Have you ever wanted a commuter car with hatchback practicality and a strong engine? Well, if you’re thinking of buying a Honda, then you’ll be stuck with the Civic Hatchback. It’s not a bad deal, considering it’s practical and has a turbo 1.5-liter engine. However, it needs more power like the Civic Si, so it’s too bad that you can’t get the best of both worlds. That is, unless you buy a 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT N Line.

The Hyundai Elantra GT N Line is a hatchback

You might be wondering why we would ever recommend a Hyundai Elantra over a Civic, especially a Civic Si, but hear us out. While the 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT N Line might not have the same panache as the Civic, that’s the main point of it. The Elantra GT’s subdued aesthetics lend it to be unassuming to the outside world and the lack of boy-racer appeal works for just about everyone.

As far as the Elantra GT N Line practicality goes, it has 24.9 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded up and a cavernous 55 cu-ft with them folded down. If we’re comparing notes, then the equivalent Civic Hatchback has 25.7 cu-ft of space with the seats up and 46.2 with them folded down. Both cars have the same amount of passenger room, however, we like the straightforward dash design of the Elantra GT, and its black leather seats with red piping are sporty looking and very well bolstered compared to those found in the any of the Civic Hatchbacks. Also, you get red seatbelts, which is something only found in the Type R trimmed Civics.

The Elantra GT N Line has the Veloster Turbo engine

Did we mention that the Hyundai Elantra GT N Line is also a sleeper? If not, then we can stop comparing notes with the Civic Hatchback and starting looking at the Civic Si engine specs to draw a comparison. The Elantra GT N Line has a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine that’s sourced straight from the Veloster Turbo. While it’s not the Veloster N Line engine, it’s still potent in its own right.

The stout engine produces 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm, which is a nice broad power range for everyday driving. The Civic Si, on the other hand, has a turbo 1.5-liter engine that pushes out 205 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque, and its power comes on from 2,100 to 5,000 rpm. Admittedly, that’s not much of a difference, and Car and Driver was able to test both cars and the Elantra GT N Line went from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, which is on par with the Civic Si.

The Elantra GT N Line is a true sleeper

So what can we conclude? We find that the 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT N Line has the practicality, space, and a little more comfort than the Honda Civic Hatchback but the power of a Civic Si with muted looks to boot. In that case, this means that the Elantra GT N Line could most likely be the “sleeper hatchback” that Honda should have built. It’s too bad it’s being discontinued after the 2020 model year.