The launch of Hyundai’s N Performance brand has been measured, adding selected models on selected countries (like offering the Veloster N in the U.S and not in Europe or the i30 N in Europe but not in the U.S), but now the South Korean automaker has big plans.
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Included on the automaker’s 2025 roadmap announcement was a brief, yet important sentence about its future: “The high-performance N brand also plans to launch SUVs and EVs.” However, Hyundai did not tell us details about those future N Performance vehicles.
The mention of future Hyundai N SUVs corroborates a report from earlier this year about Hyundai developing a Tucson N. Car Magazine reported a Venue N was also in the works. Hyundai already offers an N Line variant of the Tucson with upgraded looks and a tweaked steering and suspension setup. What the Tucson N Line lacks is that pure N Performance punch in the gut. The rumored Tucson N would produce at least 340 horsepower (254 kilowatts) with the goal of having the crossover hit 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in under six seconds.
The automaker’s N Performance brand were launched in Europe two years ago with the Hyundai i30 N. Since then, the South Korean automaker has increased out the portfolio, introducing new N models along with the decaffeinated N Line. The N Line sits between Hyundai’s base models and the high-performance N lineup, adding sporty design elements while refining the powertrain and chassis.
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What’s less unclear in Hyundai’s announcement is its plans for N Performance EVs. The company announced it’d spend $17 billion over the next six years – through 2025 – to switch to electric and autonomous vehicles, giving the company plenty of funding for performance EV R&D. Right now, Hyundai offers the Kona EV, a competent electric crossover that’d do well with a performance version to compete against the likes of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y. Or maybe a new model altogether.
The automotive industry is changing, and Hyundai, like other automakers, is preparing for a change that will include electric vehicles, and their high-performance variants. They’ll join Hyundai’s expanding N lineup.
