2018 Hyundai Elantra

2018 Hyundai Elantra Overview

Is the 2018 Hyundai Elantra a Good Used Car?

Yes, the 2018 Hyundai Elantra is a good used compact car . Available as a sedan or a hatchback, this is a great car for people who prioritize space and comfort over sportiness.

Check out the 2018 Elantra's strengths:

• Good gas mileage, especially in the Eco trim
• Comfortable, supportive front seats
• Lots of available features
• User-friendly touch screen
• Plenty of cargo space and a low liftover height
• Above-average predicted reliability rating

But be sure to note its main weaknesses:

• Unimpressive engines
• Lower safety scores than many rivals
• Tight rear seats compared to a few competitors

Why You Can Trust Us

Our Hyundai Elantra review includes far more than just one person's opinion. We collected professional evaluations from 31 sources and combined them with concrete data like fuel economy estimates, safety features, and performance specs to help you make an informed buying decision.

The U.S. News Best Cars team has been ranking cars, trucks, and SUVs since 2007, and our staff has more than a combined 75 years of automotive industry experience. To ensure our impartiality, we never accept expensive gifts or trips from car companies, and an outside team handles the advertising on our site.

Pricing

How Much is a 2018 Hyundai Elantra?

Based on listings for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra on our site, the average price is $15,000, which is well below average for the class. Prices range from $12,500 to $19,200 and vary depending on the vehicle’s condition, mileage, features, and location.

See the Best Used Car Deals »

How Much Does the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Cost to Own?

The 2018 Elantra’s five-year costs for gas, insurance, repairs, and maintenance are projected to be about $21,420, or $4,284 per year. That’s about average for a compact car .

Is It Better to Buy a Used or New Elantra?

The 2019 Hyundai Elantra is part of the same generation as the 2018 model. There are some notable changes for 2019. The new Elantra receives updated interior and exterior styling, as well as standard features like a rearview camera and a 5-inch display screen. Newly available features include driver drowsiness monitoring and wireless device charging. The 2019 Elantra starts at $17,100.

Read about the new Hyundai Elantra »

Hyundai redesigned the Elantra sedan for 2017. It gained a new base engine with similar horsepower and fuel economy ratings compared to the 2016 model, as well as many additional available tech features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Available safety features for 2017 included blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control.

The Elantra GT hatchback was redesigned for 2018. Compared to the 2017 model, it has about 4 extra feet of cargo space an engine that produces 12 fewer horsepower. That minor drop in power didn’t negatively affect performance, though, and it's still the second-most powerful engine in the Elantra lineup. The new engine earns comparable fuel economy ratings to the previous model’s engine.

Compare the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Elantra »

See the Best New Car Deals »

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How Reliable Is the 2018 Hyundai Elantra?

The 2018 Hyundai Elantra has a slightly above-average predicted reliability rating of 3.5 out of five from J.D. Power.

Read more about Elantra reliability »

2018 Hyundai Elantra Recalls

At the time of writing, there is one recall for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra:

• The sunroof may not auto-reverse (GT hatchback only)

See more information on Hyundai Elantra safety recalls »

Which Used Hyundai Elantra Trim Is Right for Me?

The 2018 Hyundai Elantra sedan comes in six trims: SE, SEL, Value Edition, Limited, Eco, and Sport. The hatchback Elantra GT comes in two trims: GT and GT Sport. The Elantra Eco is the choice if fuel economy is your most important concern. If you’re more interested in tech and safety features, the Elantra Limited is the best option. The Elantra GT makes a great choice for drivers who want a little more horsepower (though don’t expect it to feel fast) and more cargo space.

• Hyundai Elantra SE: This is the base trim, featuring a 147-horsepower engine and a six-speed manual transmission. It comes with Bluetooth, four speakers, and a USB port.
• Hyundai Elantra SEL: The Elantra SEL comes standard with an automatic transmission and adds a rearview camera, blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, and an infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
• Hyundai Elantra Eco: The Elantra Eco includes a turbocharged 128-horsepower engine that’s the most fuel-efficient in the lineup. In addition to the lower-trim features, the Eco has a hands-free trunk release, heated front seats, and dual-zone automatic climate control.
• Hyundai Elantra Limited: Standard features in the Elantra Limited include leather upholstery, two additional USB ports, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. The Elantra Limited is available with several features not offered in lower trims, including an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, an Infinity audio system, Clari-fi music restoration, a sunroof, heated rear seats, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and pedestrian detection.
• Hyundai Elantra GT: The Elantra GT comes standard with a 161-horsepower four-cylinder engine, and the GT Sport comes with a 201-horsepower turbo-four. The GT Sport also offers a seven-speed automatic transmission. Features for both are similar to the sedan’s Limited trim.

