Named after the Namyang development center in South Korea, the N brand started out with the i30 and Veloster. The go-faster family also comprises the Elantra sedan whereas the smallest model in the lineup comes in the guise of the subcompact Kona featured in the video below.
Offered with front-wheel drive and a wet-clutch transmission, the Kona N was never developed for straight-line performance. Top speed isn’t of the essence, and neither is the way this SUV accelerates to 100 kph (62 mph).
Be that as it may, the Kona N is quicker than a Golf GTI over the quarter mile. Not by much, but quick enough to cross the finish line ahead of the golden standard from Wolfsburg. There are, of course, a few reasons why this drag race concludes with a win for South Korea instead of Germany.
First and foremost, 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet (392 Nm) are better numbers than 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet (370 Nm) of torque. If the Hyundai’s driver engages N Grin Shift mode, the 2.0-liter turbo four-pot engine bumps up the output to 286 horsepower for up to 20 seconds.
Tipping the scales at 3,340 pounds (1,515 kilograms), the Kona N is nearly 300 pounds heavier than the compact-sized Golf GTI. However, the performance-oriented engineers at Hyundai N really know their launch control algorithms. Because torque steer affects a front-wheel-drive car under acceleration, the Kona N also boasts a so-called Power Sense Axle that alleviates the adverse effects of so much torque for the front wheels.
But most importantly, the Asian challenger is rocking 235-wide tires compared to 225s for the VeeDub. Also worthy of note, the Hyundai costs a cool $34,200 excluding destination charge, while the Golf GTI commands a sticker price of $31,340 sans taxes with the optional DSG transmission.
Although they’re split by almost three grand, bear in mind the Kona N’s options list consists of a few exterior colors while the base trim level of the Golf GTI doesn’t come with the same goodies as the fully-loaded Hyundai.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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