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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  Reliable, but some maintenance woes - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By drew_c - April 12 - 5:42 am

  Just paid off the car. Let me start by saying that the car runs like a dream, is exceptionally roomy for a compact, and maintains speed very well (a must when I drove it across country when I moved from the west to the east). Bought new for the warranty, but everything that went wrong was maintenance parts. Dont get me wrong, It is a fabulous car. You just need to know that you have to replace the headlights every year and tires every 1-2.

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  Good for a first car... - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By westerized - April 7 - 7:16 pm

  I got this car in 2006 and it had 54000 miles on it. The first problem I ran into was at about 62000 miles when an engine seal blew, which was probably because i was doing burnouts using the e-brake. Then at 73000 miles i had to replace the brake pads, which is apparently a common problem with the elantras from what Ive been reading. It is important to note that I coast a lot instead of slamming on the brakes so 20000 miles without new brakes was probably due to my driving style. At 74000 miles the head gasket blew and caused the oil to leak into my radiator and now my engine is toasted. The entire time i drove the car it always drifted to the right, even after i got the axle changed @ 7000

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  BangForBuck - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By Solid - April 7 - 11:40 am

  I got limited and I enjoy this little car. I got heated black leather seats and fog lights. Live in NYC so I get about 23 mpgs but thats 95% city driving. The interior attracted me to this car very underrated.

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  I liked it - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By Brenda - April 6 - 12:54 pm

  I had this car for about a year. I bought it with electrical problems and had it fixed at a repair shop instead of the dealer. That saved me about $400. I had to do regular maintenance after that and averaged about 34 mpg. The reason I do not have it now is because I was involved in an accident. The car rolled 3 times and my son and I were virtually unharmed. This car gets my vote!

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  Elantra - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By CASEY - April 6 - 11:42 am

  Handles better than our Honda Civic, very quiet for that price range. Have had zero problems so far.

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  great car for anyone!!!! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By billyw715 - April 3 - 10:00 am

  Very nice, smooth, responsive ride. Great suspension. Great punch for a 4 cyl. Looks sharp, inside and out.

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  SATISFY - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By DON - April 3 - 10:00 am

  WHEN I STARTED LOOKING FOR A CAR. THE ELANTRA WAS IT. IT HAS EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A CAR. PRICE,SAFTEY,RIDE AND THE STYLE.

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  A Car You Grow to Love - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By Guyton - April 3 - 6:13 am

  I was not all that excited to be trading in my two seater sports car for the Elantra. However, I was growing out of the racer boy image and I needed something practical and good on gas. Now, I cant figure out why I had been driving anything else. This car is great. It excels at the things a "daily driver" should excel at and it still surprises me with thoughtful features designed into the vehicle that I had not known about. Can you believe it can tow over 3000lbs! I just found that out today and my jaw dropped. Awesome car.

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  Unsafe - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By larryd - March 29 - 9:03 pm

  My 2001 Elantra required repairs that should not have been required in a vehicle this Young. Several items are severe safety hazards and Hyundai refused to acknowledge that it was a problem. Serious issues included a rusted out lower control arm which sent the vehicle to the other side of the road as the front wheel went slamming back into the wheel well. Also a melted door harness which Hyundai had a tsb stating it was improperly sealed. In spite of that fact, Hyundai refused to fix mine because the mileage exceeded 100k. Other uncommon repairs were required and are too numerous to list

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  Not Bad - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By Bank - March 29 - 10:00 am

  It has pretty good power for what it is. It is just as quick as my wifes ION2 5-speed.In fact it felt quicker than most of the cars I drove in the same class. I drove the Mazda Protega-5 (DOG), Nissan Sentra 1.8, Vibe, Corolla, and Matrix. It felt as fast, if not faster, than all of those cars. I hope the car holds up. That is the risk with Hundai, but I have heard they are getting better and better. Had a little problem with the dealer but they ended up doing the right thing.