Why Does The Elantra N Feel Better Than A Golf GTI?

When driven in isolation, the Hyundai Elantra N is a rather easy car to position within its respective segment. We (the automotive press) will generally give it attributes such as “a performance bargain!”, “a lot of car for the price!”, or “a very surprising performer!”

And that’s all totally OK. After all, the Hyundai Elantra N came sort of out of nowhere. And, to be fair, it’s not like we’ve been having performance Elantras here in North America for a very long time. Since the car appeared in the early 1990s, it was seen more as a cheaper and more forgettable alternative to what the Japanese were selling at the time.

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  Base Trim Engine

  2L I4 ICE

  Base Trim Transmission

  6-speed manual

  Base Trim Drivetrain

  Front-Wheel Drive

  Base Trim Horsepower

  276 HP @5500 RPM

  Base Trim Torque

  289 lb.-ft. @ 2100 RPM

  
  

  
  

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  Base Trim Engine

  2.0L Turbo Inline-4 Gas

  Base Trim Transmission

  7-Speed DCT

  Base Trim Drivetrain

  Front-Wheel Drive

  Base Trim Horsepower

  241 hp

  Base Trim Torque

  273 lb-ft

  Make

  Volkswagen

  
  

  
  

Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s Golf GTI/R, Honda’s Civic Si/Type R, or Subaru’s WRX/STI have been around for several decades. Heck, even if the GR Corolla is relatively new to the party, its roots harken back to Toyota’s golden years in WRC.

But the more I strap myself behind the wheel of Hyundai’s snortin’-n’-poppin’ compact sports sedan, I can’t help but acknowledge how good it just is. Or should I say, superb, overachieving, and, dare I say it, better than some of its rivals. But nothing prepared me for what I noticed when driving the N back-to-back with a brand-new, recently updated Golf GTI. I think it’s time we all reconsidered who the benchmark needs to be in this segment.

The Golf GTI Is Still Great, But…

William Clavey | TopSpeed

I’m not yet ready to say that the Hyundai Elantra N is worthy enough to dethrone the almighty Volkswagen Golf GTI. But I did not expect the Elantra to feel like the more sophisticated, European alternative of the duo.

I’ll get back to the specifics surrounding the Elantra N in a bit, because I think it’s important to underline why the Golf GTI remains the all-time queen of hot hatchbacks and pocket rockets. Like the 2025 Golf R I reviewed not long ago, the MK8 GTI received a slew of improvements this year that help improve some of its most irritating flaws. While not yet perfect, it helps the car remain true to its original mission.

VW

That mission was always to be all cars to all people, something the GTI continues to do better than most of its sports compact car rivals. For starters, it’s a hatchback, making it considerably more practical than its sedan competitors. It’s also sized just right, giving it stubby proportions while allowing its iconic, two-box design to remain instantly recognizable as a GTI.

2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI Technical Specifications

The GTI is also very German in its execution. Refined. Mature. Understated and wonderfully put together (although this MK8 has regressed a bit in that regard). It also makes just the right amount of horsepower and torque (241 horsepower/273 pound-feet), handles beautifully, and remains incredibly easy and affordable to own. It’s just one of those sports cars that does what it has to do. Once it’s finished, it tightens its tie and resumes whatever it was doing.

But it also comes with its flaws, flaws that Hyundai seems to have capitalized on with the Elantra N. There’s no more manual transmission available for the GTI due to declining sales, perhaps the most sacrilegious decision for a performance model that’s so historically significant. The MK8’s infotainment system, while vastly improved, remains a hot mess of complicated menus, clumsy UX, and slow-reacting haptic sliders. There are signs of cost-cutting in the way its cabin was upholstered, and while it remains a solid-feeling little hatchback, the car now comes with some annoying cabin rattles when driven over the broken stuff.

What The Elantra N Does Better Than The Golf GTI

William Clavey | TopSpeed

Of course, the Elantra N I was driving was the big-winged TCR Edition, a car that comes with mostly aero, brake, and tire upgrades. If anything, these modifications simply reveal how brilliant the Elantra N’s stock chassis actually is. And for the price! There’s only about $2,000 separating a GTI and an Elantra N, and boy, does the Hyundai feel like the more focused machine.

What saves the GTI here is that when facing a bright, blue, overstyled Hyundai, it truly remains the more pragmatic model to opt for due to its maturity and practicality. But, in practice, the Elantra N is not exactly an impractical car. I used it to haul around children’s furniture for my son’s new play area. The Elantra N even carried around Magnus’ balance bike. I know these are relatively small objects, but I was still able to perform my daily dad duties as the Elantra’s helm.

2026 Hyundai Elantra N Technical Specifications

What I really didn’t expect was how much more focused it is on being a performance car. The Elantra N turns in quicker than the GTI, feels considerably more buttoned down, stiffer, and has a much more rock-solid sensation when driven over road imperfections. No cabin rattles, either. As a matter of fact, as far as sophistication and refinement went, the Hyundai did it better.

Hyundai

And then there’s the stuff that gets the pulse of enthusiasts running. The Elantra N still offers a manual transmission, or can be had with an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic. There’s more horsepower and torque on tap, too: 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet. And it all feels so much more alive. More energetic, eager, and louder. At the push of a big red button on its steering wheel, the Elantra N’s exhaust goes from tame to rowdy little rascal, releasing bangs, pops, and farts along the way. It just has way more character.

The Elantra N Quickly Became The Car I Preferred Driving

Hyundai

It quickly became clear to me that, while the Golf GTI remained a gem of a little hot hatchback, the Elantra N was the better car there. It felt so right that if someone had shown up at that exact moment and asked me, “So, which one should I buy?”, I’d immediately tell them to jump on the Elantra.

There’s just so much offered for the price here, a feeling that the buyer is stealing something from the automaker. The Elantra N feels like it should cost several thousand dollars more. It was the car I would have brought home, except without the silly wing and stupid N livery. Probably in a tamer color too, like grey or black. But, still. “Understated” is no longer the qualifier we should associate with this car. Rather, “Segment-leader” is what we should all be saying now. Hyundai is killing it, and Volkswagen is obviously taking notes.