Which is a shame, because the little i20 N is the best driver's car Hyundai makes, sharper and more focused than the Veloster N, the Elantra N, and the Kona N, cars that have impressed us with their punchy performance and fun-to-drive dynamics. Indeed, the buzz in Europe is the i20 N has what it takes to shake the subcompact hot hatch crown from the current-generation Fiesta ST.

The i20 N is more than just some extra muscle under the hood, as it combines the engine's extra grunt with bigger wheels and stiffer suspension, and wraps it all in bright paint with a few aero addenda. With N division founder and former BMW M chief Albert Biermann now head of R&D for the entire Hyundai-Kia group, N models are part of the vehicle development process from the get-go, and the i20 N is one of the first fruits of this new system, arriving less than 18 months after the mainstream i20 hatch hit the market in Europe and Asia.

Regular i20s are powered by a 1.0-liter three-cylinder or a 1.2-liter four-cylinder gas engine (a 1.5-liter diesel four is available in some markets), none boasting more than 118 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque. The i20 N gets a tweaked version of the 201-hp 1.6-liter turbo four-banger found in the Elantra N Line sedan. In i20 N-spec, the engine benefits from a new intercooled turbocharger setup that boosts torque output to 203 lb-ft from 1,750 rpm to 4,500 rpm. There's also an overboost function that allows the little four-pot to muster 224 lb-ft of twist from 2,000 rpm to 4,000 rpm for short periods.

The only available transmission is a six-speed manual that's been upgraded to handle the extra torque and the shock of full-throttle launch-control starts. As with all N cars, the i20 N has a limited-slip differential, although it's a mechanical unit with a Torsen gear optimizing the torque flow across the front axle rather than a more expensive electronic diff.

In terms of the chassis setup, the spring, damper, and anti-roll rates have all been substantially stiffened. The i20 N's suspension is simpler than that of its larger N siblings; the shocks are passive, and the rear axle is a torsion-beam unit rather than multilink. The front suspension has reinforced top mounts and knuckles, however, and an additional brace in the rear load space helps keep the torsion-beam rear axle more precisely located. To cope with the increased dynamic loads—and to give the suspension a more rigid foundation—the body shell has been reinforced in 12 different places, particularly around the front subframe.

The i20 N retains the column-mounted motor for the electronic power steering system (EPS), but the steering rack ratio has been sharpened from 12.4:1 to 12.0:1, while the motor's retuned to improve its response and better counter torque steer. New front disc brakes have rotors 1.6 inches larger in diameter than those of the regular i20, and new hubs mean the i20 N's 18-inch forged wheels, shod with Pirelli P Zero tires specially developed for the car, are located by five lugs rather than the four of the regular i20.

On paper, the i20 N, with its passive shocks, torsion-beam rear axle, column-mounted EPS, and lack of a dual-clutch automatic transmission, doesn't seem as sophisticated as the bigger N cars. On the road, it's a different story.

There's a solidity to the body structure that makes the no-nonsense tautness of the suspension feel engineered into the car, not merely bolted on. And the control weights—the lovely, mechanical throw of the gearshift; the consistent arc of the clutch; the firm, easily modulated brake pedal; and the crisp steering response—all have the smooth, measured heft you'd normally associate with something engineered in Germany, not Korea.

It's not all dour seriousness, though. "The i20 N is more of a rascal than the i30 N," Hyundai-Kia dynamics engineer Alex Eichler, who's based at the company's technical center in Russelsheim, Germany, said. He's absolutely right. This Hyundai is a lively, energetic little machine with a giant-killing personality.

The i20 N offers six different drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, N, and two different configurable N Custom settings that let you mix and match the settings for the engine, steering, stability control, and exhaust sound. In addition to the standard launch control system, the onboard computers will also automatically match revs on downshifts and allow you to left-foot-brake while keeping your right foot on the throttle.

In Normal mode, the i20 N is a fun little commuter car. Yes, the ride is busy—hardly unexpected in a stiffly suspended car that weighs just over 2,600 pounds and has a short wheelbase—but not uncomfortably so. And being a Hyundai, you get a lot of comfort and convenience for your money (in Europe, the i20 N is priced within a few bucks of the Fiesta ST), including a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, and a rear parking camera.

