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 saavy consumer - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By brbyu - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I had tried Civics, Corollas, Proteges etc. Finally, I tried the Elantra and was surprised, especially with how it drove. More responsive than the Civic, more solid than the Camry. My friends know that my car didnt cost as much as theirs did. But when they are complaining about taking their car into the shop and about their huge monthly loan bills I only smile. Many of them have remarked how nice it is when I give them a ride. The support after I bought the car has been incredible. Hyundai is really catering to the consumer, which I like. A happy Hyundai owner.

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  Best car in its class!!! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By loveELANTRA!!!!!!!! - June 4 - 10:00 am

  So far I have this car for 1 year and it has 35k miles. I havent had one problem yet. i love this car!! When i see a civic or Corolla I just smile and push the gas pedal!You cant get a better deal at this price. Its a great car all around!

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  What a wonderful car!! - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jorge P - June 4 - 12:33 am

  Very comfortable, nice acceleration, quiet and smooth drive, good handling and cornering, it has all the security features, good mileage. Overall, a joy to drive!. Not enough good things to say about this car. Its an amazing compact car. Im very impressed how Hyundai has managed to improve its quality so much, to a level where it can compete easily against more traditional brands. Way to go Hyundai.

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  Not what Id hoped - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By GuyG - June 2 - 6:36 am

  Bought vehicle on $ & Hype also liked idea of not buying used and getting someone elses problems. It worked, I got my own. 5 years 3... oops now to be 4 sets of brakes. Bumper to Bumper warranty? They looked at 1 wheel, 10 minutes say its not covered asked 1400 to fix, refused and they charged me 85 as a diagnostic. Suggested I am hard on brakes, my last vehicle had 185,000 with only 1 set of pads. Body dings and scratches very easily, window molding is actually black tape, which peels and bubbles. Body rusting.. guess what,not covered. Cant trade in only can get 2500 market is flooded with these

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  Great sporty car! - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jennifer - June 2 - 3:50 am

  I do miss the V6 that my Santa Fe had, but the Elantra has some great get up and go! I have only had it about about a week now and so far its awesome! I have a little over a 100 miles on it and the gas tank is still showing 3/4 full! Im going to really benefit from the gas mileage. The Santa Fe was a real gas guzzler...

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  Warranty to trap you into a low quality - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By misti - May 31 - 6:31 pm

  I have had the worst luck with hyundai. My elantra had the gas pedal stuck and at 3000 rpms on the freeway as i was trying to change from one to another. The warranty is NOT worth the car as I was in the dealership EVERY month!! The input speed sensor, output speed sensor, warning lights, check engine light-hose leaks, ALL on seperate occasions. Then the dealership(Anaheim) told me nothing was wrong with my ac but it has a hideous sound when i turn it to four. they waited until after my warranty expired to tell me NEVER again will I buy from them. The warranty is not worth the endless trips to the dealership (with no loaner either).

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  Cant beat it for the money - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By pricemc1 - May 31 - 1:23 pm

  I purchased this car as a replacement for my Honda Accord LX. Even though its technically a smaller car it feels just as roomy inside. When buying this car I considered the Civic and Sentra as well but this car beat them both on features and price. Neither Honda or Nissan could match the feature set that the Elantra Limited offered and it was at least $2500 cheaper than the high end models of the Civic and Sentra. For me I had to have a car with heated seats and with other manufacturers I had to go to a larger model with high end trim to get that so it was an easy choice to go for the Elantra Limited. Only bad thing I can say is the cabin is a little noisy if the road isnt real smooth.

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  Great Little Car - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By someguy - May 28 - 10:00 am

  We were looking for a resonably priced car that we could purchase with cash and avoid having a car payment. For the money, theres not any other car even in the same league as the elantra. If you can get over the name, this is one heck of a car.

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  03 GLS rocks! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By themanx - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Bought an 03 GLS sedan as a second car for my wife to drive. She loves driving it and the fuel economy is 23 in the city. Dealer was great to us, got a remote control cd player installed. After the rebate got it for $12,150. Hard to find a brand new car for this price with this quality and warranty to back it up.

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  Sussex - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By B.Knoll - May 25 - 1:41 pm

  We drive this 80 miles round trip at least 2 times a week, plus errands. Mileage varies from 30 to 25 mpg.