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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  steves car - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By steve gootman - November 2 - 8:44 am

  good car but noisy interior very roomy. good gas milage not good on resale value

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  Great car for the price!! - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By donjohnson374 - November 1 - 4:46 pm

  I work construction, and this car is my "work truck" The hatchback comes in really handy for my tools....all in all, it is a great car for the price, and I have had no problems with it,

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  2003 GT - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By seatoad - November 1 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive, milage on commute not as good as advertised. Comfortable interior. Best part is the lighting in the dash.

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  Buy something else - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By Displeased - October 28 - 10:52 am

  The warrenty is worthless. They just say sorry we cant fix it. The engine rattles very bad and I guess we just have to live with it. The service man said that we have to use premium gas if we want any Hyundai to run normal. That didnt help either.

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  my favorite car - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By JennyB - October 27 - 10:00 am

  I did a lot a research before I bought this car. I had been pretty well decided. Then I test drove it, bought it the same day and have never regretted it. Most of the problems Ive had have been very minor and taken care of to my satisfaction by the dealer. The only bigger problem, and I use that term with hesitation, is something called a TCM. I dont drive much and according t the service people that causes the TCM to "learn" to shift sluggishly. Ive taken it in and had it reset a couple of times. It works fine after that for a while. It does not affect my driving experience in a huge way.

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  Nice litlle car - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By Andy Justin - October 25 - 10:17 pm

  Nice little city car. Very good interior space for its class. A powerful engine under its hood for its class. Good mileage in city and highway. Overall its a good reliable car.

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  Best Purchase of my Life - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By sp0502 - October 25 - 6:15 pm

  I bought this car when I got my first job out of college. Being a hotshot, I wanted to buy a car that I couldnt afford. Came to my better senses and purchased this car. Thank God I did! With the leather, interior space, exterior design, air bags, moonroof, etc... I was given every luxury I wanted (w/ the exception of a Navigation option and ironically, no cassette). The gas mileage is decent too. The only problems I had were replacing the lights (head, tail, and fog CONSTANTLY... mustve replaced 8x between them all and it hasnt been 4 years). Rear spoiler was coming off but warranty covered it. Service department is terrible but thats not the cars fault.

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  Lovin It! - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Hadeev - October 23 - 1:50 pm

  Lots of leg room and comfy seats. My passengers enjoyed riding in my Elantra and said it is pretty. Its sporty and has all the bells and whistles I wanted. Im not sure if Im getting good gas mileage because Im still learning when to shift between the D and D3 gears. Otherwise, its a smooth ride and strangers give me compliments on it all the time. The headlights are nice and bright, the mirrors get good visibility and the blue lighted dashboard is a great feature. The trunk opener on the remote is a good thing to have also. I feel like a queen when I drive it.

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  Great - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By steve - October 19 - 4:26 am

  I got up to 38MPG on two tripsand average over 27 average over 11000 miles. Better than I could have ever expected. No problems so far but like the 100000 mile warranty

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  Problems! - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By Roxanne - October 18 - 12:53 pm

  I have had numerous problems with my car. I researched it thoroughly but seemed to overlook the fact that all the good quality reviews were INITIAL. after 2 months of having my car the problems continued to roll in. Now a little over a year old, it seems like i have a new problem every month. I am also not impressed with the service workmanship i have received.