Overview & Reviews

Most American compact car consumers prefer the more formal look of a sedan body style, but there are those who appreciate the much greater cargo capacity and sporty personality of a small hatchback. For them, the Hyundai Elantra GT is an excellent and affordable choice.

Today's Hyundai Elantra GT is based on the latest Elantra sedan and shares the same basic mechanical underpinnings. But the GT offers a unique body style and cabin design plus a firmer, sport-tuned suspension and driver-adjustable steering calibrations.

Current Hyundai Elantra GT Specs
Introduced for 2013, the Hyundai Elantra GT four-door hatchback comes in a single well-equipped trim level. Standard feature highlights include 16-inch alloy wheels, full power accessories, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, heated front seats, Hyundai's BlueLink telematics, Bluetooth and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio and a USB/iPod interface. Optional feature highlights include a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, keyless ignition/entry, a navigation system and a rearview camera.

The GT comes with the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine seen in the other Elantras and it makes 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. There's also a PZEV-rated lower-emissions version that makes 145 hp and 130 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission are standard, while a six-speed automatic is an option.

As with its sedan sibling, the Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback offers a stylish cabin with logical controls and an impressive amount of room for four adults. Of course, cargo capacity is where the GT's interior shines brightest, and with the rear seats folded down there are an impressive 51 cubic feet of space available.

In reviews, we've been impressed by the Elantra GT's solid feel on the road. Acceleration is similar to the other Elantras, which is to say adequate but with a somewhat reluctant-to-downshift automatic gearbox that's geared toward maximizing fuel economy. Handling, however, is a bit sharper in the GT thanks to its firmer suspension tuning, and drivers can adjust the level of assist for the electric power steering. The GT's ride is commendable, more like that of a midsize touring car, as it is supple and quiet over both pockmarked city streets and high-speed interstates.

Used Hyundai Elantra GT Models
Although this Elantra GT is a new car in Hyundai's lineup, it is not the first time Hyundai has offered a four-door hatchback version of its Elantra. Most recently, Hyundai sold the Elantra Touring from 2009-'12. Thanks to its more wagonlike shape, the Touring had even more cargo space than the current model.

Prior to this there was a similarly named Elantra GT based on the third-generation Elantra. It was sold from 2001-'06.

User Reviews:

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  Excellent Interior and Value with some regrets - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By depiction - December 23 - 2:36 pm

  I came from a 2005 Mazda3 and was looking to buy a new hatchback for the versatility. I test drove the Impreza, Mazda3, and the Elantra GT. Thankfully I havent noticed the MPG problems other owners have mentioned. In mixed driving Im able to get 30-31 MPG with Active Eco mode off. After a couple tests, Ive found Active Eco mode useless. Its a great value with an excellent interior. Unfortunately its suspension is very harsh and its a bit noisy (both engine and wind noise). I feel every little bump on the road. even after upgrading to excellent Michelin tires. At 65 MPH, interior noise is about 75 db, as measured by an app on my iPhone. A 2010 Mazda3 measures about 70 db.

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  2013 Elantra GT is smooth and sporty - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By dhfromcali - August 29 - 6:00 am

  After much research and test drives, I finally decided on the Elantra GT with the Style package. I test drove and compared the following: VW Golf, Golf TDI, Jetta TDI, Mazda 3, Ford Focus, Nissan Altima, Kia Optima. By far, the Elantra GT was the quietest ride out of all, nicest cabin, and best overall value. It was fun to drive (only slightly less fun than the Mazda which had great steering) but was smoother on freeway than Mazda. Its a lot roomier in front and back seat than all of those listed, and has better warranty. It was close between the Mazda and Hyundai but the Mazda didnt make good use of dash setup and Im only 55" and hit my head getting in/out of the car.

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  Over all great car! - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By bkohs - February 23 - 1:19 am

  Ive been driving my GT for about 5 months now and have just under 3000mi on it. There have been zero mecanical issues as expected for such a new car. My wife was very suprised by me getting this car because Ive been into either sprots cars, or SUVs for a while. I eneded up test driving the GT just to pass some time while my wifes car was in for service. Thats all it took for me was one test drive. I came back later that day to trade in my Jeep. I opted for a 6spd manual with the touch and go package which added 17" wheel, keyless entry, push button start, and sport pedals. It also had the homelink mirror which has a nice auto dim feature.