But the real fun starts when you tap the N button and switch everything to maximum attack.

The i20 N's 1.6-liter turbo engine is workmanlike rather than charismatic, and it's happiest muscling around in the midrange. Keep the revs between 3,000 rpm and 5,500 rpm, working that terrific transmission, and the little Hyundai zings down the road, darting from apex to apex like a kart. Hyundai claims a 0-60-mph time of about 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 142 mph, and the i20 N feels every bit that rapid. 

It'll only take a few miles before you thumb the red button under the right spoke of the steering wheel to switch off the rev matching. The beautifully weighted pedals are perfectly placed for neat and quick heel-and-toe downshifts, the exhaust pop-pop-popping joyfully on the overrun as you brake deeper and deeper into corners.

The i20 N has the superlatively authoritative front end that's now a hallmark of Hyundai's N cars, reacting instantly to steering inputs and delivering truly impressive levels of grip. The little hatch rotates promptly on corner entry, the inside rear wheel cocked in the air like a dog's leg at a fire hydrant, and the mechanical limited-slip differential allows you to get on the gas much sooner than you can in almost any other front-drive car; and, contrary to what you might expect, it helps tuck the nose tighter in toward the apex.

A fast run along a twisting two-lane will have you grinning from ear to ear at the sheer audacity of it all. This Hyundai feels wonderfully agile and alert but not nervous, and there are few hot hatches that can generate its raw midcorner pace.

The i20 N is just one more reason Hyundai is the company Toyota should fear most. The mainstream Hyundai lineup is already better styled, better equipped, and, frankly, better to drive than most comparable Toyotas. With the launch of the i20 N, Hyundai now offers enthusiast drivers a wider selection of accomplished and affordable performance machinery than its Japanese rival.

(Motortrend.com)

When you're interested in performance cars, you want vehicles best engineered to deliver the most dynamic fun—and that means cars. We're talking coupes, sedans, and hatchbacks, not tall, heavy, bulky SUVs. Weight is the enemy of performance, as is a high center of gravity. Most new car buyers today, though, want SUVs; as such, a new common ground has emerged in the form of the performance SUV. It's not ideal, but this "solution" looks more and more like the future of factory-built performance. And if the 2022 Hyundai Kona N is any indication, the future doesn't look nearly as bad as you might fear.

The reason: The Kona N is barely an SUV. Front-wheel-drive only and with just 1.1 inches of additional ground clearance compared to a Toyota Camry, the Hyundai Kona N is actually a high-ish-riding hot hatch. It's a Veloster N for people who can't do the three-door small hatchback thing and who want or need a bit more practicality and space.

That's the trade-off you make here. Standing about 6.0 inches taller and 93 pounds heavier than the Veloster N, the Kona N gives you the SUV-like tall seating position people love and the ability to put five folks in the car without any hassle. Cargo space is effectively the same in both cars.

Those pounds and inches don't sound like much, but they do make a material difference in the way the cars drive. The 2022 Hyundai Kona N is the slightly more mature, sophisticated machine of the two. That's not to say it's tame; it's still a wild child, just not quite as wild as the Veloster N.

You feel it most in the Kona N's composure. It feels planted, hunkered down on the road despite sitting 1.5 inches higher above it. Where the Veloster N feels light on its feet and tossable, the Hyundai Kona N is more serious. Chuck the Veloster N into a corner, and it rotates, sliding just a bit as the tires howl but don't let go entirely. Not the Kona N. Its tires don't squeal, and it doesn't rotate. It digs its claws in and goes.

You don't even need to be childish with the throttle to break the tires loose mid-corner. Hyundai's electronically controlled N limited-slip differential is aggressive for a street car, transferring substantial power across the front axle to the outside tire. With 276 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque on tap and only the front wheels to take it, there's a little torque steer, but more often what you feel is the diff doing its thing. Rather than fighting you, the tug through the steering wheel pulls you into the corner. Catch a big enough midcorner bump, and the diff will actually tighten up your line too much, which you correct by either muscling it or, heaven forbid, backing off the throttle slightly.

