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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  I am so glad I chose Hyundai Elantra GSL - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By deebi27 - June 2 - 11:02 pm

  I had a Honda CR-V, I loved my car however on April 19th a storm totaled my CRV. I had just paid it off in November. :o( Enter May and I was on a mad research expedition to find a new car. I finally settled on 4 cars. I test drove 3 on Memorial Day and the 4th one, the Hyundai Elantra Tuesday after work. OMG! There was no comparison between the Elantra and the 1st 3. The ride is wonderful! I have great 40+ mpg! I have my Bluetooth hook up, for what I believe will become in the near future...no hand held cell phone use! My husband (6) is quite comfortable in the passenger seat. Phone, radio and cruise controls on the steering wheel. I love my new Hyundai Elantra!!!

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  Great car for the price! - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By rtz - June 2 - 11:00 am

  Love the looks inside and out. Ride can be rough and road and engine noise loud. Options installed are fantastic! Bluetooth & ipod hook up. Ive had 3 tanks of gas so far (E10 in NY) and I am getting 31mpg with 15% city and 85% highway. Its rated fpr 29 city/40 highway. Im barley getting over city rating with large percentage HW driving.Was hoping for 35mpg combined. Hopefully it will increase over time.

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  best ever - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By chuckyb42 - May 29 - 9:37 pm

  I have owned Hondas for the past 10 years The main reason was that I was a Honda salesman during that time Also Hondas comfort, cost of ownership and reliability were buying factors. My lease was up on my CRV so I started to look for a replacement. After reading all the positive reviews for the Elantra, I decided to give it a try Years ago I would look at a Hyundai vehicle After driving the Elantra I was blown away by its quality appearance and ride Ive had my GLS for 3 months and LOVE IT Great gas mileage great features outstanding vehicle. Run dont walk to your Hyundai and try one

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  Time to trade in - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By sweed2 - May 28 - 12:23 pm

  I bought the Elantra new in 08. The windshield wipers were never connected. I found this out on the highway in a torrential downpour with no breakdown lane. A couple of weeks later I got a flat took it to Pep Boys and they asked when I had patched the tire? I never did I thought it was new. Recall after recall. Cd player stopped functioning, window was slowly going down, and we kept having the problem. We just received the airbag recall notice. I decided to trade it for a Volvo S60 with the premium package. I totally broke even with everything! The mileage (very low), price, and a good trade-in value. Now I have a safe luxury car that is awesome!

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  Its ok... - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By cmariol - May 27 - 1:20 pm

  I bought this car new. It was perfect for me then, but now i have a 2 year old. With a car seat in the back and a stroller in the trunk, i have no room for anything. It drives me crazy that i cant even fit a full load of groceries in it, let alone a single item bigger than one seat. Mostly because of this, i am currently looking for an suv. If you dont have kids, its a good little car, but if you do, i would highly recommend looking for something bigger. Also, the check engine light has been on practically since i got it. I took it to auto zone and they stuck that thing in it that tells you why its on. I cant remember what they said it was exactly, but he said it was no big deal...

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  Awesome car!! - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By ucinn - May 25 - 10:29 pm

  I bought this new in Dec. 2006. I now have 83000 care free miles on it. All that Ive had done is routine maintenance, tires, and brakes. Most reliable car Ive ever had. It handles like a dream, has plenty of pep. Get 30 MPG with mostly city driving and have had no problems in the snow. It has a very roomy trunk to go along with lots of legroom for front and rear passengers. I dont see how you can go wrong with this car.

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  Great looking car, questionable paint quality. - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By bhamcarshopper - May 25 - 2:08 pm

  There were 4 paint deficiencies when I took delivery. The worst were on the bottom of the car on the left and the right sides of the car between the front and rear doors. The paint did not match in these areas...I did not notice until a few days after when we had a sunny day. The clearcoat around the bottom sides of the car is splotchy also. The local dealer will be repainting, repairing the problem areas. Hyundai will be covering a loaner vehicle.

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  Gas Mileage - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By chris274 - May 22 - 8:36 am

  I love the car, its beautiful, comfortable and very fancy for the price compared to all the others in its class. I tested the Fusion, Civic and even considered some fairly new accords. I eventually went back to the hyundai. We love the car, but the gas mileage is not what was advertised. We get about 28 in the city and 32 on the highway. We went on a trip about 300 miles and never achieved over 32 MPH. this was and still is disappointing. I cant figure it out, some folks say they get over 40. I dont see it. I would love some thoughts by other owners as to why?

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  2004 Hyundai Elantra - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By tlc51 - May 19 - 4:01 pm

  I purchased my elantra 5 years ago second hand with almost 40k on the clock. In the time that i have been driving this vehicle it has performed very well. Trips to Queensland and other parts of N.S.W. and on quite a few occations towed a trailer or a caravan with this car with no faults at all but only recently replaced the starter moter. had all the servicing done accoding to the log book and had the timming belt relaced . and now in may of 2011 i have only done 125,000. ks I did have a bit of trouble with the remote to unlock and lock the car as the warrenty was comming to the end and was charged for the recharge of another remote . but inall it has been my best car yet .

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  2005 Hyundai Elantra Review - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By md2011 - May 19 - 11:09 am

  1st hyundai purchased. Such a good car ended up buying two more hyundais 09 and 11 elantra! Bought this car after it was leased in Dec 05. Have this car over 5 years and never have been disappointed. Only service needed Made (Jul 04)is: Standard oil changes, replaced front brakes, first set of tires @ 30k and a new battery @30k The car has never broke down on us has been very reliable. MPG is good not great very heavy car for the size. We can get 24mpg out of it combined. Tons of features for a low price. For a economy car it is very spunky and has nice handling smooth on the road even rough roads. Pros: Great value, reliable Cons: AM Radio reception poor Awesome Car!