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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Hyundai still makes bad cars - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
By tigertina - December 18 - 2:45 pmThe steering column started squeaking at 160,000kms. Never had that problem ever before with any other car. This problem is not covered in the warranty, and have learned other drivers have faced this problem. The car is too light and need to put in bricks to stabilize it on the road else it drifts. Didnt matter how many times it was checked over, its like the centre of gravity is off on this car. The car has too many blind spots. This car has had more problems with it then my 1997 fort escort with 345,000kms on it.
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Do not buy this car - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By jflo - January 19 - 2:00 amI had the care for about 5 months. I put 8000 hazardous miles on it. Rattles, squeeks, terrible acceleration...just a sucky car! Finally the throttle wore out last month leaving me stranded on the side of the road! Roadside assist took 3 hours to arrive! I couldnt believe it! In only 5 months this car had gone from brand new best buy to a clunker! So I got rid of the hunk o junk! Hyundai was not surprised at all of my complaints, and said that many people have the same difficulty
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Cheap car/ Poor quality/Bad Service - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
By KrisMJ - December 21 - 2:00 amMy current milage is only 10,000, but when I stopped by Hyundai repair center to fix my brake sound and steering wheel vibrating, they chrged me about $600, which is out of warranty. Its very funny. Ill never buy Hyundai any more and dont recommend anybody. Please dont buy Hyundai.
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Will never buy another Hyundai! - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
By Caleb - February 24 - 12:10 pmI have had nothing but problems with my vehicle from the start!!! Ive had my car stall out in numerous places. Have had an oxygen sensor replaced, two (2) wiring harnesses caught fire! Ive gone through 18 halogen head lamps, my car viciously started shaking at ~ 30K miles, and the dealers didnt want to do anything about it. Also, the Hyundai corporate office will not be of any assistance to you. There "consumer affairs" department is a waste of money!
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Hundai elentra 2010 - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
By Bi - January 22 - 8:36 amCar is piece of c...
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Buyer Beware - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
By jon grant - January 20 - 3:38 pmi owned a 2005 elantra and it caught fire after 4 months 4000 miles. it was determined by the columbus fire department to be a defect in the car and then later determined by nationwides fire specialist to also be a manufactures defect. the dealership and hyundai in fountain valley california have done nothing to resolve the loss of my vehicle. hyundai motor finance company through which i financed is still making me pay for a car that obviously is unreliable and a lemon. buyer beware and check out NHSTA.com.
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Bad paint - 2016 Hyundai Elantra
By Michael - July 18 - 11:52 pmThe paint started peeling, dealer tried three times to fix and did a real crappy job. Tried to contact Hyundai and they wont even respond. Bought the car for the warrant, but Hyundai wont back the warranty, will never buy a Hyundai again. No support.
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JUNK - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
By cafelady - April 29 - 7:52 amLook at something else before you buy this lemon bought new and from the get go,brakes were awful.Countless times to the dealer for brakes and 2 summers in a row for the air. I finally got tired of the vibrating steering wheel on the hwy,after many times at my mechanics shop for new brakes and balancing. Bought a Toyota,trade in was awful.I stood firm and got the mimimum on what Edmunds says here. I will NEVER buy another one.
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Engine change after 1200+ miles...STAY AWAY!!! - 2017 Hyundai Elantra
By Richard - March 24 - 10:57 pmI purchased this car with the understanding that Hyundai has improved quality and how I was wrong. At around 1200 miles, my car started running rough and the oil pressure light came on. Long story short, it was determined my car needed an engine replacement. STAY AWAY!!
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This car is junk! - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
By ssx_girl - January 24 - 3:17 pmWe bought this car BRAND NEW with 8 miles on it. I liked the look of the outside, and my brother had bought a 99 Accent & had no problems with it. This car has been NOTHING but one problem after another. We have had the speedometer break once a year, and it has been totally replaced once. It broke again yesterday, and we have to have it fixed again this week. The transmission was replaced before the car was 4 years old, and now that it is almost 5 years old it is going in again for problems! I WOULD and WILL *never* purchase another Hyundai as long as I live. Im lucky I paid an extra $1500 for the extended warranty beyond their 100,000 mile deal they have. It has saved our pocket books!
