The Hyundai Elantra N TCR Is A Budget Honda Civic Type R

Hyundai has an alternative for you if you happen to find the starting price of a Honda Civic Type R a bit too high. It's a fair criticism of the near-perfect Honda, which now starts at $48,090. It makes more power, yes, but the Elantra N TCR brings many of the same driver and track-focused upgrades to the table for far less money. The 2026 Lenatra N TCR Edition starts at $40,495, including destination. There's also (unlike the Civic) an available dual-clutch automatic transmission ($41,995) to complement the standard six-speed manual.

The most notable shift as compared to the Elantra N is the TCR Edition's huge fixed wing. It's adjustable, if you want to get really nerdy about your lap times and setup. 19-inch forged wheels complement the new wing and help take a little weight off the corners of the car, where it matters most. Updated brakes also help the TCR slow down better than the N.

Inside, you'll find a new Alcantara-wrapped wheel to keep those sweaty hands in place, TCR badging, and the usual N-branded blue accents found in the standard Elantra N. The console and shifter also get a few Alcantara touches. As for the powertrain, that remains unchanged. This means the front-drive sedan makes 278 horsepower and 289 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged four-cylinder. It's not anywhere near as lofty as the Type R's 315 horses, but the sedan is also cheaper to the tune of $7,595 if you opt for the six-speed manual. That figure falls to $6,095 if you opt for the dual-clutch. No matter how you cut it, that's quite a lot of money to spend on track consumables like tires, gas, and brakes.