MODELYEARINDEX

Hyundai Elantra

3,547 complaints across 12 scored model years and 29 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Hyundai Elantra Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2013 vs model median 4.0×
Model median3× median
Tires & Wheels 111
Steering 81
Suspension 79
Avoid

2013 · 2017

Best

2018 · 2019

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.74× 112 B
2011
0.75× 132 C
2012
1.50× 321 D
2013
3.96× 709 F
2014
1.10× 177 C
2015
0.77× 118 C
2016
0.85× 136 B
2017
2.56× 466 F
2018
1.02× 181 B
2019
0.90× 169 B
2020
1.17× 207 C
2021
0.98× 233 C
2022 P
0.96× 205 C
2023 P
1.23× 239 C
2024 P
0.54× 102 B
2025 P
0.23× 40 A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

Combined MPG35
City / Highway31 / 40
Engine1.8L, 4 cyl
DriveFront-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost$1,750

Recalls

29 campaigns on record, 2 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
13V113000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH 2010 1,712,336
23V651000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2011–2015 1,649,478
20V061000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE 2010 476,111
17V769000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES 2013, 2014 390,467
20V393000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL 2011, 2012 272,126
22V354000 SEAT BELTS:FRONT 2021, 2022 230,233
24V879000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2021, 2022 226,118
15V100000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2010 204,768

+ 21 further campaigns

Others in Compact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Model Years to avoid Grade
Acura ILX
20142016
C
Audi A3
20152017
C
BMW 1 Series
none flagged
C
BMW I3
none flagged
C
Buick Verano
none flagged
C
Chevrolet Bolt EV
2017
C
Chevrolet Cobalt
none flagged
C
Chevrolet Cruze
20112012
C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2013 Elantra
Complaints in window
709
Severity-weighted
1,149.5
Model median (weighted)
290
vs model median
3.96×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
6
Open investigations
1
Score 6.7 F