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 - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
By Amy - March 5 - 4:12 pmI love this car. It is fun to drive and in a world of high gas prices, its easy on the wallet. I found that my Elantra is more roomy than I anticipated and I would buy another in a heart beat.
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My 2004 Elantra - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
By Omni04 - March 4 - 10:00 amI bought my 04 Elantra GLS after I decided my Hyundai Accent was too small for me. The dealership gave me a hard time after I noticed some unacceptable flaws on the Elantra that I chose. Overall though, I love the 2004 Hyundai Elantras.
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Best Car for the Money - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
By Francois - March 4 - 10:00 amI just said goodbye to my 97 Elantra and decided to go back with Hyundai. The new Elantra is big, more powerful and much more attractive. I got the GT Hatchback fully loaded for $14K. No ABS however. The leather (the real thing) is very nice, the purple/red dashboard illumination at night is very "cool". The sounds system is quite impressive for a car of this price. However i love that it can play MP3 CDs. No one can beat the warranty and you wont be able to find another car with Leather, Sunroof, impressive sounds systems, Alarm, power everything for the price. The ride is very quiet, even with the sunroof open on the highway.. VERY IMPRESSIVE!
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EXCELLANT!!!! - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
By eric - March 2 - 3:52 pmThis vehicle is by far the best car i have owned ( 1st foreign made car owned) great all around!!
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Gas Milage - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
By Mike Watson - March 2 - 2:56 pmI am pleased to announce that I get 26 to 30 in town and 35 on the road at 65 miles per hour. Air pressure had to be adjusted before the check as 36 pounds were in each tire. currently about 2400 miles on car
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Worth the wait - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By jdfone - March 2 - 10:00 amMy wife and I have wanted an Elantra for four years, we finally bought a new 2003. It has a silky smooth 5 speed manual with 16 valve DOHC 2.0 engine, excellent comfort and ride. It replaces 1994 Hyundai Excel with 191,000 miles as the main car. I will be buying a replacement engine for the 1994. We love those Hyundais, reliable, dependable and inexpensive to keep.
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I love this car - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
By NicoleC - March 2 - 9:25 amWonderful car! My first brand new car and ive had no complaints. It looks like its worth more than the 15Gs its on the market for. Gotten so many complements and what kinda car is thats!?!? It gets wonderful gas mileage (30 and up depending on how and where i drive it). Ive had the car since May (now march) and Ive had no problems and ive put almost 10Gs on it. Im so glad i picked this brand new car instead of a "better brand" used car. I had an excel years ago which was OK but had heard hyundais gotten better and its true.
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Very Good Car for Very Good Price - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
By Christopher Gannon - March 2 - 7:54 amThis is the first "new" car I have ever purchased, and I think it compares very favorably to the Corolla and Civic. I found that it comes with many more options standard at a much lower price, and the warranty was a definite plus for me.
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Great Car for the price - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By E SPATS - March 1 - 11:47 pmI have had this car for 3 years now and have had no major problems. I took it to the dealer where I purchased the car before it hit the 100,000 mile mark and told them to service whatever had to be fixed, such as a tune up (which I had never had done from the original purchase) they told me "Everything looks fine ,you dont need a tune up yet" The only services that have been done are, Radiator flush, O2 senser,Timing belt, Trans oil, Tires, Oil changes. With the exception of MANY bulbs be it, foglight,high beam ,low beam, break light !!Otherwise Truly a great car!!!
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i love this car - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
By Ranier - February 28 - 12:38 pmi have this for 10 years now. It still works perfectly today and it never had any major problems at all since the day I purchased it in 2006.
