Skip to main content
  • The 2022 Elantra N offers a manual transmission
  • Stick shift owners miss out on “N-Grin Shift” software
  • The Elantra’s pricing puts it at a premium over the Civic Si

Hyundai has been good to enthusiasts over the last few months and years. First, we got the Hyundai Veloster N, which upped the bar in the hot hatch segment, much to the chagrin of the Volkswagen GTI and Honda Civic Type R. Now, we’re getting the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N, which ups the bar for fast, FWD sedans like the Honda Civic Si (though that car is still the bar). How? Why with a manual transmission of course.

The Elantra N gets a standard manual transmission

The black and pale blue interior of the 2022 Elantra N with a dual-clutch transmission instead of the standard manual transmission.
Not pictured: manual transmission

Your read that right. Even though it’s not pictured above (we’ll get there in a minute), the Elantra N gets a six-speed manual transmission. The 2022 Hyundai model continues the trends set by the Veloster N, and the stick is the perfect example. That stick has gotten the standard treatment for performance-built stick shifts. That means shorter throws than you’ll find in non-N Hyundai models and some miscellaneous upgrades to help with feel.

However, the manual transmission does miss out on something. For one, it’s not just faster shift times typical of dual-clutch transmissions. Hyundai calls it “N-Grin Shift.” Effectively, it’s like the ERS button on an F1 car’s steering wheel. The DCT Elantra N can boost power output by 10 hp for a few seconds. Why this feature isn’t in the stick, we don’t know, but it’s likely got something to do with the fact you’re already grinning while rowing your own gears.

The 2022 Elantra N doesn’t get AWD and that’s OK

A white 2022 Hyundai Elantra N shot from the front 3/4 at sunset
The 2022 Hyundai Elantra N | Hyundai

Stick shift aside, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N uses both of its transmission options to drive only the front two wheels. “Only” isn’t a bad thing here, mind you. The Veloster N proved that Hyundai can build fast FWD cars and hatches with the best of them. We won’t be missing AWD in our bargain Audi S4 with a stick shift. There’s a certain amount of fun in navigating the challenges of driving a car with only two driven wheels.

With that in mind, it’s clear the Elantra is for the enthusiasts. Supposing the loud styling didn’t make that clear already. Other mechanical changes serve to punctuate that statement, like stiffer dampers and chassis reinforcement. Hopefully, you won’t need to carry any flat-screen TVs with your 2022 Hyundai Elantra N, because there’s a big ol’ strut bar in the trunk that can’t be removed. Well, maybe it can, but who wants to carry around a 10 mil you’ll lose anyways?

How much will the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N cost?

A white Elantra N shot from the front at sunset
The Elantra is FWD-only | Hyundai

And how much for all this fun, mildly compromised stick-shift goodness? $32,925 for the manual transmission Hyundai Elantra N and $34,425 for the dual-clutch. It’s not a bad deal, but it does place the Elantra at a full $5,000 more than the Civic Si. Whether that’s worth it for a modern sports car with a manual transmission is up to you.

Related

$5,000 Separates the 2022 Honda Civic Si and the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N: Is the Elantra Sedan Worth It?

Best in Sedans & Coupes
MotorBiscuit Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Chase Bierenkoven

Chase Bierenkoven has been obsessed with cars his whole life and now finds joy in sharing what he’s learned from his own daily drivers. Chase earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology with a focus on legal studies from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and quickly became an automotive journalist. When he isn’t writing, Chase is either driving his passion project, a 2004 BMW M3 in Carbon Schwartz Metallic, or playing around Colorado’s terrain, mainly mountain biking and skiing.