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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  Bang for the buck! - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By jnelson - February 10 - 10:19 pm

  I have almost 18,000 miles on the car now and not one problem. Have done oil changes every 3000 miles. Rides nice, is quiet, gets 32mpg. My Smart car gets 39-44. The Elantra rides better too! Great warranty. All things considered a truly great car.

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  So far so good - 2009 Hyundai Elantra
  By HusbandOfToyotaLover - February 10 - 2:19 pm

  Bought my Hyundai Elantra 2009. I had to convince my wife, who is a loyal Toyota driver, that at 15K - 16K Hyundai Elantra is the best deal over against any Corolla we can buy. So far I havent regret it and my wife likes it. The engine is adequate, I mean who buys an Elantra to floor-it anyway? It is surprisingly comfortable and handling is surprisingly adequate (mind you I am used to driving Honda Civic myself.) Rear seat is small but trunk space is adequate. I have to say, at the price for VSC, ESP, ABS, XM (3 months), BlueTooth, MP3, and IPod player this car is the best bang for the buck. Of course you will take a hit at resale so keep that in mind. We like to drive them to death

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  bad ass - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By shirley - February 9 - 12:20 am

  na, just bought it 3 weeks ago, love it. simmering white. rearview camera, leather seats. just beautiful. still learning the ins & out. I just love this car,the style+make cannot be beat.the first time I ever picked the first car I seen.

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  Some issues, but a good car overall - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By srchad - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Had my GT for 2 years and have 18k miles on it. Overall very pleased. Reasonably powerful and rides nice enough. Minor issues like sporadic engine racing at idle, clock stopped, and flaws in paint. Interior quality is surprisingly good and the parts seem to be good quality. Some cost cutting is obvious. The protectors that cover the bottom frame of the doors seem to be nothing more than thick pieces of tape, not plastic like in most cars. The heel of my shoe scraped right through one of them to the paint. Since the resale value is not up to par with Honda or Toyota, make sure you plan to keep it for a while. For the money, though, this is a nice car!

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  I love my Hyundai! - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jake - February 8 - 12:26 am

  I bought this car brand new and have driven 122,000 miles with NO major problems. The suspension, exhaust, and air conditioning are all holding up well and have never been serviced! The ONLY thing I think Hyundai could have done better is increase the time between replacements of the timing belt which is set for every 60k miles. Dealerships want to charge over $1100 for the service, but I can get it done at Midas for $450 - its a pain because they usually want the car for the entire day. Even with that, the maintenance costs have been super low and all I do is regular oil changes. I hope to keep this car for another 80k at least!

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  100,000 wagon - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By RonM - February 6 - 6:29 pm

  Bought this car new, and hate to trade it. Put 100,000 on it without any major problems.

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  Fine, but too much engine vibration - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By jjrobert - February 5 - 9:47 pm

  Maybe I got the lemon, but theres too much engine vibration at 2500 rpm. My rear-view mirror sounds like its trying to tell me something.

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  Great for a lil beater - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By NYSchenkel - February 4 - 9:00 am

  I bought this car to commute to work .. I live in upstate NY and commute to westchester, NYC and Long Island for work depending on the day. This car is great. Shifts smooth [ I got the 5spd ] I have 232,789 miles on it and it runs like it is brand new .. Everything works [ pw, pl, and mechanical ]. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone. Fun little car to drive. Although it could be easier on the eyes.

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  Best Car Purchase Yet - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Andy @ Dallas - February 3 - 5:16 pm

  We purchased our little "Hunni" in December and absolutely love this car. Its quiet on the highway (very little "4-cylinder engine noise" - if youve owned a 4-cylinder you know what I mean), hugs the road, great turning radius, etc. It is the nicest "small car" weve owned or even driven to date (were well into our 40s so have been around a few blocks!). We test drove this gem and both fell in love with it.

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  Great price for what you get! - 2017 Hyundai Elantra
  By Gage - February 1 - 4:15 pm

  It may not be the biggest but Im 64 and bigger kind of guy but I fit in it comfortably. As far as behind me goes not to bad nothing lounge like but good enough. For the price of the value edition you cant beat it. Drives great looks great. Havent been in it to long but so far so good