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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  Value, efficiency, and functionality. - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By douger - December 21 - 7:32 pm

  I shopped Toyota, Scion, Honda and meant to test drive the Mazda 3. The deal I was presented with on my Hyundai caused me to stop shopping. I needed an economical sedan comfortable enough for a family of 4 safely travel. The room and drive was so pleasant, I probably would have been back after Mazda anyway. Engine noise I read about was not as bad as expected and the overall car is superior in functional design. After 6 months and 9,000 miles, Im still finding new things about the car like the fact I cant lock the car with keys in the ignition. If the initial quality rolls into long term reliability, other car manufacturers will have to try extremely hard to win my business back.

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  Follow up to 8/10 review - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Dave - December 21 - 12:02 am

  This is a followup, I have had the car for 4 months and am very pleased with it. I have been getting anywhere from 35 - 38 mph in mixed driving. The brakes are excellent, the a/c cools the car down quickly and the heater warms it up just as quick. Again, I do not know why anyone would buy a Civic after owning this car. It is bigger, base models come with more, is much quicker, and costs anywhere from 2k to 4k less.

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  Have had this car seven years! - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By Terry - December 19 - 3:03 pm

  First let me say that Hyundai sticks with you all the way with their 100,000 mile power train warranty. They fixed the differential in my car at 95,000 miles free of charge! I never incurred any major repairs other than worn parts. And its been a gas to drive. Steering is very responsive and the standard drive provided excellent gitty-up especially in the mid ranges over 40mph. I would buy it again but the exterior of the 2009 model is just plain looking and they discontinued the hatchback.

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  A really nice little car - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Harrumpf - December 19 - 12:32 pm

  When the gas crunch hit, I decided to sell my Subaru (great car...bad city MPG) and purchase a small economy car. While focused on Civics and Corollas initially because of their stellar reputations, no dealers were willing to discount anything. So, I took my open mind to the local Hyundai store and drove the Elantra. I was immediately impressed with the car. Then I started to read up on it. Consumer Reports rated it HIGHER than the Civic and Corolla....as a matter of fact it rated it #1 in class. I bought an SE for $16,100....a full $2,200 bucks less than the best price I could get on a Civic EX. I have already put 12,000 carefree miles on it and would recommend it highly!

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  Hyundai still makes bad cars - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By tigertina - December 18 - 2:45 pm

  The steering column started squeaking at 160,000kms. Never had that problem ever before with any other car. This problem is not covered in the warranty, and have learned other drivers have faced this problem. The car is too light and need to put in bricks to stabilize it on the road else it drifts. Didnt matter how many times it was checked over, its like the centre of gravity is off on this car. The car has too many blind spots. This car has had more problems with it then my 1997 fort escort with 345,000kms on it.

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  5 MONTHS 7000 MILES REALITY CHECK - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By avtbud - December 15 - 9:11 am

  This is a follow-up of my 1st review. I still love my Elantra and still think it is unbeatable for the $$. Those of you who complain about it should definitely consider spending more money and buy in another segment...Since I put brand new winter tires on, I dont get more than 27 MPG. Got free XM for 3 months then 4.99 $/month special told them would cancel after and got another 3 months at 4.99/month...Bought the trunk tray and find it essential. Just experienced the ESC taking over on icy road and it did a TERRIFIC job!

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  Nice car, but could be better. - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By SevenBizzos - December 12 - 11:57 am

  Bought a 2004 GT new and with the car approaching 5 years old, Im overall satisfied with the car, but... Doing the suggested, periodic maintenance has been a huge headache, mostly focusing on the dealerships. The prices for the 30k, 60k, etc. check- ups are horribly overpriced and the dealerships dont even perform what the owners manual suggests they do. Youll take your car in for a repair (like a PCV valve) and its 10 minutes of sales talk before they tell you they havent even looked at the car. Ive even had them tell me I needed a grossly overpriced cabin filter replacement only to find it missing a week later when I did it myself. Thievery or the car didnt come with one.

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  Best in class - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By BK - December 10 - 5:40 pm

  Price, gas mileage, standard safety options, and warranty are why I chose the Elantra over other cars in its class. I love all the standard options like XM, 4 wheel ABS, standard side airbags, heated mirrors, blue lights, fog lights, stereo system. I chose this over the Nissan Sentra because of all the standard equipment and the warranty. You just cant beat it. Its a fun car to drive, handles well and just has a overall sturdy feel. It sips gas and after driving a light pick up for over ten years the gas savings are noticeable.

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  Out of the ball park - 2017 Hyundai Elantra
  By Doug - December 10 - 12:39 am

  Just traded a 7 month old 2016 SE for the new 2017 Limited. So many nice safety and other features standard. Much quieter and solid feeling, love the drive mode for the steering/transmission. Cant rate the reliability due to the newness of the car, but based on my other 2 Elantras, it should be a home run also.

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  Hyundai NO way! - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
  By Hyundia NO way!! - December 8 - 9:25 pm

  Such poor quality, It rides like a buck board and so much road noise its deafening. The radio has a hissing that is growing with age. The cheap battery didnt even last two years. Cheap tires only lasted 26,000 mi. It has never seen 37 mpg not even on a flat road at 60 mph with no A/C. The 85 dollar drivers door gasket has disintegrated twice. I dont even drive it on a daily basis and the sea tbelt does not readily retract all the way. The seat springs are already starting to go. In the smallest amount of snow and Ice it gets stuck. The body is of such cheap metal It collapsed when I accidentally closed the hatch on the XM antenna. In dry so cal climate the steel wheels are already rusting