Absent an irritation with turbo lag, there's no need to shift the transmission yourself. In its most aggressive setting, the gearbox makes excellent choices, and there's more than enough midrange torque to get you out of even the tightest corners in whatever gear it chooses. Shifts are buttery smooth, unless you push the big, red "NGS" button on the steering wheel; it stands for "N Grin Shift." Yes, really.

NGS activates an overboost function that buys you an extra 10 hp for 20 seconds, which you don't feel in the seat of your pants. It also bangs the shifts just a little to make it feel like you're really beating on the car. The function is generally only useful when you want every last pony, mainly when drag racing or coming off a corner onto a long straight. The button itself is located awkwardly at the four o'clock position, requiring you to move your right hand down the wheel and stretch your thumb out. It's rarely worth the effort.

The buttons you do want to push are the N paddles just below the horizontal steering wheel spokes. In fact, the very first thing you should do when you buy a Kona N (or a Veloster N) is take the car to your favorite road, push the right paddle (which is N Standard mode and Custom 1; the left paddle is for Normal mode and Custom 2), and start playing with the customizable settings.

If your favorite road is anything other than a racetrack, N Standard mode is going to be way too stiff in terms of the suspension. Like in the Veloster N, we prefer the Kona N's electronically adjustable shocks in their softest setting. Anything else will have you bouncing around like the seats were replaced with trampolines. The body control is excellent regardless of shock stiffness, so there's no need to torture yourself.

Similarly, we prefer the lightest steering setting, as the heavier, supposedly sportier settings mostly make you work more for a minimal increase in road feel, which is already excellent for a high-powered front-drive car with electric power steering. Turn-in is sharp, though again not quite as razor's edge as the Veloster N's, and the ratio is appropriately quick, so you never have to take your hands away from nine and three to make a corner, no matter how tight.

The brakes require a likewise gentle touch. They're sensitive but not Veloster N touchy. They deliver a lot of initial bite, but it's easier to modulate and easier to get used to. The big discs are steel, but you really have to try to fade them on the street. Hours of hard driving on excellent mountain roads couldn't put a dent in them. It helps that you only really have to use them for tight corners, as the composure we mentioned earlier allows you to carry a ton of cornering speed and use the brakes mostly to transfer weight forward as needed.

When you do get into them hard, it's reassuring to know they aren't phased by bumpy braking zones. It's the only time you'll hear the tires chirp (aside from doing a burnout), but the ABS has zero issues stopping the car hard even when the surface isn't smooth.

Unless you live in one of those swanky trackside villas, at some point you'll need to drive home in real-world traffic, and this is where the 2022 Hyundai Kona N really justifies itself. Set to its normal drive mode, the Kona N can easily be your primary car. It rides stiffly, sure, but no more so than any other performance car you might cross shop. The throttle programming backs way off, allowing you to behave like an adult when you want to rather than ripping away from every stop. The exhaust quiets down to a mildly sporty murmur, and the car becomes a sporty crossover, not a track machine.

Whichever personality you want, it's hard to make a case for any of the Hyundai Kona N's competitors. You already picked this over the Veloster N because you want a small SUV, not a traditional hatchback, and there's almost no competition in this space. The Kona N will run circles around a Mini Clubman JCW or Countryman JCW, and it'll stand up to a Mercedes-AMG GLA45 for probably about $20,000 less. (Hyundai hasn't announced pricing, but a Veloster N starts at $33,245 and a GLA45 at $55,500.) Unless you absolutely need to have the three-pointed star on your car, you won't miss anything buying the Hyundai.

That's what makes the 2022 Hyundai Kona N great: It's a hell of a performance bargain, it rips around more like a hot hatch than a fast SUV, and it satisfies any concerns you have about the wisdom of buying a Veloster N as your only car. It might not be the ideal performance car formula on paper, but when you're behind the wheel, we dare you to care.

(motortrend.com)