Sedans don't sell like they used to, but that hasn't stopped either Hyundai or Kia from making them. And boy, has it made some hot ones. The Kia Stinger GT and Hyundai Elantra N are two potent cars that are quite different under the hood, but a new Sam CarLegion YouTube video discovers how different they aren't.
The Kia Stinger GT is the beast between the two, packing a twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 engine that makes 365 horsepower (272 kilowatts) and 376 pound-feet (506 Newton-meters) of torque. It also has the advantage of powering all four wheels, but the larger car is about 700 pounds heavier than the front-wheel-drive Elantra N. It only has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 276 hp (205 kW) and 289 lb-ft (391 Nm) of torque. However, the Elantra can pump out up to 286 hp (213 kW) for a few seconds for an extra bit of oomph.
Gallery: 2022 Hyundai Elantra N: First Drive
Thanks to the GT's AWD, the first race begins with the Stinger getting a sizable lead ahead of the Elantra. However, once the Elantra N gets going, it keeps pace with the larger Stinger, even gaining on it just before crossing the finish line. The Elantra struggled for traction off the line, only powering its front two wheels, but it didn't finish far behind the Stinger.
The Stinger has a late start with the following rolling race, leaving the Elantra to win with a significant lead. The second rolling race is much more illustrative. The Stinger gets a better start, but it can't pull away from the Elantra. Instead, the two cross the finish line at the same time, though the Stinger was beginning to pull away at the end.
Their specs don't line up, but that changes on the race track, even if the Stinger GT has the advantage. Luxury automakers often offer fun-to-drive sedans, so having more mainstream offerings is nice. Sadly, people aren't buying them, so if you want to stand out from the crossover crowd, here's a fun pair of cars worth checking out.
