021 model year, with the Elantra N following for 2022.
Also coming soon from Hyundai will be an Ioniq 5 N electric performance crossover, scheduled for a debut in July. A new Kona N based on the redesigned 2024 Kona compact crossover should also debut shortly.
Update: Additional photos of the updated Elantra N have been added to this story.