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  Better than Ford Focus - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By justaguy6 - October 7 - 4:55 pm

  Owning a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium hatchback for 5 months, I was in the shop 4 times for transmission issues and once for the nav/audio screen shutting off. All in all, it was a mess. I have purchased a silver elantra gt with tech and style package, manual transmission. Owning it for about a week, I am averaging 37 mpg (not sure where everyone else is driving). Prior to Ford, I was a BMW owner (2003) - fed up with costs to own. Although this is no BMW, this car is a lot of fun. Feel solid and handles pretty well for a car in this segment.

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  love it except ... - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By sharoniowa - November 8 - 6:56 am

  This car handles well in the snow and ice with impressive lower gears available in the automatic. Its comfortable and attractive.

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  2013 Hyundai GT hatch Auto - 1 month review - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By mergatroid - July 27 - 11:31 pm

  Came from a 2010 Mazda 3. Love this car so far. I am 6 1" tall and have great leg room in front. Back seat is also very spacious. I have the base model but it is very well equipped. So far averaging about 32MPG in about 80% hwy, 20% city driving. On one 60 minute freeway stretch at 65mph I averaged 36mpg. Pleased so far and I am hoping it will improve as time goes on. Keep it in ECO mode all the time. Very quiet car, average acceleration but plenty of power in manual mode. Sport mode in steering my favorite and handles very well, but not quite as good as my Mazda 3. Fantastic dash set up - Bluetooth works great, AC strong, above average stereo - nice bass. Competitors have their work to do.

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  Pleasantly surprised - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By bigal11 - November 23 - 3:42 am

  This brand has come a long way. Great commuter. Not as refined in suspension as my 12 Jetta TDI but very good. MPG on 2 tanks: 38 and 41, better than the Jetta diesel. Easy 6sp to train newbies. Interior, Bluetooth, infotainment jacks, also surprises me. Nice to know my kid wont be tempted into texting at the wheel. I bought it for my daughter to finish High school and go to University. 100K waranty makes me feel much better about that. I simply cant think of a better choice for my purpose.

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  Just the car I wanted - 2015 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By thedamned475 - July 17 - 8:31 am

  I knew I wanted to buy a 5-door hatchback that could haul large field sampling gear while at the same time being quick, small, nimble and fuel-efficient. This car does all of that. Its agile, comfortable, and all-around smartly designed. I test-drove 16 different models before I settled on this car, and this was hands-down my favorite right from the get-go. I had no brand loyalty to Hyundai whatsoever, but now I think I might. Plus, I still kind of cant believe the price I paid for this car. They were giving a $3,000 rebate on the car, so I paid $2000 less for the car I liked the most than I would have paid for any other competing model. How cool is that?

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  Its a Love-Hate Relationship - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By nanne8 - May 23 - 8:41 am

  Ive had this car for about six months and have some regrets about buying it. It looks great - both the interior and exterior designs are excellent. And the technology its equipped with (I have the tech/style pkg) beats any other car in its segment. However, there are some major deficiencies: (1) the gas mileage is nowhere near what Hyundai claims. The most Ive ever gotten is 30mpg highway and 27 combined. Thats driving conservatively in eco mode the entire time; (2) the ride is VERY harsh - you feel every (I mean EVERY) bump in the road and forget about going over rough pavement, bumps, or potholes. I feel like Im riding in a school bus. (3) the acceleration/power stinks...badly.

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  The GT is a great little car - 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By brundagefamily@comcast.net - March 15 - 4:22 pm

  Currently our family leases four Hyundais (Sonata Turbo, 2 Elantras and an Elantra GT) with the GT being the newest edition to the stable. We were a bit concerned that the GT would be too small (especially in the cargo area) but have been pleasantly surprised at the cars versatility. With slightly more horsepower than the standard Elantras, the GT is quite peppy around town and on the highway. The driver visibility is great and everyone in the family has enjoyed their turn putting the car through its paces. The fuel economy, as expected, is slightly less than a standard Elantra. Other than that we would certainly give the vehicle high marks for the first month that we have had it.