Hyundai Elantra

Rollin in my Hyundai Elantra SE – This vehicle is very reliable and sporty. It has great acceleration and good on fuel. I was very impressed with the low noise in the interior when the windows are up. I thought it would be noisy since it’s close to the ground. AC/Heat feels good . Very affordable. It is enough room to seat 4 people comfortably and maybe a small child in the… Read more

rear seat. Pop open trunk and fuel cap. The best feature is you can use personal IPhones to play music, movies and news. Cruise control.

Chadstone Hyundai paired with a poor Elantra – Car holds onto revs and needs to be manually changed for an auto. Chadstone Hyundai is neglectful and their recent google reviews suggest it too. Show details

Do Not Buy This Car – My wife and her father bought this car at exactly the same time 2014 brand new. Father in law 200000km motor blew after constant ticking $8000. Wifes car always serviced 130000 ticking told need new motor. This seems to be a regular thing with people in the USA suing Hyundia in class action as they will not admit it is a fault in vechile. Show details

Great car if you know how to maintain it – We love the car. Ours has done 150,000km with faults listed below. It is not luxurious inside but has loads of room. We go camping in the Northern Territory in this car, travelling at 110 - 130km/h which is a lot faster than the caravans we pass! Has effectively a bigger boot than our Ford Falcon and the same rear leg room. Engine is great… Read more

but must have oil changes every 15,000k. Use 5w-30 oil A3/B4 Castrol Edge or Shell equivalent. A3/B4 oil is required as it has much better life and wear qualities than other oils due to SAPS and HTHS specs. This allows 15,000k oil changes. Note that this oil is rated SL whereas the manual recommends SM or above for minor fuel economy improvement (but the manual does permit SL).

Added note. Owners who are concerned about premature engine failure in this and later Hyundai and Kia products should re-read the above comments. The use of specified 'environmentally friendly' low viscosity 5w-20 C3 or GF-4 oils may be a contributor, at least in part, especially in Australia with 45 deg C plus summer temperatures. The manual clearly says that higher viscosity oils 'ARE required for satisfactory lubrication in hot weather'. Despite this the chart shows these low viscosity oils to be adequate over 50 deg C, which I believe is contradictory. Why show a range of heavier oils in the chart if 5w-20 oil is in fact best practice? In reality, it simply isn't, particularly for long oil change intervals and short distance stop start running where fuel dilution is likely to reduce the oil's real viscosity. Neither are A5, C3 or GF-4 oils best practice, despite the manual's recommendations, based on emissions reduction. Use 5w-30 A3/B4 for long 15,000km oil change intervals.

The owners manuals in Australia also say that the auto transmission fluid does not need changing and so dealers don't do it. This is wrong however. The auto trans fluid needs draining every 40 to 50,000km. We found that gear changes were eratic and sometimes the car revved during changes. When we changed the fluid quite a bit of metallic particles came out which is alarming, but this is normal and is the reason why ATF fluid needs to be changed. When you drain the the fluid, only about half is changed as 3 or more litres remain in the gearbox. So a car that has covered (say) 100,000km will need the oil to be changed twice (about 100 or more km apart) if no prior changes have been done. This is easily done by a handyman. We use Nulon LV SYN ATF @ $50 per change because the local dealer doesn't stock the oem fluid.

The most common reliability issue is the driver's air bag. A light will come on. My understanding is that Hyundai charge a fortune to fix this - they wanted $150 just to do a quote. This is easily fixed however by replacing the clock 'spring' (an electrical cable) located behind the steering wheel. Can be done yourself if you buy the spring from Clock Springs Australia for less than $150. For instructions, all Hyundai workshop service manuals are on line at www.hemanual.org. Disconnect the battery negative 30 minutes before doing anything to prevent the air bag from popping! This renders it safe.

The second fault to be aware of is that the MD has excessive toe angle built into the rear wheel alignment. This cannot be fixed. Some forums say you can add washers to change the angles but as an automotive design engineer with 35years experience I strongly caution against this. To avoid abnormal tyre wear and extreme vibration, the tyres need to be swapped front to rear every 15000km as the manual says, or even more frequently.

