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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Good auto for the money - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
By Reg - July 16 - 10:29 pmWas a great car to drive. Gas mileage could be better.Trunk lid did not open high enough and would always hit my head on the latch. Another weak point were the front disk brakes. Had to turn rotors 3 times in 60000 miles. Had to replace rotors and calipers. Had to replace the radio twice and needed relacing again when I sold the car at 73000 miles.
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Gary and Sandys Toy - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By Gary L. Christy - July 16 - 10:00 amWe really love this car. Very reliable and comfortable. Get one, youll love it!
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traded up from the 2004 elantra - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
By Drew - July 15 - 5:40 pmjust upgraded from the 2004 model. I find myself driving faster I assume its because the ride is smoother and quieter. The increased leg room and wheel size is nice. Its fun to drive and has a good sound system. Probably better to wait till they really start the rebates to buy this car. You cant see as much of the hood/front end on the car as in previous years.
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Big Bang for comparatively Little Bucks - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
By Raleigh - July 14 - 5:46 amThis is my 3rd new Hyundai Elantra I have purchsed(also 2000 GLS and 2003 GT). We still have the 2003 and it has not given us ANY trouble, 82000+ miles. My new 2007 GLS with the 5 speed manual is more than I expected. I got combined city/highway mpg of 29, the numbers do not lie. The car seems so much larger than my 03. It handles and rides like a dream. Other than getting some rims and the windows tinted, I can not think of anything I would do to my new car. Hyundai is on par with any Civic and smokes the Corolla. If you do not test drive a Hyundai during your car search then you are doing your self an injustice.
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Excellent car - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
By jay - July 13 - 7:27 pmMy parents owned an Elantra when i was growing up and i enjoyed the look and feel then. My wife and i were looking for an affordable, classy, fun to drive, good on gas vehicle. We didnt like the 2006 model but the 2007 model is great! Very snappy and fun to drive. I really like the elantras before and this just made me a life time customer. My wife loves how smooth stick shift is and how tight the vehicle moves. Great car at a very affordable price!
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Hyundai Elantra 2003 - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By YUNKYBIRD - July 10 - 10:00 amI really love my Elantra - the size , fit style all suit me just fine.
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Wow what an amazing car! - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
By AnaBean321 - July 8 - 2:22 pmI was always one to stick with domestics like chevy, saturn, and pontiac...But after buying my new black with tan leather seats Elantra Limited, I am a true believer now. On top of the insane warrantee, the car comes fully loaded with all the fun features and 6 airbargs plus a 5 STAR crash test rating. The ride is very smooth and the engine is really quiet. There is hardly any road noise, at least when compared to the civic and corolla, and the interior looks and feels high quality. The stereo is my favorite part because it sounds like Im inside of a mini-club when Im driving home from work. And according to the thing next to the speedometer, Im averaging 34.5 MPG and thats always nice!
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No longer a good used buy - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
By Mike - July 6 - 2:50 amI bought this car with about 65,000 miles on it, and now have 110,000. If Id written this review before the 95K mark, it would have been a glowing review. However, since then just about everything has come apart-- the transmission (and Im not one to push a car and dont live in the city), the power window, horn, check engine light, oxygen sensor, wiring etc. This is one of those cars that falls apart at 100K, and youre unlikely to find one with lower miles these days. The Elantra was essentially redesigned the *next* year, so the newer models may well be worth looking at.
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Elantra Limited w/XM - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
By jay12345 - July 4 - 2:01 amWords cannot describe how HAPPY my wife and I are about purchasing this vehicle. We almost feel bad when we see people driving Sentras and Corollas. Its truly amazing- the amount of features you get for the price of this car.... Gears change smoothly, super quiet ride, peppy engine, we get 33 mpg, extremely comfortable high quality leather bucket seats, heated seats, booming sound system, tight construction, 16 inch alloys wheels, heated mirrors, steering wheel mounted controls, six airbags, ABS and EBD, near perfect in-cabin ergonomics, 100K warrantee, and the list goes on and on!! All this for under $18,500??? Try and beat that! This is by far the best deal in the class.
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To Elantra and beyond....! - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
By jamrom - July 4 - 2:00 amI previously owned a 1996 Subaru Legacy, which needless to say was great in the snow and rain, but was a mechanical disater. I always buy on quality based on previous mechanical history and OWNERS reviews. I have to say that after 2 months of reseach and a lot of comparing, I was very satified with my decision until I bought it... now Im extatic about my decision. Its not only practical, but sporty, attractive and built to last (not like a tank though). If its within your budget, opt for package 4, it includes the ABS/TCS sys, upgraded CD/speakers, and a few other nice options. You cannot get a better price with all the options in this car.
