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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2007 Elantra SE, Nice car, nice price. - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
By conton - March 17 - 2:43 amIll keep it simple. This is a confident, high quality small/midsized sedan with a very nice interior, quiet highway ride, good efficiency, tight panel gaps, stellar warranty and a nice overall feel. It looks better in person than it does in pictures. It has nice presence in real life. Its reasonably peppy for a 2.0 4 banger and does all thats asked of it. The power is right in the perfect range for the type of driving that 90% of people do. It chugs around at low RPM approaching V6 feel. It climbs hills well at highway speeds and zips around town like a champ. It holds its own in spirited driving and has a satisfying soul. Like a best compromize Mazda3/Jetta/Civic.
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Love my Hyundai - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By aauummm - March 14 - 10:00 amI bought this car as a commuter car. Turns out it is my favorite, so Ill be selling my Jeep Cherokee and BMW 325IS. The car is fun to drive and gets pretty good gas mileage as well. I have gotten 36.1 mpg on the road and it averages 25 mpg in mixed driving. Its peppy and comfortable. I did put factory alloys on it because I dont like plastic hubcaps.
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Great little car! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By stl21boi - March 12 - 10:00 amI wasnt sure I wanted to buy a Hyundai. But after having almost a year now, I love the car. Havent had a single problem with it.
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My Second Elanta - Solid Value - 2014 Hyundai Elantra
By Robert Grande - March 12 - 3:29 amOverall its a great car and initial quality was outstanding with no defects. Highway gas mileage may not always be the original false claim of 40 MPG but now that car is broken in I get there with summer blend of gas. Mostly highway driving (80/20) so overall I get 35 to 38 consistently. The transmission is very smooth though occasionally when you come to a hill it feels like the transmission should downshift. Fortunately you have the option to manually downshift so its not that big a deal. If you want sporty, go for a Mazda 3 - Elantras acceleration is okay and it handling is very good but not quite on par with Mazda. But then again, I judged the overall road noise level of the Mazda 3 annoying by comparison. Like the Mazda and other small 4-cylinder cars it gets a bit loud when accelerating onto the highway. Beware the blind spots sue to the slope of the front roof pillars. Backup camera is very handy since its tough to judge the front or back through the windows. Standard audio system is okay but wish it had a bit more "oomph" - especially for bass. Bluetooth works well and touch screen controls are easy to learn. Climate controls are well- designed.
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Excellent car! - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
By Sunny - March 5 - 6:08 amThis my 4th Hyundai Elantra. I bought 4 new Elantras so far. The only reason I bought a new Elantra was scratches on body here and there. This never disappointed me. Overall aspects of this cars performance is just excellent!
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Exceeding Expectations - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
By Dave Hermens - March 1 - 2:30 pmBefore purchasing the Elantra GT, I had done extensive research on the many competitors in its category. I was surprised to find that it outperformed even the Corolla and Civic. After 7500 miles, Ive decided that my choice was a good one. The Elantra is exceeding my expectations. It is sporty, economical, quiet and a very fun car to drive. The performance in the city or on the freeway has been exceptional. My one complaint is that the GT color options are limited. I would have liked a white GT.
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Nice Car, Horrible Company - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
By no thanks - February 28 - 2:00 amWhile I enjoy driving my Elantra, and I cannot come close to saying the same for the company.7 months after purchasing they had made 7 attempts to fix it.The company paid me no attention until I filed for Lemon Law arbitration.The car was fixed another time between them contacting me the week before arbitration and offering me a settlement.The light recently came on again, #10, and now it is like pulling teeth to have them at least honor their agreement.Nevermind the fact that they will now be able to resell my car to another poor customer and make more profit off of it, they are now trying to make me pay for the scratches on my car which is being replaced.
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Pats new love! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By Pat Bowden - February 23 - 10:00 amI was on Edmunds.com for 4 months before I bought this car. I had just come out of some serious debt and needed a car badly. I didnt know anything about used cars, so that was out. I needed something safe, reliable and easy to handle and basically cheap. This car surpassed ALL of my desires. I love it!
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EXCELLENT VEHICLE - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
By PCS - February 17 - 10:00 amExcellent car for the price. Alot of features for the price. Highly recommend. You wont regret it.
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Great Car 4 Its Class - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
By HAILU - February 15 - 2:00 amMost consumers only based their car buying trend just by known brand names of car prouduct lines,Hyundai proved them worng.This cheap in price but great in performance even better than known compitators i.e Honda civic, Toyota Corolla etc.powerful engine (140hp)which is much powerful than the Toyota corolla CE(125hp).I have this car now for about 6 month and havent seen any problem on it. I will advice America to turn their face for buying such economical and reliable cars with out digging in to their pockets for simillar even lesser cars just because they have stayed on the market for long but their quality going south.
