Overview & Reviews

Last year's top-of-the-line Limited trim level has been dropped, but much of its equipment can still be had via an optional package for the midgrade Elantra SE trim. Stability control and brake assist have also been added as standard equipment to the SE.

• Smooth and secure ride, attractive cabin design, roomy interior with adult-friendly backseat, solid construction, responsive handling, low price, long warranty.

• Unrefined engine is noisy at mid-to-high rpm, likable interior is otherwise let down by a few low-grade interior plastics.

User Reviews:

Showing 31 through 40 of 195.00

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  Awesome first car - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By kristen - April 19 - 7:23 am

  I just graduated high school, and was looking at a lot of cars from Toyota to Mazda to Chevy. i finally found the Hyundai Elantra.Searching all over for the SE was crazy. if ur looking for an SE good luck finding one. The warranty is the best. The car is quiet and has a lot of room. the trunk is huge! the Elantra also gets very good gas, i have a 136 miles already and not even a half a tank.

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  A lot of bang for your buck - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By alfarocat - April 9 - 6:20 pm

  There are a lot of features that are standard here (example: ABS) that are extra on similar cars, like the Toyota Corolla. Its got great safety features--6 airbags! The interior is roomy and comfortable. The dash instrumentation is nice. Acceleration, while not great, is good enough. Its got XM radio, free for 3 months.

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  QuickSilver Luxury - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Ralph T. - April 2 - 4:53 pm

  This is my third Elantra and it is by far the best. It is loaded with features and it has been turning heads wherever I go. Thats pretty cool when you turn heads in a car that cost less than 20K. The only option I did not get was leather, but the cloth seats warm up quickly on these cool northeast mornings. Next week I am taking it on a trip and I cant wait to see how comfortable it is on the long trip.

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  Still happy - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Diane R - February 28 - 11:13 pm

  I traded in my 2003 Ford Windstar that was getting around 17 miles a gallon for this car. I still like approaching it in a parking lot and still think it is pretty cute. I got a 5 speed because I had one as a kid and was going through a mid-life thing! The gas mileage is a steady 29-31 depending where I drive. I still really like it overall. My husband keeps asking me if I still like it and it has been 8 months. I am not sure when he thinks I will say no. But I hope never!

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  I smile often with my car!... - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Rich - February 17 - 4:01 pm

  I put 25k mile on my new Elantra since I purchased it 6 months ago. The best mpg was 35 and I usually get about 33 to 34 for combine city/high and Im totally satisfied my cars mpg. The cabin is quite as 4cyl engine, the front dash design is cool and nice look, the sound system is awesome enough to listen clear and powerful sound from my favorite CDs. I never thought this is a small sedan because it provides a good room for even five adults. I went to Lake Tahoe twice with my friends and we all liked and impressed about the handling, acceleration, and the way breaking. It is worth for the money and some worry about resale value.

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  Bang for the buck! - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By jnelson - February 10 - 10:19 pm

  I have almost 18,000 miles on the car now and not one problem. Have done oil changes every 3000 miles. Rides nice, is quiet, gets 32mpg. My Smart car gets 39-44. The Elantra rides better too! Great warranty. All things considered a truly great car.

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  Best Car Purchase Yet - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Andy @ Dallas - February 3 - 5:16 pm

  We purchased our little "Hunni" in December and absolutely love this car. Its quiet on the highway (very little "4-cylinder engine noise" - if youve owned a 4-cylinder you know what I mean), hugs the road, great turning radius, etc. It is the nicest "small car" weve owned or even driven to date (were well into our 40s so have been around a few blocks!). We test drove this gem and both fell in love with it.

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  You Can Expect Top Shelf -Hyundai - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By JayAdler - January 29 - 3:10 pm

  June 12, 2008Admittedly, when I went to another county to visit Atlantic Hyundai with gas priced the way it is, I was looking for an economy car to help me beat whatever is ailing us today. A lower payment and better terms were my objective, however crass and vehicle ignorance this may appear to suggest. What I found was a most welcomed and  impressive sales organization and in the case of the vehicle I brought home; the 2008 Hyundai Elantra GLS with the power package intact, the most outstanding vehicle I have personally owned and I was born when Harry Truman was a feisty "show me" President. The Elantra feels the road, has astounding pickup and get go and more. I also saved.-Jay Adler

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  Pleasantly Satisfying Period of Ownership - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By FB - January 10 - 6:19 pm

