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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  What an awesome value!!! - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By Daninny - June 17 - 10:00 am

  Awesome value, what else can I say about my 2002 Hyundai Elantra? I am a college student who was in the market for a great car at a great price and I found it. The car looks like it is worth far more then the $14,500 I paid for it - Im often told that the front end looks like that of a BMW and rare end a Mercedes. The interor is simple yet sleek.

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  The Perfect Car? - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By growlingmonkey - June 17 - 2:00 am

  The hatchback, in particular, is a hot little number--bought a dark red one two days ago and Im already getting lots of looks. My automatic is downright peppy! Handling is quick and responsive, and the purple dash lights lend an opulent quality to the car. Having owned an Infiniti Q45, I was not just surprised, but SHOCKED at the features of this gorgeous little hatchback. Lets see what I have to say after I put some more miles on it, but as of right now, I can honestly say Ive never been happier with an auto purchase.

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  Buy It - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By scottsaba - June 17 - 2:00 am

  Replaced a Civic LX with the GT, no comparison. The extras are wonderful, the sunroof appreciated. Best A/C I have ever had in any car. Snappy and responsive stick that is a great deal of fun to drive. No Squeaks or rattles. Smoooooth on the highway and VERY comfortable. Love the leather too! You cant beat the value with this car. Well made body panels are a plus. I gave the Civic to my daughter and I dont miss it one bit. The Hyundai is fun to drive, the Civic was always slow on the uptake and mushy to me.

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  The little engine that could! - 2016 Hyundai Elantra
  By Sam - June 13 - 7:32 am

  I recently purchased this vehicle, and I am in love with it. This is my first Hyundai and Im glad I got the 2016 Elantra SE with popular package over an older, used version of this car. My sales consultants Tim and Aaron at Malcolm Hyundai were amazing! They helped me through this entire process and I was able to purchase the car I wanted in the color I liked for the price I wanted. This is also my first new car so Im extremely excited about that. The 2016 Hyundai Elantra combines the best of both compact and midsize cars. The outside has this sporty, compact look and its bigger on the inside like a TARDIS! Its still spacious even with four adults in the car; although, tall people may be uncomfortable riding in the car for long periods of time. Its no sports car but the engine still packs a punch. I routinely drive on city streets and highways and I havent had a problem keeping up with the traffic even though it only has a 4 cylinder 145hp engine. My Elantra is an automatic but it has manual capabilities with this transmission they call Shiftronic. Im terrible at using a manual transmission so I havent tried this feature yet. The good thing is theres no clutch to worry about if you use the Shiftronic. I really love the touchscreen media system, Bluetooth, and rearview camera. The rearview camera is really awesome. Ive never been this calm backing into a parking spot before! It only took seconds to connect my phone to the Bluetooth and I didnt have to use the owners manual to figure out most of the bells and whistles in the car (I still recommend reading it). The noise level in the cabin isnt loud but its not silent either. The Sonata was quieter than this but the Elantra still does a good job keeping out a lot of the road noise. Overall, I really like my 2016 Hyundai Elantra. Its a beautiful, sporty looking car thats packed with a lot of features.

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  No reason to buy anything else - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By Bobbi B. - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE my Elantra. Although I did a ton of research when buying this car (it was my first new car), I was still slightly nervous about buying a Hyundai. After all, people often looked at me like I was crazy when I said that I was considering a Hyundai. A little over a year later, I have absolutely NO complaints. I havent had a single problem -- not even a rattle. The car has great pickup, even with the air conditioning on (something that Ive had problems with in the past). The interior includes all kinds of nice little conveniences that you wouldnt expect for such an inexpensive car. This car is a fantastic bargain.

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  The Best - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By whiteman - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I owned 3 escorts before this one one was a diesel and this car has more power and seems to have much better quality of craftmansip and truly the peoplr at the dealership are more friendly and actually seem to care. I will never buy another FORD since they dont have the warranty and I live two blks from dlrshp

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  Hyundai Elantra - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By Neil Combs - June 8 - 10:00 am

  This little car is the biggest surprise I have ever had in an automobile. I traded in a Mercury Grand Marquis, which is a fine Automobile. This Elantra rides as good as the Mercury and corners better. It is comfortable to drive and the steering and brakes are very responsive. The 4 cylinder engine was also a big surprise,

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  happy about it - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By econo-cruise - June 8 - 10:00 am

  The Elantra is not a economical as toyota or as fast as some other 4 cyl lighter cars, but is a good combination of all. Most of all, the disign has not fallen into the latest ugly craze. I have been a strong Toyota customer, but the styling has caused me to look around, and I am hoping the Hyundai will be as reliable as toyota.

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  GREAT CAR!!! - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By Elantre - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Amazig car, for any money. Maybe not any money but Its worht at least 23-28K and I got my GT Hatchback fully loaded with ABS and Sunroof dont forget the leather CD alloys great 5-door styling unlike mazda and ford which are just wagons for under 15K out the door.

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  112,000 Miles and Counting - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By ggrigg - June 5 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in Nov. of 1999, lured by the low price and warrenty. My experience with cars in the past have been horrible, and I was hoping for a bit of luck this time. Turns out that I found it. I have averaged about 32,000 per year on the car, and I have not experienced any major problems to date. I was sorley afraid that all of the major components would break down as soon as I hit 100,000 miles, but it has not happened yet. If all of the cars built for this year perform as mine has, I would recommend it to anyone.