The Hyundai Elantra is one of the automaker’s longest-standing vehicles in the lineup. Boasting affordability and economy, it’s a symbol of what makes people choose Hyundai vehicles. But does affordability equal lower quality? Reliability is key when selecting a new or used vehicle, so how does the Elantra hold up until 100,000 miles? Here are the most common problems associated with the Hyundai Elantra, how much they cost to fix, and when they happen.

Biggest (and worst) problems with the Hyundai Elantra

CarComplaints.com gathers complaints by owners regarding a specific vehicle and when looking at its model year comparison of the Hyundai Elantra, there are definitely patterns with Elantra problems. Not only does this data help potential buyers discover which used Elantra may be the easiest to care for, but also which problems an Elantra owner can expect to encounter.

After compiling all owner complaints, from model years 1991-present, CarComplaints.com finds that the worst problems with the Elantra are related to the engine. While most consumers complain of engine ticking or even engine failure, problems with the engine are the most commonly reported problems for all model years.

Rated one of the worst problems is the Elantra’s inaccuracy with EPA estimates. More than 40 owners have complained that their 2013 Elantra gets lower gas mileage than the EPA estimates provided by Hyundai, but this trend follows through quite a few model years. This problem has earned CarComplaints.com’s Severity Rating of 8.4 (out of 10).

But that’s not it, with one problem, in particular, receiving CarComplaints.com’s highest Severity Rating of 10. Though it doesn’t receive as many complaints as others, many owners report having problems with the Elantra’s power steering going out. This potential for danger has earned it its high Severity Rating score.

Are there Elantras that experience more problems than others?

The 2013 Hyundai Elantra has proven to be CarComplaints.com’s worst model year, gathering an astounding 508 total owner complaints. It has received CarComplaints.com’s infamous “Beware of the Clunker” seal of disapproval.

The car has more than 100 owners reporting engine problems, and nearly 70 reporting problems with wheels and hubs or brakes. Not only does it have the most complaints, but CarComplaints.com also rates it as the worst model year due to several other factors.

No other Elantra model year comes close to the number of reported problems that the 2013 Elantra has. But next up with the most complaints are model years 2012, 2011, and 2010, with 147, 106, 107 complaints, respectively.

Luckily, newer model years have fewer-reported problems, with the 2014 Elantra earning 76 complaints, 56 for 2015, 36 for 2016, 52 for 2017, and 13 for 2018. 

The cost of common Hyundai Elantra problems

If you’re one of the unlucky few to have a Hyundai Elantra with power steering problems, you may experience its first problems around 66,000 miles and it could cost an average of around $12,000 to fix, according to CarComplaints.com. This seems to be the most expensive problem to fix.

Most owners experience problems such as engine ticking or failure around 70,000 miles and it costs an average of $4,100 to fix. But at the high end, the ticking problem can cost more than $4,500.

Repairing the Elantra’s gas mileage doesn’t come with an easy solution, but the typical repair cost sits around $3,000, with most owners noticing a disparity in EPA estimates before their Elantra reaches 10,000 miles.

Do people enjoy their Elantras?

According to Consumer Reports, the Hyundai Elantra’s problems are reflected in its customer satisfaction ratings. The model years which have received the most complaints at CarComplaints.com also received the lowest possible customer satisfaction rating of one (out of five) by Consumer Reports. Surprisingly enough though, even some of its oldest tested model years have an average or good rating in overall reliability.