Hyundai Elantra N at the 0-to-150-to-0-MPH Speed Test 2023 (2024)

From the December 2023 issue of Car and Driver.

0–150–0 mph: 47.0 seconds

Base: $34,015 | As-Tested: $34,015
Power and Weight: 276 hp • 3196 lb • 11.6 lb/hp
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S; 245/35ZR-19 (93Y) HN
Brakes, F/R: 14.2-in vented disc/12.4-in vented disc

As our own Csaba Csere pointed out in 1998, overcoming aerodynamic drag at 150 mph requires 3.38 times as much power as it does at 100 mph. That's why Bonneville land-speed cars all look more like the sleek Elantra than the big-winged Civic, and it's surely one reason why the Elantra N pulled ahead of the Civic by more than five seconds at 150 mph despite its 39-hp deficit. The rorty six-speed manual Hyundai was a handful off the line, requiring a 5000-rpm clutch engagement followed by judiciously managed wheelspin until it hooked up.

Then, the driver had to remember that the N allows no-lift shifting—automotive abuse we avoid in testing unless the car has the no-lift feature. From there, it was a smooth ride, with the Hyundai pulling surprisingly hard above 140 mph. The brakes felt stable and strong despite recording one of the longer stops at 710 feet.

Yes, the Elantra finished near the bottom of the pack. But we're tickled that for $34,015, you can buy a four-door family sedan that can take you to 150 mph and back without a shrug.

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