The third fault is that later 2013 models have the MD-01 radio. This radio is prone to failure but the good news is that it is easily swapped out for the 2012 radio in about a half an hour. These are readily available second hand (eg. AusAuto Parts). Again follow the manual's instruction to install. The earlier radio has much better sound quality too! The last fault we had was a leak at the air conditioning compressor. Got the local air con technician to fit a new blow off valve and regas. Could be a one-off fault I think. Total cost of all faults over 9 years was $750 approx. when fixed myself (except for the air con.) but could have cost a lot with dealer repairs. I will have no hesitation in taking the car on a third 15,000km trip around Australia. Hope this helps somebody!

Update. Car has now completed 185,000km and running as new. The only recent extra ordinary maintenance is flushing of the cooling system with demineralised water (6 times to clear all old coolant) and refill with 3 litres Penrite blue coolant concentrate, top up with demineralised water to give 50% final concentration. Dont use distilled water for flushing as this is typically slightly acidic, sometimes more so.

Good reliable car – I purchased my car back in July 2019. It was an ex rental with full service history and 53k kms on the clock. It has been on many road trips, the longest being from Brisbane to Port Douglas and back. It now has over 140k km’s and I have had no issues with it except for some minor peeling on the plastic headlights of which I never bothered… Read more

persuing. Seems like a common problem on these Kias and Hyundais as they age. The servicing side from Hyundai overall has been disappointing and it feels they want to upsell and offer things that aren’t necessary to make more money. There were also times things were forgotten and at worst I had to wait over 3 hours for a service despite following their instructions to get it done quickly; this particular service was also booked 4 weeks in advance. I have since gone to an independent mechanic of which I’m happy with.

Overall the car itself has been great so would recommend to others but would be weary of Hyundai servicing.

Continues to be my best ever car – The car has now completed 35,000 klm of trouble free motoring and continues to drive as good as day one. The recent service found no issues, the mapping update has improved an already good system and I have learnt of a few new menus to play with, such as change the color of screen and add numerous points of interest icons which can be very handy… Read more

when searching for something like a bank or servo etc, too many to list. As this is my first car with paddle shifters it is still fun to use them particularly coming down a twisty steep road such as Montville to Palmwoods on the Sunshine Coast. Fuel consumption remains very good, can crack the 6l per 100 ks on a highway run at cruising speed, average fortnightly use around the 6.8l per 100 klms but that is rural driving not heavy city work where it would be just under 8l per 100klm. Tyre wear is perhaps a little more than expected but anticipate about 40,000 klms before replacement is due. The new Sonata N Line would be the choice when trade in time comes knocking.

Nice looking inside and out – Bought the manual 2012 model 2nd hand with 140,000km. It drives beautifully and looks great (I think). Everything is working nicely and so far have had no issues- we just do the regular services. It has just been used for commuting to work and back, half an hour each way, and a few big road trips to Snowy Mountains. No issues at all. Show details

We love ❤️ this car – Our Hyundai Elantra is the best car we have owned.We purchased this car in 2013 and have 4 trips to Melbourne from Queensland with no trouble and got 5ltrs to the 100 kl ,very economical and nice big boot for long trips.We love ❤️ this car Show details

Pretty good experience – Used it for uber and personal. Good milage and handling. Not much technical issues. Clockspring stopped working so replaced myself. Interior is fancy.. love it. 125K done and haven’t have any major issues. Show details

A nice car to drive,but – I really enjoyed my Elantra. I purchased with 29000 on the clock which employed the manual gear box. Nearly 7 years later and the clock now showing 145000 I have just traded. Apart from a clock spring problem which deployed the air bags, I had a very good run. The engine however developed the dreaded ticking sound which only means one thing… Read more

usually and that means engine replacement. Besides that the car developed steering problems, aircon leak, break light failure, immobilising problem and a new drive train for driver side window. Once you get past 140000 on this model you might as well forget it so the decision to sell was easy. Would I buy Hyundai again, no there is better stuff out there.

Another Hyundai Engine Fail - Elantra 1.8L NU – An engine that the dealer says needs replacing after 44,000km is an abysmal fail. Australian Consumer Law says a product should be free from defects, fit for purpose, durable and lasting. A reasonable person would expect a serviced car engine to last 250,000km or more as stated on one Hyundai site. Under ACL the car is a major fail and I wouldn't… Read more

have bought it if I'd known about the engine issues.

The car has been serviced exactly as prescribed by Hyundai at their dealership, but has the dreaded loud tick that leads to engine seizure - hopefully not at speed on the highway in front of a semi with your young family in the car as well. Hyundai refuse to acknowledge the known problem here, despite agreeing to an extension of engine warranty overseas because of this engine problem.

