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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  Hyundia Elantra - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By Frank Kim - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Interior is very comfortable. All gauges are readable and the seats are the most comfortable Ive used for long drives. During a trip from Virginia to Texas the vehicle produced around 36 mpg and with two children the back seats were roomy.

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  Great Car! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By abbie - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Im really enjoying my new Hyundai!

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  great first car - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By mschaltegger - December 1 - 10:00 am

  I have been very pleased with my Hyundai Elantra GT. Its pretty quick, has every option, good sound system, and it looks good too. The gas mileage would be good if I didnt always drive over 80 mph. Everybody I work with thought it was a Saab 900 until I told them otherwise. The warranty is the best thing about it. Ive had a couple of minor issues, and theyve been resolved the same day. Since I bought mine, my sister and her husband also bought on based on my recomendation. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone, and to add a little credibility to my evaluation, my last vehicle was a Kawasaki Ninja ZX6, I wont drive something that isnt fun.

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  2017 Elantra SE Man - 2017 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jonathan Bird - November 30 - 6:49 am

  The value on this vehicle is amazing, very easy to drive and comfortable. I work For Hyundai and to be honest i never even considered owning one until I took a customer on a test drive in the 6 speed manual. I was hooked. The ease of shifting and how simple the SE is. I was looking to get into an SUV or something a little bit Larger but I ended up loving the Elantra. the 10 Year 100k Mile Power-train warranty keeps maintenance simple and the 5 year 60K bumper to bumper makes it even better.

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  reliable and fun to drive - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By Andy Schutte - November 29 - 6:13 pm

  I really enjoy my Elantra and would recommend it to anyone. I am good about maintaining it at the dealer, and in return it has been good to me - one mechanical breakdown in almost 5 years and 90k miles - which was covered under the warranty.

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  GT a fun car!! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By sd0315 - November 29 - 3:14 pm

  great car reliable, fun, good power.

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  So far so great - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By jason - November 26 - 11:50 am

  First 200 miles: 34mpg mixed city+highway. As an 1998 Honda Civic owner, I was really impressed with Hyundai offers for the price. I wanted to buy another Honda, but I kept on seeing things that Hyundai was doing better at a lower price. Only BMW offered a better package+story in my opinion... but at a much higher price. -- I love the satel. radio. I dont want to leave my car now. -- I dealt with several dealers. Know your vehicle because the sales staff might not. "Trust and verify" -- The _relatively_ quiet ride and good acceleration is going to cause me to get a few speeding tickets. :-( correction: I said it was getting 34 - 35mpg. That was a mistake. Thats the avg speed that the trip computer shows. It shows a mpg of 29.2.

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  First Hyundai - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By Patrick - November 19 - 7:06 am

  Have only had ownership for 5 days, but I am very pleased with the way the vehicle handles and rides..It is a very very good buy for the money. My wife and I both enjoy the vehicle. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone who asks.

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  my hyundai - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By john 2 - November 16 - 1:57 pm

  good price and very good service.

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  Love this car - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By Manton863 - November 15 - 1:32 am

  This car is great it is roomy and fun to drive and holds up well with day to day driving. Like the rear disk brakes but only if you have abs. I have found that if you put fuel injector cleaner and a stp 4 cylinder oil treatment every time you do the oil, (which is only another couple bucks) you get alot better gas mileage out of the car.