Overview & Reviews

Introduced in the early 1990s, the Hyundai Elantra didn't exactly get off to a good start, earning a well-deserved reputation for overall shoddiness and unreliability. But more than two decades later, the Elantra has become one of America's most popular small sedans. Take one for a spin and you'll likely be impressed with its smooth ride, roomy interior, high fuel economy and solid build quality. The Elantra also offers plenty of features for the money and long warranty coverage. While those long-ago Elantras are best forgotten, any new or used Elantra (that you'll realistically come across) is an excellent choice for a small car shopper.

Current Hyundai Elantra
The Hyundai Elantra sedan is offered three trims: SE, Limited and Sport. A coupe and Elantra GT four-door hatchback are also available and reviewed separately.

Standard SE feature highlights include alloy wheels, full power accessories, air-conditioning, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and USB/iPod interface. An option package provides 16-inch (versus 15-inch) wheels, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, voice controls, a rearview camera and heated front seats. The Limited comes with all that as well as 17-inch wheels, leather upholstery, a power driver seat, heated rear seats and Blue Link telematics. The Sport includes the Limited's features minus the heated rear seats and Blue Link and adds a more powerful engine, a sunroof, a sport-tuned suspension and keyless ignition and entry. The Limited can be had with a larger 7-inch touchscreen display, dual-zone automatic climate control and a navigation system.

The SE and Limited trims are powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 145 horsepower. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the SE, while a six-speed automatic is optional. The Limited comes only with the automatic. The Elantra Sport has a 2.0-liter four that makes 173 hp. With the Sport, the manual transmission is standard, while the automatic is optional.

Slide inside the Elantra and you'll find a cabin that matches or betters most others in it class. A stylized center stack and controls lend some flair to the cabin, and the materials, while not best-in-class, offer a rich look. Ample headroom and a smaller-diameter steering wheel contribute to the interior's spaciousness.

On the road, the 1.8-liter engine has decent punch and the automatic transmission provides smooth, well-timed shifts. This volume-selling powertrain should be fine for the majority of drivers. The added punch provided by the Sport's bigger engine should be appreciated by those willing to sacrifice a few mpg in favor of some added oomph. A compliant ride and a quiet cabin make the Elantra a comfortable choice for daily driver and road trip duty alike. The only significant downside to this Elantra is a lack of rear headroom compared to what's available from some other top small sedans.

Used Hyundai Elantra Models
The current Hyundai Elantra represents the fifth generation, which was introduced for the 2011 model year. Apart from lacking some slight styling tweaks, upgraded touchscreen displays, added sound insulation and the Sport trim level, these Elantras are otherwise identical to the current version.

 The fourth-generation Elantra ran from 2007-'10. Having established the Elantra as a legitimate contender in the compact segment with its previous-generation car, Hyundai updated the Elantra's styling, improved its handling and ride quality, and revamped the interior to near-premium levels.

Two main trim levels were available: GLS and SE. The GLS came reasonably well equipped, though it lacked stability and traction control. Those came standard on the SE after 2007. The SE also had more features and a sport-tuned suspension. In your used-car search, you might also encounter the top-line Elantra Limited ('07 only) and the Elantra Blue, which was an entry-level model offered for 2010 only.

Fourth-generation Elantras came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine good for 138 hp and 136 lb-ft of torque. The transmission was either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Cars sold in California-emissions states could have cleaner tailpipe emissions (PZEV) but were rated for 132 hp.

Changes were minimal for this car. For 2009, the Elantra received enhanced suspension and steering tuning, along with new interior instrument and radio displays. A USB/iPod audio jack also became available. But in general, we were very impressed by this car and praised its roomy and comfortable interior, agreeable ride quality and value for the dollar.

The third-generation Elantra was produced from model years 2001-'06 and represented a considerable step up from the earlier cars. The sedan was bigger inside and out, and revised sheet metal gave it a more upscale look. Reliability and overall quality were also much improved. The standard features list was generous for the car's price, and included amenities like air-conditioning, full power accessories, side airbags, 15-inch wheels and an AM/FM cassette player. The 2.0-liter engine generated 135 hp (138 after 2003) and was mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic.

An Elantra hatchback, the Elantra GT, was also offered starting in 2002 and came with additional standard features, including leather seats and a CD player. Initially, the sedan was available only in base GLS trim, but by 2003, Elantra sedans could be purchased in two trims -- GLS and the top-of-the-line GT. Although it still lacked the refinement of segment leaders like the Honda Civic, the third-generation Hyundai Elantra shone as a solid choice for buyers seeking maximum value for their money.

One would probably do best by avoiding the second-generation Elantra – built from model years 1996-2000 -- though it did at least take a turn for the better from the forgettable original. The car got a welcome boost in power with the addition of a new engine, a 1.8-liter four-cylinder capable of 130 hp and 122 lb-ft of torque. Airbags were added to the safety features list, and a wagon body style was also offered. The Elantra's engine was upgraded yet again in model year 1999, to a larger 2.0-liter. Overall, the second-gen Elantra represented a decent buy in the economy car segment. It wasn't as polished as the offerings from Honda, Nissan or Toyota, but it was well-equipped and fun to drive.

The first-generation Elantra was produced from model years 1992-'95; during this period, Hyundai's hauler was available as a sedan only. Sadly, the car's build quality and reliability reflected its bargain-basement price. Elantras from this era were notorious for being sloppy in most of the areas that matter. They were none too quick either, as all models were motivated by a 1.6-liter inline-4 good for 113 hp and 102 lb-ft of torque.

