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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  Love my car! - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
  By dkt - March 12 - 10:02 pm

  I love this car! It is cute and sporty and the performance is great. It has comparable power to other cars in its class and is much more affordable. There are a few quirks about the car, but the dealership where my maintenance is done has been really great. Ive replaced the battery twice since I purchased the car in Feb 06 (July07 & Jan 08) . The dealership said "these things happen".I guess time will tell. The windshield washer fluid does not work when the temperature is below 32 degrees which can be very inconvenient. Also, I live in the mountains on a dirt road. I have to turn the TCS off to navigate some of the hills near my house. Otherwise, this is a great little reliable car.

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  Awesome Car - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By shall14 - March 12 - 3:00 pm

  Bought my GT used in Oct 2005. The car has ample power off the line and for passing on the highway. The ride is quiet, and the Sport Tuned Suspension improves handling over the GLS. The interior has held up very well in the time I have had it. Plenty of room in the back, I actually fit four girls back there during a night on the town. Hyundai really dropped the ball eliminating the GT sedan in 2006. The current SE model offers a lot of the same features, but it does not handle as well as the GT and the electric steering does not give the same feedback.

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  Review of my 2005 Hyundai Elantra - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By John Cray - March 11 - 5:26 pm

  I tried several of the most popular comparable models on the market; Honda Civic/ Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Chevrolet, etc. None performed better or had better apparent overall quality. But all the rest were moderately to significantly higher in price. In my mine the extra cash paid only for the "label" of the car and nothing else. None had the warranty of the Hyundai. Save your money and buy a rather excellent quality vehicle at a fair piece less than comparable brands.

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  head and shoulders above my 2015 Lancer - 2017 Hyundai Elantra
  By Tattoo Vampire - March 7 - 7:11 pm

  I absolutely love this car. Ive had two Elantras and a Sonata in the past but nothing more recent than 2011. This vehicle outclasses them all, as well as the Lancer I bought in 2015 for about the same price as I paid for this great car.

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  I like/dont like - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By JOESMOM - March 7 - 3:30 am

  I like this little car because it it a big change from my 77 Chevy Blazer gas mileage wise. I like it because its reliable, small, cute, quiet. I dont like finding out I paid too much, $18,000.00 plus tax after the 2000.00 rebate. When I see the same car for 14,000.00 I dont care for the durability of the seat material, stains easily. The highest gas mileage ive gotten is 27.1 mpg on the freeway at 60 mph. Mine is the Gray colored one, the paint scratches easily, my thumb nail has worn a scrape in the hollow spot of the outer door handle. I will probably trade this in for a Toyota within the next year.

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  Great Car - Better than an Acura - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By jmmcconnell1962 - March 3 - 1:42 pm

  I have had no problems with this $15,000 car in my 3+ years of ownership which is more than I can say for my $40,000 Acura MDX. Other than the Passenger Airbag Sensor recall, this car has not been in for repairs other than the regular scheduled. The MDX has had several recalls for major items - power steering pump, transmission. Also had a cracked fuel tank pipe. Its really too bad that Hyundai is still getting penalized for being Korean and Acura/Honda gets high praise for being Japanese. Ill buy another Hyundai before a Honda/Acura product.

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  great car! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jonah - March 2 - 2:00 am

  We just got our Elantra GT hatchback recently, and so far its been great!! Its fun to drive--peppy, responsive, and tight. It feels very sturdy, looks sweet, and has an extremely smooth and quiet ride. Going uphill with the automatic: it has a little lag before switching gears (common, I believe, in many automatics). We took it on a 600 mile road-trip two days after getting it, and it glided along the highway like a dream. Very comfortable in the back as well as the front. Were hoping the car stands the test of time but got the 10/100K extended warranty, just in case!

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  Bad Investment - 1999 Hyundai Elantra
  By brian rawson - February 27 - 9:43 am

  I bought this car used and had nothing but problems with it from the start. It had 62K on it, and about every 3 months something would be going wrong with it. From hub bearings, to cv joints, cheap brakes & electrical problems, this car was a hassle to own. I did all the standard maintenence, fluid/filter changes, belts etc. It still ran terrible. Then at 90k the transmission started to give out, and I finally traded it in with 115k on it. Very sad that a car I kept so well maintained couldnt even make it to 100k before breaking down. Theres a reason they sell you the 100k warranty, with cheap cars like this you will definitely need it. What do you expect for under $10,000?

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  great car for the money - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By bullet99 - February 25 - 2:00 am

  i just bought my 2003 elantra a couple of weeks ago. it has been a nice suprise. i love the power accessories especially the moonroof. i do alot of driving and it is so much fun to drive.

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  Engine Issues - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By prof - February 24 - 1:20 am

  The Elantra is a nice car with a great interior and decent performance. I was surprised to find out the engine uses a timing belt whereas the competition from Toyota, Honda, Mazda, gm, ford, chrysler have graduated to timing chains that never require replacement. Worse than that, the engine is a "interference design", meaning that if the timing belt ever breaks, the valves will crash into the pistons and destroy the engine. Interference designed engines were phased out by most manufacturers in the 1990s. A broken belt leading to engine destruction is a gamble that we dont have to take in 2008.