See 2018 Hyundai Elantra trims and specs »

2018 Hyundai Elantra Safety

Score: 8.9/10

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the Elantra a 2018 Top Safety Pick+. The Elantra received the highest rating of Good in five crash tests and the second-highest rating of Acceptable in the small overlap front passenger-side evaluation. Properly equipped Elantras received a Superior rating for front crash prevention. Depending on the trim, the Elantra earned the top rating of Good or the worst rating of Poor for how well its headlights illuminate the road ahead.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave both the Elantra sedan and hatchback body styles an overall safety rating of four out of five stars. They earned four stars in each of the frontal crash, side crash, and rollover tests.

Standard advanced safety features:

• none

Available advanced safety features:

• rearview camera
• blind spot monitoring
• rear cross traffic alert
• forward collision warning
• automatic emergency braking
• pedestrian detection
• lane departure warning
• lane keep assist
• lane change assist
• adaptive cruise control

2018 Hyundai Elantra Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: 2018 Hyundai Elantra or 2018 Honda Civic?

The 2018 Honda Civic , like the Elantra, is offered in both sedan and hatchback body styles. The Civic is a good all-around small car; it's athletic and energetic, with a quality interior. The Elantra isn't as fun to drive as the Civic, but both cars get good fuel economy and have a nice array of tech features. Overall, the Honda is the better choice.

Which Is Better: 2018 Hyundai Elantra or 2018 Mazda3?

The 2018 Mazda3 is another small car available as a hatchback or a sedan. This is arguably the most agile, athletic car in the compact car class , and it easily surpasses the Elantra when it comes to performance. The Mazda3 also gets good gas mileage – though not as good as the Elantra – and features a high-quality interior. However, the Hyundai offers a few tech features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that you can't get in the Mazda3. Still, the Mazda3 is the better choice here.

Compare the Elantra, Civic, and Mazda3 »

2018 Elantra Performance

How Does the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Drive?

This small sedan won't blow you away with its power, but the base engine gets the job done. The GT hatchback feels more energetic, but it still isn't a threat to some of the more athletic cars in the class. The Elantra provides poised handling, and the ride generally remains smooth.

• Base engine: 147-horsepower (161 horsepower in GT models) 2.0-liter four-cylinder
• Available engines:
  • 128-horsepower turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder
  • 201-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder
• Drivetrain: front-wheel drive
• Transmission: standard six-speed manual; available six- and seven-speed automatic

Does the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Get Good Gas Mileage?

With its base engine, the Elantra is one of the most fuel-efficient cars in the class. Opting for the Eco trim, which features the 128-horsepower turbo-four, ups the ante further.

• 147-horsepower four-cylinder: 28/37 mpg city/highway
• 161-horsepower four-cylinder: 24/32 mpg
• 201-horsepower turbo-four: 26/33 mpg
• 128-horsepower turbo-four: 32/40 mpg

Read more about Elantra performance »

2018 Elantra Interior

How Many People Does the 2018 Elantra Seat?

The 2018 Elantra seats five people in two rows in both sedan and hatchback body styles. Drivers enjoy plenty of visibility, and the front seats are comfortable and supportive. Though not as roomy as in rivals like the 2018 Honda Civic or 2018 Toyota Corolla , the Elantra's rear seats still have enough room for two adult passengers.

Standard seating features:

• cloth upholstery

Available seating features:

• leather upholstery
• power-adjustable driver's seat
• heated front and rear seats

How Many Child Car Seats Fit in the 2018 Hyundai Elantra?

The 2018 Elantra has two complete sets of LATCH car-seat connectors on the rear outboard seats and an upper tether on the rear middle seat. For ease of use, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the system the second-highest rating of Acceptable because the lower anchors are set a bit too deep in the seat.

2018 Hyundai Elantra Features

The available touch-screen infotainment system is easy to use, and it's a snap to pair your smartphone with the car. The center stack is smartly arranged, making it easy to find and reach the buttons you need for various audio and climate functions.

• Standard infotainment features: a USB port, a four-speaker audio system, and Bluetooth
• Available infotainment features: either a 7-inch or an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, two additional USB ports, an eight-speaker Infinity audio system, satellite radio, HD Radio, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay
• Other available features: a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, proximity key with hands-free trunk lid, and Hyundai's Clari-Fi music restoration technology

See 2018 Hyundai Elantra specs »

Read more about Elantra interior »

2018 Hyundai Elantra Dimensions

Hyundai Elantra Cargo Space

The Elantra sedan features 14.4 cubic feet of trunk space, which is more than many other compact cars . The redesigned Elantra GT hatchback gives you 24.9 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up and 55.1 cubic feet with them folded. In both body styles, it's easy to load your stuff because of the wide cargo opening and low liftover height.

These cargo dimensions are for comparative purposes. There is no substitute for visually examining the storage area in any car you’re considering.

2018 Hyundai Elantra Length and Weight

• Length: 15 feet (sedan) or 14 feet, 3 inches (hatchback)
• Curb weight: 2,767 to 3,155 pounds

Where Was the 2018 Hyundai Elantra Built?

Hyundai built the Elantra in Alabama and South Korea.