User Reviews:

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  Car great, Han Kook tires not so great. - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By jeff1235 - November 13 - 1:06 pm

  I had a 2007 for 5 yrs until I got my 2013. Other than 3 radios put in, and at year 5 I did have some minor problems such as a back door handle broke internally and problems rolling up a back window. However the real problem was with the Han Kook tires. 3 of my 4 original tires got flats, one literally from what could only be called a large splinter. After 2.5 years I ended up replacing all 4 tires. Fast fwd to 2013. My nitro filled tires. I had my car 6 months. I notice the tire light go on. Sure enough I had a leak. I took it in for an oil change, looked at and told me I needed a new tire! The leak was too high to patch. All they had in stock Han Kooks. Han Suck! Loud on highway, tires?

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  Nice Car But! - 2012 Hyundai Elantra
  By tedtlaw - November 10 - 2:04 pm

  Suspension engineering and steering awful. Owned this car for 2 years and had to replace both rear shocks in addition the dealer could never get the steering working properly. I believe it to be an engineering flaw. The front suspension started thumping and in general this car got to be one of the worst cars we have owned.

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  Dont believe the gas mileage hype - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By rws0292 - October 29 - 8:52 am

  Recently purchased a 2013 Elantra Limited under the premise that I would be getting a fuel efficient vehicle for a decent price. I traded a 2012 Camaro to make this deal as I travel 65 miles a day to work and back in hybrid traffic. I drive pretty conservatively and live in Florida which is predominately flat. With the first 1,000 miles down, I am getting 25.4 MPG which is a far cry from the 28C-38H-32Hybrid they are so fond of telling you about. My Camaro was getting 20.6 hybrid, so I gained far less car with no real savings. The Elantra is a great car for what it is, but if you are seeking this vehicle solely for gas mileage, dont make the mistake. You wont see the stated mileage.

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  Been driven hard in 1 year - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By donjo13 - October 15 - 11:05 pm

  I bought my 2013 in Sept 2012. I am a courier and drive 250 miles a day. At this point in time I have 62000 miles on it here in NC. So far it has been a very reliable car and I have only had to replace one tire. The main complaint I have about it is the engine is very noisy. I have had it to the Hyundai dealer twice and they say its normal operation. I know its not because it didnt sound this bad when I bought it. When the car starts up for the 1st time each day it knocks like it has no oil for the 1st 3 miles or so. I have changed the oil regularly and use synthetic. I even left it overnight at the dealer so they could start it in the morning and here what I am saying.

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  Some Issues - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By ocd4deals - October 5 - 9:53 am

  I bought my Elantra brand new. Since owning it we have replaced each headlight at least twice and each foglight twice. We had to replace the first headlight on day 2 of owning the car. We had the dealer replace it whie it was under warranty but after 36k miles we were on our own. This was the most frustrating until we had issues with the brakes locking up the rear driver side tire. Upon doing a brake job we found that the brake bracket wasnt up to factory specs so when installing brake pads. the pads had to be filed down. With the seizing of the tire we have had to replace the hub assemly, bracket, and caliper. But other than these 2 issues the car has run great and we are at 78k.

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  2013 Hyundai acceleration malfunction - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By torry4 - September 28 - 10:09 pm

  2013 Hyundai Elantra unsafe to drive, accelertion malfunction. I have purchased a brand new 2013 Hyundai Elantra which has accelerated unexpectedly 2 times and the last time, the car was not able to be stopped before it crashed into a concrete wall. We have had the car checked by Hyundai through their 6 week process and they have come back to us with a letter stating nothing was wrong. When we asked for a copy of the testing they said they were proprietary and they could not give me a copy. Where do you go from here?

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  So Sorry I Bought One - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By citrushtsgirl - September 28 - 11:30 am

  I needed a good gas mileage low cost car to get to for work as my top priority. I got a little over what I wanted in payments, not bad but here is the worst part. It gets 19mpg on my commute and 17 if I am late and racing the car. Going back to the dealer they just point out on the sticker (I kept) that even though it says 30-40, in very small print by that it says 13-99mpg. Best vehicle rates 112 mpgs. Depends on how you drive. I just go to work and back! The cars do not come with spares & during my deal I was told they dont make them. So no offer was ever made to get me one. The next day I called back and they said they would sell me one.

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  blows smoke - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By seprfi - September 23 - 11:36 am

  i have seen multiple comments online about the elantra blowing smoke. i have had the same problem,almost causing an accident on the freeway at 65 mph. people were swerving behind us. the dealership said we were blowing the carbon out, but we were doing 65 mph for quite a long time before i had to go into passing gear to change lanes to get off the freeway. Who do we escalate our complaint too ?

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  Too Loud and Although Mostly City MPG Averages 28/30 - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By alabamaautoguy - September 21 - 8:55 pm

  Hi! Youre probably getting ready to upgrade or make that big purchase for the first time. As a new Hyundai owner I dont recommend the Elantra or any Hyundai because of the noise (you can hear the engine when you hit the gas), it doesnt get that great of gas mileage (always look at the bottom city number and think that most of the time), the way it wears (Im worried how it will feel in a couple years), the weird policy of Hyundai to replace things rather than make them good in the beginning, no spare tire, etc.

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  Love it - 2012 Hyundai Elantra
  By cf4e - August 30 - 8:01 am

  I have owned my 2012 Elantra for about a year and a half. I have just short of 18,000 miles on it. I bought this car mainly for its looks and gas mileage. It doesnt disappoint in either category. I have averaged 32.5 mpg between city and hwy driving, but im also an enthusiastic driver. I have found the econo mode makes about a 2 mpg difference when its turned off. I have achieved 40 mpg on the highway with econo mode on.The car is a bit for fun to drive with it turned off. Only 1 minor problem. On long trips of 1000 miles or more, I will stop at a rest stop in the middle of the trip and when I get back in the cruise will stop working for 20-30 miles - then start working again.