Style with Substance
The upgrade to the N-line increased my monthly by approximately $80 compared to the SEL, so I'd only recommend it to those who are willing to splurge a little extra. With it though you get a much sportier car with a stylish side trim, sunroof, and blacked out mirrors and rims that separate it from the SEL which still has the modern front and rear fascia. The interior of the N-line is also very sporty with a black and red trim to it that feels very racecar-esque. The infotainment system works pretty well and heated seats are a great bonus over the SEL. The sport driving mode is a blast even though it sinks the fuel economy a bit, and the overall handling and safety features like self steering are very handy, just make sure you read about them in the manual first because they can be hard to understand if you're new to the features. The space in the car and trunk is good enough for a normal, single person like myself with no kids and the durability has held up alright during this first winter. My chief complaints are with the suspension and brakes. For a more sporty car it doesn't feel like I'm getting a smoother ride, in fact it doesn't feel like an improvement over my old car at all, and that car was a 2012. I doubt this would change at a lower trim level, but I'd expect it to be a little better especially for a car that can drive in a sport mode thus incentivizing driving with some speed sometimes. The brakes could just be a new car issue, they are very sensitive and I found myself jolting for a bit until I adjusted my foot speed to the pedal. Still I have to be very aware when slowing down to only put slight pressure on, and I still have the occasional problem of squeaking coming form the brakes. Could be new car being broken in, could be an actual issue. Overall I still enjoy the car quite a bit, it is my first new car and lease so that probably plays a part in it. Going forward I'm unsure if this is the car I'll be looking to get again when my lease is up, but I definitely would not regret the purchase either. It's a fun ride, but one that's meant for those who put high value on style because that's what this car brings inspades, probably more than any other comparable car.