Search the internet & you'll find many similar cases.

Not liking it anymore – I use my car for everyday driving. I use my car whenever I go out, however I do have a scrape on my left side of the car and since I got it, I’ve had so many problems with it. I feel like I’ve been ripped off from the car company where I got it from and I’m not going to back there again. I should be getting my car serviced on a regular basis, but… Read more

I haven’t. I wished I bought a suv instead or a sports car. Now I hate it, it’s not my dream car.

Update: I have found out recently that I can’t modify my car at all, no modern technology or anything. You can’t get this car anymore, discontinued. I’m looking to get a new car with all modern features. My dad will be having my car after I get a new one.

Hyundai Elantra is perfect – We are couples with no kid and we bought Hyundai Elantra on 26h April 2019. This is just perfect and we are loving it. Great boot and back seat space with great features. Overall we are really happy with this car. Show details

Still going and even more!!!? – Had this xd hvt for 5 yrs now only major repairs were CV joints radiator and new clutch apart from tyres batteries the norm this has never let me down! Has 210000kms no rust and looks new inside/out am giving this to my son as an ideal first car! As for Hyundai they are worth what you pay for them!!!!! Show details

Almost perfect car let down by head restraint – I test drove this car overnight, but when I got it home, I never took it out as the head restraint had given me a migraine. It slants forward in a way that is very uncomfortable and it pushes your head forward too much. I loved everything else about the car. That one simple thing - uncomfortable head restraint - meant I wouldn't buy it as why… Read more

would I willingly by a car that caused me pain?

The head restraint needs to be able to move back. It thrust my head down and made me sit in a hunched way.

Love my Hyundai Elantra – I bought my Hyundai Elantra last year and am absolutely loving it. While I was more towards buying a Toyota initially, when I test drove Elantra, I immediately changed my mind as I loved the smooth ride so much. Fingers crossed, it hasn't been a problem yet and I would easily recommend this car to anyone. Show details

Crankshaft Sensor Malfunction – My 2013 Elantra has been diagnosed with a failed Crankshaft Sensor and faulty ESC Module, It only just out of warranty and Hyundai refuse to do anything about it. Also its under Dealer Warranty but they wont cover it under their warranty. No more Hyundai for me. My daughter has an i30 and is also unhappy. Show details

The motor needs replacement only after 55,000 kms – We bought a 2013 Elantra second hand in late 2016 from a dealer with just under 30,000 kms on it. It also had nearly 2 years of warranty remaining. It worked well till about 6 months ago (so about a year after the warranty ran out) when I started hearing this rattly noise. After showing it to our mechanic, he advised us that this is a problem with… Read more

a motor (piston slapping) and apparently its quite common with Elantras. So this car is 6 years old, has done only 55,000 kms and needs a motor replaced. It has only been used lightly (did less than 30,000 kms in 3 years since 2016) to travel from home to work, school pick-ups/drop-offs and occasional shopping.

We contacted Hyundai dealer, the cost of replacing a motor is 9,500$. Hyundai Australia essentially told us it is our own problem and (even though this is a manufacturing defect) they are not going to contribute in any way to the motor replacement. We looked at the option of taking them to the ombudsman but it looks like it's a very long and hard process and we just don't have the energy to do it at the moment and we need a working car. We are replacing the motor with a second-hand one hoping we don't run into the same issue again. It's going to cost us 2,500$. Based on the customer service and the size of the problem we are certainly never buying a Hyundai again and definitely not recommending it to anyone.

Love the Hyundai – I have not had the Hyundai very long but after replacing my Toyota Camry which blew a cylinder I could not be happier with the fuel consumption and the many features included in this 2007 model. Being in my senior years I do not use a car as much as in my younger life when I drove interstate regularly and as a taxi proprietor and truck owner I… Read more

knocked up a few million miles behind the wheel. I drive the car daily and have found no problems with it at present. It is due for a ten thousand km. service and as a precaution I will have the timing belt checked early. I am confident there will be no major surprises. It has notched up one hundred a twenty thousand kms. The full service history shows only brakes and minor parts replaced. Nice easy car to drive. I am expecting this car to give me many happy motoring kilometers.

