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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  one lemon - 1995 Hyundai Elantra
  By roland - November 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is one lemon. The previous owner an old retiered school teacher had to replace the transmission under warrenty at 17000 miles. I bought the car with 50000 miles and I have had to replace the rear axel bushings,shocks an struts,check engine sensor,catalitic converter,o2 sensor,spark plug coil and now at 85000miles the transmission needs to be replaced for a second time and a break job. On the positive note the car always starts even in the cold and for a small car its roomy and fairly comfortable.

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  Silver 2000 GLS sedan 5spd manual - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By Ruger_11mcrdpi - October 29 - 2:00 am

  This car is a gem. I love it. Ive owned mine for two years and two months now, since I bought it new as a late model in 00. The engine is peppy, the styling is nice, the fuel economy is terrific (avg. 32mpg). I have heard reports of bad paint, but I keep mine looking like shes brand new, and the paint is fine! Just buying the first set of tires after the Michelin MXV 4s went after 38,000 miles!! Pretty good for OE tires!

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  Decent Set of Wheels - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By nobrainr - October 28 - 2:00 am

  This car is comfortable and is easy to drive both long and short distances in. Smooth Start from the line, but could use a little more kick. Great for a family.

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  best of the best - 1997 Hyundai Elantra
  By KENJI - October 25 - 2:00 am

  best of the best

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  Strong little car - 1997 Hyundai Elantra
  By Slick - October 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car after I crashed my previous car as a quick fix,The price was right and I figured it was a nice enough looking car. After a few days of driving it, I must say its a very nice car. I look alot better in this than I did in my old car. It gets good milage and has enough power to get and go if you need it.

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  No Econobox here! - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By valorieg - October 22 - 2:00 am

  I bought an Accent in 95. I was completely surprised at how reliable this car was.I drove the heck out of that car, and finally it came time to upgrade to something bigger that I felt safe driving around L.A. in. I shopped around for a good 4-5 months and drove several different cars. I was a bit biased towards the Hyundai, so I spent a little more time at Keyes. I had a great meeting at the dealership with the internet managers and they could not have been nicer. I got a great deal on a great car. My Elantra is comfortable, handles well, feels great on the road and gets excellent gas mileage.Hyundai makes great cars and deserves more respect.

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  bad weather - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By cmc104 - October 22 - 2:00 am

  used to drive a jeep grand cherokee which i ran into the ground. bought the 2002 elantra after doing a lot of research. liked the standard features offered and bargain price and warranty. generally like the car but find it to be awful in bad weather (rain/snow). car doesnt hold the road at all, slides all over. generally like the car but wonder if i shouldnt have bought another 4 x 4. also have problems with the rear doors not shutting firmly. brakes squeak and wipers scrape. this after only 5 months of use. a sign of other nuisance problems to come ????

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  Love this car! - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jan Parks - October 20 - 1:26 pm

  The warranty was wonderful! Yes, the transmission did fail (it seems common with this year), perhaps because it was abused by a previous owner, but the local dealership was wonderful about replacing it with no questions asked. Other than that, the car has been perfect. I am especially surprised and pleased by its performance on the highway. It seems to drive like a much bigger car, and is very comfortable for me for long stretches. I get 25 mpg around town (I live on the top of a mountain which affects my mileage) and 36 on the road. Ok, I sold this car a year ago (Jan. 17), perhaps because I was paranoid about the transmission going out again. But Id been thinking of buying a new car, so I decided to do so, partially because my son-in-laws sister needed a good, reasonably-priced car. So I sold the Elantra to her. Now she loves it, and has had no problems with it. (whew!!*) I bought a Corolla instead of another Elantra, mainly because I wanted both a CD player (old school) and a backup camera, which I couldnt get in an Elantra. Still think it was a good car! I would buy do it again...

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  Love this car! - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jan Parks - October 20 - 1:26 pm

  The warranty was wonderful! Yes, the transmission did fail (it seems common with this year), perhaps because it was abused by a previous owner, but the local dealership was wonderful about replacing it with no questions asked. Other than that, the car has been perfect. I am especially surprised and pleased by its performance on the highway. It seems to drive like a much bigger car, and is very comfortable for me for long stretches. I get 25 mpg around town (I live on the top of a mountain which affects my mileage) and 36 on the road. Ok, I sold this car a year ago (Jan. 17), perhaps because I was paranoid about the transmission going out again. But Id been thinking of buying a new car, so I decided to do so, partially because my son-in-laws sister needed a good, reasonably-priced car. So I sold the Elantra to her. Now she loves it, and has had no problems with it. (whew!!*) I bought a Corolla instead of another Elantra, mainly because I wanted both a CD player (old school) and a backup camera, which I couldnt get in an Elantra. Still think it was a good car! I would buy do it again...

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  Very Happy 3rd Time Owner - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By Special Ari - October 17 - 5:16 pm

  I first puchased a used 99 elantra. I had that car for a few years with no problems. My fiance bought a new Accent and I just bought a new 5door Elantra GT. I am increadably happy. This is my first new car and I am comfortable knowing i will be taken car of with the warrenty especially since I am a student. Remember you get a lot of car for such a low price because Hyundai is still making a name for itself in this country. The GT is fun to drive, the manual is very responsive and the suspension firm, but not harsh. I look good in this car and I look forward to driving it. Also I must say the six speaker stereo is loud and very clear. This is no econobox.