2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line Debuts Its Subtle Sports Sedan Shape

The current-generation Hyundai Sonata showed off its new skin last year, first in South Korea and then for Americans at the New York Auto Show. With swooping lines and a bold grille it's certainly a looker, and during the North American debut, Hyundai confirmed an N Line model would follow. That day is now here, mostly anyway. We'll explain in a bit, but for now, behold the 2021 Sonata N Line.

If you're struggling to spot the differences, you're not alone. The Sonata's shape already has a sporty flair, but the N Line does jazz it up slightly with a new front fascia that gets larger corner intakes and three rectangular vents beneath its N-specific grille. Moving along the side, the N Line gets side skirts for a lower, leaner profile. Fresh 19-inch wheels fill the arches, and a lower rear fascia with dual exhaust outlets and a subtle diffuser fill out the back. The Sonata's existing spoiler bridging the taillights is darkened to help the N Line stand out from the pack.

Moving inside, the N Line gains additional treatment. Dark chrome trim and red contrast stitching are found throughout the greenhouse, with the latter being prominent on the steering wheel and sport seats. The seatbacks wear an embossed N, and naturally, there's N Line badging on the exterior, too.

"The 2021 Sonata N Line will attract more customers to both the rock-solid Sonata lineup and our increasingly popular N Line sub-brand," said SangYup Lee, head of Hyundai's Global Design Center. "Sonata N Line will appeal to customers who desire sporty styling in a sedan package."

What about the performance side of the Sonata N Line? Curiously, that's still unconfirmed as this debut focuses purely on the aesthetic changes for the sports sedan. At the Sonata's New York Auto Show debut last year, Hyundai already confirmed it would get a tuned-up version of the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine making over 275 horsepower (205 kilowatts). We've also heard reports that power could reach 290 hp (216 kW) but the exact figure – and how it will be doled out – are still questions to be answered.