Hyundai Elantra?

Learn me Hyundai Elantra. I've been looking a used ones 3-6 years old with less than a 100K miles. Are they a good car, reliable, ect. Are they the same kind of reliable that a Toyota or Honda is? Tell me your experiences.

I just brought home a 2013 2 weeks ago. Certified preowned with 27k miles. 11,500 out the door.

It's first ride took place in 2014, so the 10/100 warranty is good until 2024 with the miles it will get.

So far my only complaint is the headrests, but it's still on it's tank from the dealership.

Surprisingly roomy, easy fold rear seats, Bluetooth and heated seats. It should be a good commuter.

I have a 2013 GLS 6 speed (that may be for sale soon). In 96k miles it has only needed a Wheel bearing replaced under warranty. It's a competent commuter car that has MUCH more interior volume then it's competition. It's not particularly engaging to drive and the rear axle can be harsh on bumps. Otherwise I don't really have any complaints.

My family having owned an Elantra, Tiburon GT and currently a Sonata and Tucson. Hyundai's are generally pretty reliable cars. I've never had a mechanical issue with any of the ones owned by either by SWMBO or daughter. My daughter is hard on cars and they survived her which led her back to buying another one, twice. The only issues I've had with any of them have been related to the cheapness of the interior plastic pieces. But then again I realize that they have to cut costs someplace to allow for the lower price of Hyundai's in general.

'11 and newer are the ones to have. '10 are okay in quality but the engine does not deliver the mpg as well as the '11 and newer engine does.

Other things to know about Hyundai...
When bought new, the cars have a 10yr/100k mile warranty.

When bought used but Certified from a Hyundai dealership they have the remainder of the 10yr/100k warranty.

When bought used form any other source the only portion of the warranty that transfers to the new owner is the remainder of 5yr/60k. So, if you buy a car that is 4 yrs old and 50k miles on it you would only get at best 1 more year or 10k miles of warranty.

Also might be good to know that for model year 2014 the Kia Forte sedan became the chassis/drivetrain twin of the '11 and newer Elantra. Before this, the '13 and older Forte remained the chassis and drivetrain twin of the '10 and older Elantra.
I point this out because maybe your shopping will yield a better '14 or newer Forte sedan (which is the same as an '11+ Elantra.)
Same warranty details on used Kias as there are on Hyundais.

Try and find a "Touring" SE model. They are the 5 door/hatch/wagon types. The SE has a stiffer suspension than the other Elantras, and if you get a manual, it has a B&M shifter too. I had one from new to about 80K (did just maintenance and consumables) and liked it rather much. I just got a new 2017 Sport and really like it so far.

nocones wrote: I have a 2013 GLS 6 speed (that may be for sale soon). In 96k miles it has only needed a Wheel bearing replaced under warranty. It's a competent commuter car that has MUCH more interior volume then it's competition. It's not particularly engaging to drive and the rear axle can be harsh on bumps. Otherwise I don't really have any complaints.

This. I have a 2013 Elantra Coupe with 6spd manual. Bought it one year ago with 59k miles on it, $8750. I now have 87k miles on it, so as you can see, I drive a ton.

When I first got it, I was knocking back 35-37mpg, even with a mix of highway cruising and rush hour traffic. After putting new tires on it and an alignment, I'm now at 30-32mpg.

It's a very reliable car, have had zero issues. I also agree that competent is the perfect word for it. It does everything you ask of it just fine. It's quiet, it's a very comfortable place to spend a few hours, I personally very much like the way the HVAC controls are laid out. The interior room is amazing for a compact car. My kids can stretch their legs out in the back seat with ease. Not very quick, but it's not supposed to be. Handling is decent...except that the rear has impact harshness. The rear is also very unsteady going over bumps mid-corner, it'll dance on you. The 6spd manual is no Miata...but that's OK, I have a Miata as a toy. However, it's functional enough that it at least makes driving a little more entertaining. The coupe came loaded with features, which I like...Bluetooth, heated seats, fog lights (I think it makes it look nicer). The interior has some cheap plastics, especially the shifter knob itself, but as I said it's very well organized.

