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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  First time foreign, 8k mi in and good! - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By fatjake - November 21 - 11:34 pm

  Purchased an 2008 Elantra GLS with a 5 speed and the popular equip package for low $15k in July 2008. So far I LOVE it. Before this I was a strict 80s GM boat guy. This car is much quicker than I would have expected, and my MPG has been between 29-36mpg per tank. I am very happy, and I cant stress how much fun the car is to drive. The interior is more roomy than you would think from the outside and the back seat is more than sufficient. All around, I am very impressed with the quality of design in this car. I feel that Hyundai may be entering the realm that Toyota and Honda entered in the early 90s. Give it another few years and these cars will have the reputation they deserve!

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  Wow, nice car for the price! - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By Seely - November 20 - 1:32 pm

  Back in 2001, after a hail storm hit, we were looking for a new car. We decided to look around, and noticed Holmes (the dealer we bought from) had discounts on cars on the lot due to hail damage. Of course, we managed to get it new for 9,572 dollars due to hail damage, and a little persuasion. Love it. The only Major problem weve had was a broken thermometer. It does get a little noisy on the inside. Its 2.0 i4 gets enough Punch, and still returns good mileage. Nice exterior styling, however, the interior was slightly drab, but not too bad. Nice trunk space, and a locking gas door. Inside trunk handle is Nice. Trunk room is fantastic, and the reliability wont disappoint.

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  Few Repairs until Engine Failure 150k - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By PG - November 16 - 7:08 pm

  Bought new in 2002. It had only two very minor repairs during the 150,000 miles I had the car 1)coolant thermostat (replaced myself for $30. 2)Headlight bulbs - replaced nearly 3 times...not very expensive but a little inconvenient. The car was extremely dependable on a daily basis and very fuel efficient. However, at 150k miles, the thrust bearing went out in the engine, meaning I needed a new engine. The replacement cost would have been about what the car was worth..$3000. I would highly recommend the car but would suggest calling a dealer first to see if the 02 models are known for this particular engine problem.

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  Great purchase, superior in many ways - 2009 Hyundai Elantra
  By Mike - November 13 - 9:57 am

  I bought my Elantra just a couple of weeks ago and I am so happy with it. I did have an extended search and compared it with other cars like Honda Civic, Fit and Toyota Corolla, and my Elantra has everything I need, nothing to envy the competitors. Great look, smooth ride, the hp 138 gives great torque enhancing performance, very spacious inside, not feeling like driving in a "can" as I was feeling in others. Interior design is superior definitely, plenty of storage in easy to reach places. Blue tooth, ipod, satellite radio, what else do you need? Prior reviews on the 08 about safety speak for themselves, and this one has 5 star crash rating... Oh, of course, great gas mileage 33-35 mpg...

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  unnecessary Hype - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By Sebben - November 13 - 4:41 am

  I bought this car after reading the review at Edmunds. Whoever is the author should be fired. Dmn, you should be nuts to compare this one with civic. Let me list the problems, 1. Transmission seals leaked 2. Transmission sensor doesnt work 3. Trans axles have problem 4. the check engine light never goes off 5. Emission canister always go bad. 6. poor mileage. 19 on highway I can get it from a good SUV A waste of money. I have already spent over $1500 in repairs

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  Great little car - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
  By Norm - November 4 - 10:35 am

  Ive got almost 50,000 miles on this car. Had to do nothing so far. I average 32 mpg overall. My only complaint is the AM radio reception - it is not good. FM and CD are great. Mine is all leather, standard transmission.

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  Never buy someone elses problems - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By gshokesr - November 2 - 2:22 pm

  Bought this car used when it had 66,532 miles on it. It now has 69,880 miles on it I cannot drive it due to a cracked high pressure power steering hose that can only be purchashed as a dealer part. Cost of hose is excessive (I priced them so far at 189.00 to 205.00 dollars) while at the mechanics that the car dealership I purchased the car at told me to take it they found 5 other things wrong with the evap system when they did a computer diagnostic (the check engine light came on just before the power steering hose blew) just 3 weeks before these problems occured I had to replace both headlamp bulbs just 3 days apart at a cost of $36.89. Overall I am very unhappy with this car so far.

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  Great Car to Buy - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By johpen - November 1 - 8:51 pm

  This is my second Elantra. My first I traded after 4.5 yrs with 160,000 miles with no major repair work. My two sons also drive Elantras and one son is getting ready to purchase his second also.

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  After 6 Mo/ Comparing with wifes Civic - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By David - November 1 - 7:04 am

  After having the Elantra for 6 months, Im a very happy Elantra owner. I have not found one defect inside or out. This car delivers up to 41 mpg on the freeway and as low as 27 city which is a huge range but with the AC off on short trips in a rural area I average 31mph. We also purchased a new Civic Ex about the same time for my wife.I have to say that the Elantra has a much smoother and more quiet ride than the Civic EX that my wife drives. The Elantra has a slower responsive steering set up but not sure if that is bad since Im not racing the Indy 500. The interior could be nicer but for the money, this car is hard to beat.

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  Excellent longevity - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By Gwen - October 31 - 7:27 pm

  My Hyundai has approximately 243xxx miles on it. All weve done is change the timing and drive belts every 100K miles, changed the oil every 3-4K miles, tune ups, brakes and tires. The only problems weve had was a leak in the driver door (covered by warranty), repeated replacement of windshield (some design flaw with the mirror embedded in the glass), and now, with its age, its leaking (not burning) about a quart of oil every 2-3 weeks. Overall I am exceptionally pleased with our purchase. Oh, the 5 speed manual is getting between 33 and 38 mpg driven mostly highway.