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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  A fine compact highway cruiser - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By rdco - December 1 - 6:43 am

  The Elantra SE an excellent compact, reasonably roomy, smooth and quiet on the road. And it handles better than one first expects on windy roads. Among its peer group, it is more refined and understated than the others, and more comfortable. And, one can buy a fully "loaded model" for about the same price as very lean models from Japan. The satellite radio sounds very nice and is easy to use. On long trips, its very comfortable, which is unusual among cars in this class. We obtained much better gas mileage (40 ish) on the highway at 65-72 mph than EPA or CR reports, admittedly with a light foot. Its only weaknesses so far are its somewhat numb steering and a rather slow take off.

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  Todds Elantra - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
  By Nakedkub - December 1 - 5:05 am

  Im very Happy with this car. It has been very fun to drive, is great on gas, has plenty of power and performance. Overall is very comfortable. I have really enjoyed owning it. The only downside is tire wear. But if you keep them rotated frequently it seems to lessen the problem. I have had several friends who have either riden in or driven the car and everyone was impressed. Hyundai has come a long way.

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  No problems at all - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By jd50i - December 1 - 4:44 am

  I bought the car new in 2003. 40,000 miles and no problems at all. Do all of the preventive maintenance, keep the car clean, including the undercarriage and under the hood, and you will have a reliable car.

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  elantra keeps getting better - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By H. L. [Jim] Freeman - November 30 - 11:20 pm

  This is my sixth consecutive Elantra because it is fun to drive and gets excellent fuel economy, while still having reasonable cargo space. In addition, I can count on its reliabiltiy. On roads where speed limits are irrelevant, I can cruise at 100 mph and the mileage only drops slightly.

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  Buy this car! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By Popol - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I was looking for a 4-door sedan. Tried the Sentra, Civic = didnt like. This board recommended the Elantra. After staunching the typical knee-jerk anti-Hyundai reaction I did a test drive. Then I bought it. So far, I cannot look back! Im very satisfied.

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  Hasnt let me down so far - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By chris1003 - November 26 - 10:00 am

  i was most leary about purchasing, but the price was right, the sales staff worked with me on my terms, and i got more bang for the bucks

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  great little car - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By janice - November 26 - 9:06 am

  I fell in love with it immediately. I live in a hilly area and gas mileage is 28 mpg combined. Elantra has plenty of power for highway driving. It also handles well in snow. It has 52K miles on it and has never needed a repair. This car is an excellent buy for the money!

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  Im Impressed - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By paposdad - November 15 - 2:00 am

  I wanted another hatchback. To my surprise there are few true hatchbacks to choose from on the market. I read reviews on the Hyundai GT hatchback, and they were all positive. Then Hyundai did something that really got my attention; the $1500 cash incentive. The GT hatchback is already well equiped. All I wanted was a pewter color, auto trans and mud guards. Using Edmunds.com I formulated a price to offer the dealer if I liked the test drive. I took the test drive and the car sold itself. I am very satisfied with the car and with the service from the dealer. This car gives you the most bang for your buck and the warranty is icing on the cake.

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  very nice car for great price - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By joe from pa - November 14 - 9:18 pm

  I found this car to be highly attractive with a well designed interior. My color is black. I have been stopped in supermarket lots by people who cant believe how good the car looks. Great style lines! So many great standard features - full of airbags, great entry stereo, easy to use controls that light up with a dynamic blue glow at night. Fun to drive. Dealer gave a great price - I did the research. Personally, I like the style better than the Sonata!! Remember, I did not expect a BMW quality line for this price. What I got was a very good car with superb value that looks expensive! Im real good with that!

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  Treadlightly - 2012 Hyundai Elantra
  By Treadlightly - November 14 - 12:04 pm

  The 2012 Elantra will eat up your rear tires. I purchased the car new, and by 20,000 miles the original rear tires were worn out. I thought it was a tire problem, but have come to discover it is a car problem. Replaced the original tires with new Coopers and 23 months and 16,000 miles later and the back tires have ended their life. Front tires look like new. Just spend an hour talking with HYundai customer service who were "shocked" at this discovery. What a bunch of baloney. Of course they tell me it is the fault of the tire. I purchased the tires at Farm and Fleet and they agree it is a car design problem and not a tire defect. Something about no adjustment on the real wheels which are set to a fixed -1.50 camber. Thus the inside of the tires will wear out quicker than it takes Hyundai "goodwill" services to manufacture an excuse. My advise, tread lightly when purchasing a Hyundai.