For a car I can just beat and beat and beat, I can't complain one bit.

I can't speak to the longevity of the older cars, but I just rented a 17 Elantra and I was a little shocked at just how good it was. It wasn't fast, but felt eager and peppy, the trans was extremely responsive and the interior was very nicely laid out. Sure it still has clues that it's a very inexpensive car--- like the tin-can trunk lid feel, the cheap plastics on the interior and the seats aren't great. Still--- it's one of the best "cheap" new cars I've driven. It was actually a pleasure to drive---- something I can't say about an Camry, Corolla, Sentra or Versa. I think I may have found my favorite new rental car!

Thanks for all the feedback. Basically what I've noticed test driving a few. I do like the '13 and newer better and felt its a nicer car than an equal ford focus. It will be for my daughter who is headed to college so I want something reliable. That's nice to know about the Kia Forte too.

Any downsides to getting a coupe vs a sedan. There is a 6 speed coupe i've seen for sale for a little while that leads me to believe I could get a real good deal on.

D2W wrote: Any downsides to getting a coupe vs a sedan.

Depends. Do you ever transport more than one additional person?

EvanR wrote:

D2W wrote: Any downsides to getting a coupe vs a sedan.

Depends. Do you ever transport more than one additional person?

Going to be the daughter's car so a small backseat is a prerequisite right?

I recommend to resist the urge to look at the Hyundai Accent or Kia Rio. Though they are styled to look like the Elantra and Forte they are lot smaller returning poorer mpg and taking away a lot of what is great about the Elantra and Forte like ride quality.

D2W wrote: Thanks for all the feedback. Basically what I've noticed test driving a few. I do like the '13 and newer better and felt its a nicer car than an equal ford focus. It will be for my daughter who is headed to college so I want something reliable. That's nice to know about the Kia Forte too. Any downsides to getting a coupe vs a sedan. There is a 6 speed coupe i've seen for sale for a little while that leads me to believe I could get a real good deal on.

Mine is a coupe. If I am correct, the coupe body is identical to the sedan, just have different door cut outs obviously. The doors are large, but not a big deal. The coupe comes standard with some of the features that a base sedan, which I like. The back seat is huge. I transport my kids in it all the time. Sure, it's a bit of a pain in the butt to get back there, but not horrible. The 6 speed transmission shifts well for a compact econocar. Like I said, the plastic on the shift knob is hard and feels cheap (not flimsy, but inexpensive cheap), but it works fine.

I've got a '15 auto which we bought new. It has about 70K on it.

Absolutely no problems whatsoever. Dead nuts reliable.

Not very inspiring, but extremely spacious. We regularly ride 5 people in it, with 3 of them over 6' tall. Very comfortable. (I reach my limit on a 7 hour trip). We have ridden a 450 lb man in the back seat without any issue (not a typo)

My wife loves it. (She's not a car girl) The electronic interface (with your cell phone, etc) is extremely smooth.

I'd like it a lot better with the manual, but fuel economy would be compromised. It's sure-footed, and confidant, though not a thrill-ride- underpowered on acceleration. Visibility and ergonomics are very good (except out the rear with a spoiler).

Also good storage (several compartments). I have hauled 10' metal trim pieces from HD inside with the trunk closed.

I have no idea WTF is up with that stupid "cup holder" in the door! That's OK- there are plenty more.

Wife just traded her '12 Elantra in a couple weeks ago. It was completely reliable for the whole ownership. She really liked it. I liked it too with the exception of a few little niggles.

Hers had the 17" wheels on it which I believe were excessive. That, in addition to the terrible roads here contributed to some bad NVH qualities. A younger me wouldn't have cared.

They have some bumpsteer in the rear. It's not dangerous in any way but it can take you off guard on a bumpy corner.

I started having serious pain in my sciatic nerve, no fault of the car at all, but I couldn't drive it more than a half hour no matter how I adjusted the seat.

Other than those things I thought it was a very good car.

