Video: 2025 Hyundai Sonata N Line: Mild to Wildish

And this is the spiciest one, the 2025 Sonata N-Line. Outside it adds some more aggressive styling cues that make it look like anything but a boring, mid-sized sedan, from this dark mesh grill to the gloss black on the body to the 19 inch ally wheels, to the rear spoiler. And under the hood, it adds a turbocharged four cylinder engine that amps up the fun factor. Let's check out three things about the N-Line that work and three things that need work. First, the regular Sonata's comfortable driving dynamics are a big plus, and the N-Line only builds on that by adding some liveliness. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.5 liter four-cylinder, good for 290 horsepower and 311 pounds feet of torque. PEP is near instant, and the eight-speed automatic transmission is ready and willing to snap off shifts for fluid power delivery. In addition, the N-Line sportiness can be customized from mild to wildish, pop it into sport mode via the button on the console for an even more engaging drive. Sport mode sharpens the throttle response and adjusts transmission shift points for quicker acceleration. But that's not all. To amp things up even more, engaging Sport Plus mode activates the Launch Control System for an even faster takeoff. The exhaust note and steering firmness can also be adjusted in the drive modes menu for an extra tailored experience. There is a downside though, not great fuel efficiency. The Sonata N-Line is EPA rated at 27 miles per gallon combined, much lower than the base Sonata's 32 miles per gallon combined rating from its standard 191 horsepower, 2.5 liter four-cylinder. Second, the Sonata has one of my favorite multimedia systems. It pairs a 12.3 inch digital instrument cluster, which is standard on N-line models and available on other Sonatas with a standard 12.3 inch touchscreen infotainment system. Together they form a continuous curved panel for a stylish, fancy and modern look. And what's even better is that the whole system is easy to use. The gauge cluster is customizable, and the touchscreen infotainment system is very easy to use with a clear menu structure and a quick responsiveness from the touchscreen. What's more wireless, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard on all Sonatas, which feels like a long time coming since some competitors have had this feature standard for a while. And third is the N-Line's comfortable and stylish cabin. The regular Sonata's cabin is nice, but again, the N-Line takes things up a notch and makes for a more interesting space. Highlights include synthetic leather, gray sports seats with red stitching and trim, a leather wrap steering wheel, aluminum pedals, and ambient lighting. And just because it's fun doesn't mean it also can't be practical. We fit two car seats back here pretty easily, thanks to accessible latch anchors in a decent amount of leg room. Also, these slightly bolstered seats help snug the car seats in place. Also, two adults should fit comfortably back here, but if you're more than six feet, you might feel the pinch in head room with a sloping rear roof line. So what's not to like? Just a couple of things. First, while I love the Sonata screen setup, some of the other controls aren't as well thought out, like the start button, which is awkwardly blocked by the steering wheel and requires kind of a strange stretch. Also, the shifter stock is too close to the wiper wand, and I mistook one for the other a couple of times. And while most of the climate controls below the screen are responsive and make sense, some of the touch sensitive ones are a little small and require a couple of presses. Number two is ride quality. While the regular Sonata is tuned toward comfort, the N-Line's firmer suspension tuning makes for a sportier handling experience, which is great, but also a firmer ride, which can get annoying over larger bumps. It also rides on larger 19 inch wheels, so the overall result is a sometimes choppy ride. And last number three is pretty minor, but it bears mentioning. The N-Line is missing a couple of features like one of my favorite safety systems, the blind spot view monitor, which projects a live view of the car's blind spot on the gauge cluster. It's available on other Sonata trims, but not on the N-Line. You also can't get an N-Line with all-wheel drive and you can on some other Sonata versions. The 2025 Hyundai Sonata N-Line sits near the top of the Sonata trim lineup and starts at around $37,000, including destination. A base Sonata starts at around $28,000. The N-Line proves that mid-size sedan doesn't have to mean boring. And if you are looking for a mid-sized sedan with a little extra flavor, check it out. And for my full review, go to cars.com/news. (pleasant outro music)