  I bought this car in April 2008, as my everyday car for school and life. I compared it to the 2008 Honda Civic LX that my cousin had as well as a 2008 Toyota Corolla S that another friend had and for the value and amenities offered on this car, it was excellent. I remember Hyundai changing their whole line of cars in 2007 to rebuild their brand and reputation, so I knew I was diving into uncharted territory going with the Hyundai over the Honda and Toyota, but for 15K out the door (for the automatic) compared to around 18K for the Civic and around 17K for the Corolla during that time and what they had to offer, I could not resist the deal. Another friend of mine went all in with the Elantra in 2007 as well, and he had done a lot of research and ended up purchasing a manual one before me, so after seeing him with his car for a year, that also lead to my reasoning that the car would be a good buy. I finally ended up selling the car to another cousin a few weeks ago and upgraded to something else, but I still miss it, although it may just be fresh in my mind given that Im still getting used to my new car. The little things mattered to me with this car, such as having 4 wheel ABS compared to the 2 rear drum sets offered in the Honda and Toyota. Fog lights were nice to have since I had always wanted a car with fog lights. Having the overhead glasses compartment, top middle compartment, under radio compartment, 2 tier center compartment, and also the two storage spaces behind the front seats was also very nice. The only thing about the car that I didnt like was that it looked a little boring, or "rental" car-ish, but I was able to fix that after I finally upgraded to the 2011-2012 Elantra 16" alloy rims, giving it the look that the SE had. The interior is very roomy, with good visibility, and Im a big 61 guy. The front seats were very comfortable, compared to when I sat in the Civic and Corolla which were tight for me. Headroom is very good, although I do wish the drivers side had the handle to hold onto which is nice when you want to switch it up driving long distances. My passengers never complained, since the shortest person usually sat behind my seat which I had to push all the way back, but it seemed like everyone was fine most of the time. Another great feature that a lot of base model or step up from base model Japanese cars dont have is heated mirrors, which are very useful in the winter (even here in So Cal), and I took them for granted when I was looking for my new car, which I had to get a higher up model to get. Whenever I drove a lot of freeway, I would end up getting around 31-34 MPG depending on how fast I would accelerate, how much force I applied when braking, and how fast I would be going on the freeway. Combined, especially in the later years, the worse I ever got was 27 MPG, but when I drove gently I would get around 28-29 MPG. In the early years I was running on the stock 15" steel wheels and afterwards I was running on the 16" alloys, so those might have affected the fuel economy a little bit. I broke in the car very well when it was new, not pushing it during the recommended period, and had always changed oil myself with full synthetic 5W-20, usually Mobil 1, and in the end, I left the car off at 111K miles, with no issues whatsoever. I just performed the recommended maintenance at my favorite mechanic every time I hit the mileage listed in the Maintenance Book, and overall, the car had been very very reliable. Surprisingly, the trunk is also very large, compared to the same Civic and Corolla as well. I had been able to help friends move with the car, filling everything to the brim. My GLS model came with the auxiliary port, but I ended up using the MP3 CD a lot more due to consistency and quality issues. The 6 speaker system is phenomenal for a cheap car, better than the 2013 Accord LXs system that my family has. Im no audiophile but I do enjoy my music and all the ranges my songs have to offer, and that is probably what I miss most from that system. Bass was deep and did not sound cheap, but vocals and everything were very clear as well! My friend put a sub-woofer in his, but honestly it was overkill since the stock system is already phenomenal. I have not been in another base model car that has an audio system that is as good as this one. Also, the car is hard to steal (unless theres some kind of new tech that thieves have access to). My friend locked my keys in my trunk once and you cannot put the seats down from the inside of the car. AAA came, unlocked the car, but the standard immobilizer didnt allow us to start the car and the alarm kept going off, so the only way was to get the other spare key/remote I had (Hyundai only gives 2 keys). Overall, the only con is the cheap plastic door panels, but I felt all other pieces in the car were pretty good quality.

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  One quality vehicle - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By BigRed - January 3 - 3:23 pm

  I wanted an SE but Hyundai did not seem to have any. Went with the GLS and have not been disappointed. Have driven in the desperate rush hour traffic here in North Texas and was well pleased with the cars handling. On the road car did quite well, passing ok, wind noise ok, gas mileage both city and country very good. Quality of assembly, superb! Like the XM Radio.