Depending on the year some of them are PZEV, but not all. The PZEV versions have a longer warranty on emmisions components than the standard version (check your state YMMV).

If it's coming from a Hyundai dealer, try to get them to include the spare tire and jack instead of the fix-a-flat and 12v compressor.

I have a 2011 GLS sedan, and have 122,000 miles on it with the auto. Mine must be an exception since I've had a few major problems.

The trans was replaced around 70,000 miles. If parked facing uphill overnight the trans would flair badly the first time shifting from 3-4, but would be fine the rest of the day. Hyundai replaced it under warranty with no issues.

The engine was replaced at 90,000 miles. It developed a knock at all temps and speeds. The dealer didn't have much info on the cause of the knock ( they send it back to Hyundai for inspection), but speculate that the issue was related to the coating coming off the piston skirts. This was also done under warranty without any issues.

It never left me stranded and I'm planning to keep driving it for another 3-4 years until my oldest son gets his license. Once that happens he'll get the Elantra and I'll get something more fun to replace it.

TL:DR I had a few issues, but still like the car for a DD and plan to keep it for several more years. I would recommend it.

If the cupholder in the door is the same as the one on a 2014 Rondo (the one they didn't sell in the US), it's for a water bottle, for which purpose my co-driver thinks it does great. (I use the one on my side for my sunglasses case, and I think it does great too.) Putting a cup or can of anything in it, however, would be an Epic Fail.

D2W wrote: Going to be the daughter's car

Will you be my dad?

Joe Gearin wrote: I can't speak to the longevity of the older cars, but I just rented a 17 Elantra and I was a little shocked at just how good it was. It wasn't fast, but felt eager and peppy, the trans was extremely responsive and the interior was very nicely laid out. Sure it still has clues that it's a very inexpensive car--- like the tin-can trunk lid feel, the cheap plastics on the interior and the seats aren't great. Still--- it's one of the best "cheap" new cars I've driven. It was actually a pleasure to drive---- something I can't say about an Camry, Corolla, Sentra or Versa. I think I may have found my favorite new rental car!

This. I rented one a few months back and was very pleasantly surprised at what a great little car it is. Very eager and playful. Mine did wonderful handbrake turns in the snow My only complaint was that the front-end gets light at speed... Nothing that an air dam couldn't cure tho.

The wife had a 2003 Kia Spectra that got totalled, and as basic/cheap as it was, it was largely trouble free, so she picked up a 2008 Elantra GLS to replace it. Unfortunately, we had bad luck with that one. It had suspension issues from a factory defect in the rear shocks, brakes were a PITA to change in the rear (you had to drop the control arms to access the caliper bracket bolts), and the airbag PCM caught fire on us when condensation from a drink dripped onto it through the cup holder because the factory forgot to put a sleeve over it on the 2008's (why you would put something that important under where drinks go is beyond me, but it's more common than you think). When the car got recalled for that very reason, and they fought us even though the recall stated that cars with bad PCM's would be replaced, we traded it in on her Mazda. I'd avoid the 2007-10 models entirely based on my experience.

I'm guessing that they have improved leaps and bounds by now, as Hyundais usually do when they debut a new generation. The new Sport ones look like a great deal.

I've driven many a fleet (rental, etc.) Elantra. They are singularly the worst vehicles I have ever driven. Awful handling, 0-60 measured in "sometimes," cheap everything, and the suspension feels like it's made of rejected soup cans.

Now, it's entirely possible that a privately-owned model would be better maintained and thus provide a completely different driving experience, but I doubt it.

If you think an Elantra is bad, you've obviously not driven a Caliber, or Versa. Those are true penalty boxes. I enjoyed the Elantra, but to be fair, it was a new car--- 2017 with 8K miles on it. (Hertz rental)

In reply to Sky_Render:

Were the ones you drove first gens?

You are the first person I've ever heard complain about them that badly.

SVreX wrote: In reply to Sky_Render: Were the ones you drove first gens? You are the first person I've ever heard complain about them that badly.

the first gens were pretty bad. Even the second generation was not all that good. The past 5 years or so, they have gotten very good