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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  Excellent Warranty - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By Yoga - March 31 - 11:37 pm

  The car is solidly built. I moved around a lot and the car still stand up well after 5 years. The warranty is great. They found problems with the CV boots, cylinders, and all 4 shocks, they replace them all for free! This car is going to last a few more years!

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  Best little car - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By Brian B. - March 24 - 9:09 pm

  Ive had 4 hyundais. Two were Accents and 2 were Elantras. All were exceptional in quality and performance. My newest is a 2007 Elantra GLS. The fuel economy, performance, and vehicle quality are the best you will get for the money! This car well be around for years to come. You just cant beat it.

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  Great Car - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By pooh - March 24 - 6:44 pm

  I really like my car. No major issues. I had car break down but Garden Grove Hyundai took care of it and it was covered under warranty. I would definitely buy another Hyundai. Very dependable and worth the money. I seem to not get as good mileage as they claim but still overly happy with vehicle.

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  Great Car - 2009 Hyundai Elantra
  By Hyundaiguy - March 19 - 12:14 pm

  This is my second Hyundai. In general I like this car. I have just begun after 11,000 miles to get good gas mileage. took a trip and got 37mpg. Interior is nice to the eyes, but mine has several small creaks and squeaks around front/back windshield, stereo surround. Outside pass side door handle gets stuck and door wont close. Other than that I like it.

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  fabric of cloth seats are awlfull - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Danny McCuiston - March 18 - 9:29 pm

  We just bought the car, we like the dealership every one there was helpful,now for the only bad thing about the car that weve found is the fabric on the seats, if you drop one drop of clear clean water on the seats it looks like a big dirty stain. We took it back for them to get the spots out 80% came out and we are afraid to try anymore cleaning,we cover the seats and arm rest with towels and that is embarrassing. If you have children the seats would be ruined with in a week. I hope Hyundai will improve the inside quality,if they do I will probably buy another one next year from the same dealer. A newer one but for now we will just be ashamed of the seats.

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  Not my first pick - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By Kate - March 18 - 7:52 pm

  This car was ok at first. Nothing fancy although its always been terribly uncomfortable on your back. The leather seats are hard and have never softened up. Now at 75K miles all four struts need to be replaced and there is a weird humming from the rear end. It leaks water going through the car wash - always has. Some rust on the rear wheel well, thought it would have held up better than that, but maybe because of the salty winter roads. Have replaced all the brake pads and tires, to be expected. The clear coat is chipped up pretty bad on the hood from gravel? I waxed it (black) and every pit showed up white from the wax. Oh and the hatchback struts? wont keep the hatch open anymore-Annoying

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  A very economical, fun little vehicle! - 1996 Hyundai Elantra
  By Kalikiano - March 18 - 3:54 pm

  Bought my 1996 white Elantra GLS wagon from an Arizona dealer. It had 118,000 miles on it and was in excellent overall condition (well maintained by a NASA engineer) at the time. I have been quite pleased with this vehicle. Fuel economy excellent (30+ mpg) and reliability solid. Only problem I had was with the check engine light coming on, but adjustment at the local Hyundai dealer resolved that and the car passed California emissions tests quite easily. The cars great fun, handles well, and extremely practical for passenger or cargo use. A few squeaks due to age, but they just add personality to what has proven to be a very satisfactory purchase. Id buy another Hyundai in future!

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  Great 1st New Car - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By GRC - March 18 - 8:20 am

  I totally love this car. I drove from Mass to Florida and back to Mass with this car full of stuff. I have about 79,000 miles on it now. Still runs great. I had good luck with dealers in Mass and in Florida. I get regular oil changes and tires when needed. Brought this car brand new. Great 1st car for me. Do you see how much the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour looks like the Elantra GT.

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  Best car for the money - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Best car in catagory - March 13 - 11:43 pm

  Bought the car a week a go drove it about 1000 miles and it does not drive like a compact car its more like a full size ride, getting around 37mph mixed city/hwy .Tested several cars and it beat the others out so we bought it.this 4cyl is quiet even at 80 mph and plenty fast enough on take off,car is roomy smooth ride what else could you ask for. Review,s are about right except for the ones selling other brands trying to ho do you.

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  Very good - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By xCourtneyx - March 13 - 10:07 pm

  Great car! I looked at Mazda3s, Honda Fits and Civics and hands down better of all them! Much more quiet and while not as quick as the Civic or 3, a much better feeling.