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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  elantra - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By bsmiley - July 15 - 9:36 pm

  i really enjoy my Hyndai it is really a good car for your $$$$$.....i love the road side assistance....Yes I would buy another one

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  My Fourth Elantra - 2017 Hyundai Elantra
  By Chelle - July 15 - 3:40 am

  Ive owned my car for a little over three months and this is my fourth leased Elantra (2011, 2012, 2013 GT and now this one). We also own a 2014 Sonata. The first thing (besides the body style) that I am impressed with over the 2011 & 2012 is the ride and handling of the car. I was a big fan of the 2011/2012 body style, but hated that the back end would "jump" over any little bump, despite different sets of tires. The 2017 is wonderful and feels much closer to the Sonata . I wish the Sport mode was set at the steering level like the GT and that it had a separate "ECO" button. Instead, I keep this one in ECO for gas mileage rather than Sport which handles better. My biggest complaint is with the storage (or lack thereof). The earlier versions, especially the GT, had massive amounts of storage with a deep closed middle compartment and wide areas along the bottom of the doors. The design of the new one is difficult - there is one little area which slants downward and is located behind the shifter and under the heating/ac controls. A USB and aux are smashed between two charging ports and every single time I try to put a cord in, I end up hitting the AC button or the defrost button. The large middle storage area is now only a few inches deep and doesnt hold much of anything; the side door pockets are almost worthless because you cant get your hand down into them to get anything out. Im also having some trouble with the App screen where it freezes up for indefinite amounts of time (I have not yet taken it back to the dealer since I only have a little over 2K miles on it). The only way I can change the station is to use the up/down button on the steering wheel. My only other complaint is the heating system - it takes about 30 minutes to get warm and the air comes out of the defroster regardless of what I have selected. This makes wearing contacts impossible because it blows right in my eyes. Now that Ive complained, let me say that my favorite feature is the notifications in the mirrors when a car is in my blind-spot or gets beside me. This is such a fantastic feature & should be standard in every car. Oops, I have one more small "whine" and thats the backup camera. In the GT, it was covered so I could always see out of it AND it was easy to read and accurate. The backup camera in this car needs wiped off daily, if it rains its useless, and the accuracy is so bad that I cant depend on it. Let me add that I am not one who uses the cameras to backup, but rather as a guide. The outer "blue box" indicating that the car is straight can be misleading as well. I will say its nice to finally get a new Elantra and not have to replace the tires within the first few thousand miles which I had to do on the others. Im very grateful that there are not low profile tires on this model. So while I love this car and overall its a fantastic value for the money, I would go back to my fully loaded GT if they could load it up without the low profile tires. What I wouldnt do for the panoramic sunroof again vs the little bitty sunroof I now have which, for some reason, even though its closed, the display in the car will sometimes beep and show me that its open. I feel I should also add that the little quirks are personal things for me and I would still recommend this car to everyone. Heres hoping for an awesome three years with it....

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  Good Solid Car - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By Darin - July 13 - 11:08 am

  I bought my car new and have had little to no problems with it. I have replaced the normal items like tires, belts, etc. I have owned 2 Hyundais and both cars I have over 200,000 miles on. Will buy again

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  Windows not tempered enough - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By offalycute - July 12 - 12:32 pm

  The windows on my Elantra are not tinted enough and the care get extrememly hot - enough to heat a meal if left on dashboard and I have a wheel cover on the steering wheel so I can touch it. I live in the south and it gets very hot. On long trips I have to keep something over my knees if it is in the summer and I have on short pants. The AC is somewhat inadequate unless run on high. Contacted Hyuandi America and they claim it is a problem for the dealership. So much for customer satisfaction. Will not purchase another one

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  Is it perfect now? (03) - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By cobas - July 11 - 2:00 am

  This car makes commuting a pleasure I look forward to twice a day. After six months, I still dont like having to get out of it, and still look back at it after parking. I cant believe what I paid for it. I get nothing but compliments on the ride and interior, and the cargo space is huge. I stuffed a 6-foot pine tree back there with the hatch closed and room to spare. I keep discovering thoughtful details.

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  clutch problem - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By Steve - July 9 - 2:29 pm

  I have owned my 2005 Hyundai Elantra for 3 and one half years. It will be paid off in 5 months. At the 36,000 mile mark 2 weeks ago, the clutch went. I have had 5 other standard transmission vehicles which have had between 70,000 - 140,000 miles without ever having to replace the clutch. This clutch cost me $1,000 to replace and will probably cause me to look elsewhere for my next vehicle. It makes me wonder whether Hyundai spent enough time and money on this aspect of the Elantra and whether other owners have had this problem as well.

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  GT-Moonroof w/ ABS - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By JoeBeana - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Car rides really smooth, handles sharp, and comes with every option you could possibly want, plus looks better than any other car in its price range. If you compare this car to any other one in its class, it will win by a landslide, no contest.

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  Love it - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By DustinD - July 4 - 10:00 am

  I test drove this car for about 100 miles (I know the salesperson) and it was great, the Toyota Corolla seat comfort sucked, and the leather in this thing was a little sticky, but other than that, it was great, I live in Sacramento and the A/C kept me nice and cool (so much for my current camry, new a/c system and STILL warm) Im buying this car in November 2002, I fell in love with it. I love the Saab rear end look and the purple gauges.

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  Better Car - 2009 Hyundai Elantra
  By Scott - July 1 - 9:24 am

  This vehicle is 100% solid. I have owned Toyota, Honda, Chevy, and Saturn. This vehicle is just as solid and well built if not better built than all other vehicles on the road. INCLUDING HONDA OR TOYOTA. Yes believe it or not. And there warranty program is the BEST in the nation. THIS IS A WONDERFUL VEHICLE

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  Too noisy for a small car - 2016 Hyundai Elantra
  By MOHAMMAD GHAFERI - June 27 - 5:06 am

  I bought it a month ago. It does the job of taking me around but for an engine this size it is too noisy.