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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  THIS CAR IS SUCH A FUN DRIVE! - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By zealart - December 3 - 9:15 pm

  I love driving this car. Ive been using it for my commute to work, and I average a combined 34-39 mph, well above the 33 theyve rated. In Los Angeles no less! For all the people complaining about low mileage, if you drive in stop-and-go in the city a lot, your mileage will suffer. You have to actually reset your MPG on the highway to get the magic 40. As long as you dont have a lead foot, youll easily hit the 30s and higher. I get 43 mpg exclusively on the highway, doing about 80-85% hwy driving. If you can drive 40-55, youll probably get even better. I actually ENJOY driving to work because I love driving this car!

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  Great little car - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By magpie318 - November 20 - 2:23 pm

  I bought my car about a year ago with 114,000 miles on it. It drove like new. I never had a problem with it. While driving on the highway a deer jumped right out in front of me. I ended up hitting it. At 55 mph the car took the brunt of the impact. It felt as though I had hit a speed bump instead of a 6 point deer. When I got out of the car, and was able to see the damage done to it, I was amazed that no one was hurt. My beautiful car was totaled, but my family and I walked away without a scratch. I am now loyal Hyundai consumer.

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  Just Great - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By newhyundailuvr - October 4 - 11:38 am

  I do not understand any of these complaints. The engine might not be out of a Viper, but it has no issue getting up to speed or passing a slower car. I have a heavy foot and I still stay around 35mpg. I do notice a bit more road noise then I expected but I think that may be the tires. $20,000 buck and I get and auto, bluetooth, heated seats, sat radio good ride, peppy engine, and it is a good looking car. It is family time here and we bought a Tuscon. We like the car and the dealership so much (which i have never said before) we went back and purchased the Elantra. Just a great car and a great value. And did I mention at the touch of a button music streams from my phone?

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  Best car under 20k - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By ascullin - September 30 - 7:20 pm

  Just purchased a 2013 Elantra Automatic, with the Preferred Package and Auto Dimming Mirror. I highly recommend both options. I do mostly mixed driving and my mpg is averaging in the low 30s with the eco button on.

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  Love my Elantra!! - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By johnb62 - September 30 - 7:15 am

  Have owned my 2013 Elantra GLS for three months (6000 miles) and it has performed beyond my expectations. I commute 65 mile roundtrip daily to work 70/30 highway to city driving and am avering approx. 36-37 mpg. A recent trip I exceeded 40 MPG.

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  Great car - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By catbarone - September 29 - 6:18 pm

  We have had our 2011 Elantra for about 1.5 years. We have about 28K on the car and have had no problems whatsoever. I regularly get 35 mpg in mixed driving and get 40 mpg in highway only driving. We got the navigation and it works very well. Its a fun little car that is great for commuting!

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  Car is a great friend! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By hayleypow - September 27 - 4:51 pm

  Ok, so I got this car when I was 17 and never had a problem with it! Ive driven from California to Washington and back several times and seriously it drives great and is very reliable. I know have 136K miles on it and did replace my clutch about 6 months ago. It will probably need a few normal upkeep type repairs soon. But I hope to keep driving it. It still looks like a new car to me and I am so glad I got this car way back when!

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  Mileage and Feature as Advertized - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By reedy06 - September 17 - 3:33 pm

  My wife and I were looking for a commuter car that had navigation, leather and a sunroof. We considered and test drove the Mazda 3, Escort, Civic, Cruze, and the Elantra Limited. We evaluated features, price, comfort, power, styling, warranty, gas mileage and build quality. When using our criteria, the Elantra was the clear winner. We have 1,500 miles on the car and are averaging 33 mpg in mixed driving. You will get 40+ on the highway. As previous reviews said, the road noise can be loud at times however, on a smooth road, it is of normal volume. All in all, you will not be disappointed with this purchase. Hyundai has come a long way in a short period of time.

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  What the Elantra is really Like (very good overall) - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By basst95 - September 8 - 9:11 am

  Overall, this is a very good car. Your view of this car will vary depending on what type of vehicle you are coming out of. You need to take a good test drive of the Elantra before making a final decision. The materials in the car are on level with an economy car but the styling overshadows some of the hard plastics. The fit and finish are on par with cars at least a class up. There is no other car that packs the value of the Elantra. As a package daily driver, you cannot go wrong with the Elantra GLS w/preferred pkg.

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  Like my Elantra - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By edmund2001 - August 19 - 9:05 pm

  I bought a 2013 GLS with the preferred package two months ago. Now have 2000 miles on it. I look forward to driving this car. Its peppy, fun handling and the brake action is good. Also like using the manual shift gate at times to hold a gear a little longer. Can cruise 75 mph at 2500 rpm no problem. Car is relatively quiet except the tires sound course over certain road surfaces. Getting 29 to 30 MPG overall. Was hoping for the 33 advertised number. It will get over 40 at steady highway speed of 65.