2021 Hyundai Elantra N Line Exterior Design Fully Revealed

Ever since Hyundai unveiled the new Elantra back in March, it promised a performance N Line version would follow. The company reminded us of its sporty intentions at the end of April by releasing images of a camouflaged pre-production prototype. Fast forward to current today, the disguise is coming off as the South Korean brand is showing off its answer to the VW Jetta GLI and Honda Civic Si.

Quite a lot of changes have been made to visually distinguish the N Line of the compact sedan from the lesser trim levels, starting off at the front where the Cascading Grille has a more aggressive look. The bumper has been redesigned and now it accommodates beefier air intakes with a trio of ornaments shaped like a boomerang.

A closer look at the side profile reveals a shiny new set of 18-inch alloy wheels with a two-tone finish along with a lowered ride height courtesy of a stiffer suspension setup. The side skirts appear to be more prominent than those of the standard Elantra and the mirrors caps appear to have a darker finish.

Moving at the back, the most obvious upgrade is the dual exhaust system integrated into the redesigned bumper now hosting a pseudo diffuser. A subtle trunk lid spoiler serves as another reminder this isn't your run-of-the-mill Elantra.

Hyundai is being coy on details regarding the oily bits, but the N Line could have a turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine borrowed from the Elantra GT N Line. In the five-door hatchback, it's good for 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet (264 Newton-meters) of torque. We do know an automatic transmission is planned, and we're hoping the Elantra GT's six-speed manual will also be offered to please both worlds.

Expect a full reveal to take place in the coming weeks or months ahead of a launch in the United States by the end of the year. To give you an idea about how much it could cost, VW wants $26,245 for a base Jetta GLI while Honda is asking $25,200 for a Civic Si Sedan.