Driving my Hyundai Turbo Elantra – Don’t drive the car as much as I want to as when you get in it you just want to take off for a great long drive . Plenty of power .Very fuel efficient. Its had its second service and found no issues at all with it . The dealer at Hyundai Robina have been great .They drop you where you want to go while waiting or you can sit and have a coffee while doing your emails . Show details

Excellent value for money – I bought a 2012 second hand in 2015 and have had it for four years. I drove it for a couple years on a long commute, 160 kms round trip. Hubby regularly used it for long surf trips, too, so we have driven it from about 20k kms to 160k. We’ve never had a major problem. It is economical to run and maintain. It comfortably seats 4 and I’ve driven three 11 yr old boys in the back no problem. Show details

Great Car with a decent price tag – I have used this car for over 5 years now. You will love the power steering and is still better than many new cars in the current market. Both exterior and the interiors stand-out. Never had any issues apart from wear and tear for the first 5 years. Cruise control seems to be a common issue with these models as it ages. Show details

2016 brand new – excellent smaller family car .have the auto for ease of city driving motor wise good to use plenty power when need it.. comfort of setout inside 5 yr warranty ease of services by dealer..highly recommend Mitsubishi elantra 2nd 1 we have brought brand new Show details

Mundane small car for the masses – After trading in our beloved Renault Clio, in preparation for our first baby - my partner sort the purchase of new Hyundai Elantra SE sedan. Inside the Hyundai was huge - plenty of room in the back seats for a baby capsule and nice big boot for the pram. Aside from that - I really struggled to find anything else I liked about the Hyundai. It… Read more

was under powered and dynamically uninspiring. The 'woody' steering feel and road noise was a particular highlight in its raw basic nature.

Inside the interior was awful with fake cheap leather seats, poxy sound system and cheap feeling power window buttons etcetc.

After some 2 years and just over 9,000 boring KM's I could help myself but TRADE IT IN... Being like new and with low KM's I didn't get a bad trade in ($14k).

Hyundai's are wonderful vehicles, they are reliable and good value for money but terribly underwhelming and just utterly boring.

You can only learn from things in life.

I love it – I love my Hyundai. I dive it every day. Only thing I’d say it it’s not what I’d call a family car. I have a baby seat in the middle and it’s impossible to get the other two rear seatbelts done up. Had to buy extender straps. Also noisy on start up. For about the first 10 mins it taps loudly. Like the oil is not circulating properly. The dealer… Read more

assured me this is “ normal” and everything is fine. Beautiful to drive tho and smooth. Good fuel economy. Don’t be fooled by “free” paint protection. I have to pay every year to have it touched up to maintain warranty.

Bet Car I've Owned – Low fuel cost Gorgeous design Lots of Room inside and very comfortable seats Came with Mags 10 yr warranty Came with RACQ 10 year roadside assistance I recommend a test drive to people looking for a new sporty car! Lighting is stylish as Well. Plenty of space in the boot Drink spaces  Show details

Not a bad car but service will drive you nuts. The radio is garbage – Not a bad car however the service is terrible. My Bluetooth when I am driving is so distorted I cannot use it. When I ring Hyundai Sinclair Penrith they cannot hear me at all when I complain - I do this so they can hear how bad it is. I have been to the dealers 3 times over this and many calls on the road so they can hear it - it's unusable.… Read more

Sinclair has agreed to replace the radio. Cartronics - the replacement supplier denies there could be a problem - this is the best that Hyundai can do and produce. Now I am in the middle of supplier denying supply and Sinclair dealer - not the best for a customer. I rang Hyundai customer care regarding this and was told I should do what I am told and go in there at Cartronics demands for a 4th time to prove again to Cartronics what the dealers already knows, wasting my time. I am a busy electrical engineer and this is a company car supplied lease thru Summit. No calls back from Cartronics as they are too busy last week, surprise surprise. This is unbelievable and I hate the car and service now. I expect a whole lot better from Hyundai putting the customer out in the middle of an internal supplier demanding garbage.

Excellent sedan – Been having the car for almost a year now. I’m glad I went with this Elantra. Well built, cost effective to run. If you’re considering it should spend a bit more (2K from memory) for the Elite version with more features (smart key, etc). Hyndai services is great too. One happy camper.  Show details

A class above – Hyundai have really stepped up the quality and look of the Hyundai Elantra. You get a whole lot for your money. They are packed full of safety and modern features, the car has a great finish. It's a classy looking car and it drives really well for a low, low price tag.  Show details