Beep, beep, beep. You will hear a lot of these if you drive the 2024 Hyundai Elantra N—but that’s a good thing. The innovative Safe Exit Warning (SEW) system alerts you to an approaching vehicle when you’re parked, so you don’t accidentally exit into traffic.
I tested this proximity sensor technology over a week, focusing on how it works and whether it could detect other cars in a way that was useful, not annoying.
First, a bit about the vehicle. The 2024 Hyundai Elantra N is a manual transmission sporty sedan, boasting a 276-horsepower engine. Honestly, Hyundai had me at “stick shift” because so few cars come with a manual transmission these days. In fact, in the last two years, I’ve only tested one other manual—a Toyota Supra 3.0. (Thankfully, the following week, I tested a 2024 Toyota GR Corolla Circuit Edition, so that made three manual transmission cars in one month—quite a streak of luck.)
The Hyundai Elantra N is an affordable sporty sedan, priced at around $33,700, which is far less than many other sporty cars on the market. And let’s be honest, sporty sedans are getting harder to find now, as the world seems to have decided we all want crossovers. But as someone who loves driving performance cars, I relish any opportunity to test the handling, acceleration, and cornering on the back roads near my house, surrounded by trees and lakes.
I’m also a big fan of advanced safety features. Intelligent automation and artificial intelligence in cars can stay alert and monitor all corners of the vehicle, even when you’re distracted. Safe Exit Warning (SEW), which is often confused with Safe Exit Assist (SEA), is specifically designed to prevent passengers from opening the door and exiting the vehicle unsafely. SEW provides a warning, while SEA actually locks the doors to stop passengers from exiting.
In my test, I parked parallel to the road in a busy downtown area. As a car approached, I opened my door slightly. There’s an audible chime and a flashing indicator on the dashboard that alerts you when a vehicle is approaching.
I found the chime to be loud enough to grab my attention without startling me, which is exactly what you want in a safety system.
I also tested the blind spot warning system while parallel-parked. Although I didn’t pull out in front of any cars, I turned on my blinker and inched out slightly. The blind spot sensors immediately detected approaching vehicles from behind and to my left, beeping to warn me not to pull out. The system even worked in my garage, detecting the car parked next to me. It feels like the Hyundai Elantra N has a chime for almost every situation—blind spots, open doors, and obstructions in tight spaces.
Distraction while driving is a major issue these days. With drivers constantly checking phones, alerts, and messages, proximity sensors like those in the 2024 Hyundai Elantra N are a welcome addition. Although there were moments when I found the warnings slightly annoying—yes, I know there’s a car next to me—the safety features are undeniably helpful, especially in a world where distractions are only increasing.