Used 2018 Hyundai Elantra Consumer Reviews
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Pleasantly surprised.
Brian McDonald , 01/20/2018
2018 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
83 of 86 people found this review helpful
This is my first Hyundai vehicle after much research and i am pleased with my purchase. There are great discounts on this model in my case 3k discount. I wanted a reliable comfortable car with decent room and great gas mileage. The Value Edition Elantra fit the bill. My test drive revealed an uncommonly quiet and smooth ride for the class. Im 6 ft tall and was able to easily find a comfortable driving position. Once warmed up engine was smooth and quiet for a four cylinder. The performance for me was more than satisfactory as im not heavy on the gas. If i wanted more performance i would have opted for the sport version but you also pay more for it in gas and insurance. The sport driving mode gives this car a decent amount of pep if you want it but you take a hit in gas mileage. Regular mode is just fine with me. Ive been averaging 34 mpg in mixed driving. I hit 41 mpg in just hwy driving at one point. In addition this car has a real spare tire, a hand brake as opposed to electronic , real knobs for tuning , volume and other functions! Apple car play works flawlessly as with Bluetooth and phone functions. The fit and finish are top notch. I am impressed with Hyundai and will likely buy another one fir my next vehicle.
Nice car. Questionable Engineering.
palebeachbum, 12/14/2018
updated 06/21/2022
2018 Hyundai Elantra SEL 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
70 of 74 people found this review helpful
*ORIGINAL REVIEW* I've only owned my Elantra SEL for about two weeks at the time of writing this, so this review is based solely on my initial impressions of the car. PROS: It's an excellent value in its class. The Elantra offers almost everything I want and expect from a car, except for a couple of gripes below. It looks classy inside and out. The build quality seems top-notch, aside from a few rattles. The interior is a very attractive and comfortable place to spend time. Passengers comment that it seems much more upscale than they'd expect for a compact economy car. The driver's seat is a nice balance of comfort and support. My bad back and hip seem to have no issue with this seat. I've done a couple of 5+hr drives with no discomfort. Ergonomics are very good overall, though I do dislike how high the window sill is. I can't comfortably rest my arm on it, even with the seat height raised up significantly. It's not hard to find a comfortable driving position. The driver's seat is height adjustable and the steering wheel both tilts and telescopes. The manual climate control is simple and easy to use, though I often find myself flip-flopping between fan speeds 2 and 3 to keep a comfortable cabin temperature. The 2.0L Atkinson-cycle 4cyl. engine is smooth and has plenty of pep for my taste. I've been averaging 37-38 MPG in mixed driving. The 6-spd automatic transmission feels weird. It's my least favorite aspect of the car. It downshifts aggressively when I'm decelerating to a stop. I feel it bumping down through every gear. I should note that this transmission has 3 drive modes: Eco, Normal and Sport. The issue of bumping down through the gears aggressively is not apparent in Eco mode, only Normal and Sport. It also has a weird delay of power when upshifting from one gear to the next, as if it partially cuts throttle during the upshifts. Overall, it's just an odd feeling transmission, especially in city driving where my speed fluctuates a lot below 40mph. The ride quality is a nice balance of firm and stable, yet smooth and relatively absorbent. The 4-wheel disc brakes are strong and the brake pedal has good feel, if maybe slightly spongy. I'm appreciating the Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which beeps inside the car when it detects a vehicle or pedestrian crossing behind me with the car in Reverse. It's saved me more than once. The maintenance required is very infrequent, making it a cheaper car to run. I split the difference between the normal and severe service schedule. Oil changes once every 5,000 miles. The transmission fluid every 60k miles. There is no timing belt to replace at regular intervals, since it has a timing chain. It has traditional multipoint fuel injection, so there is no extra maintenance required for GDI like on some other vehicles. *UPDATE 12/14/19* I've been driving my Elantra for 1 year and about 12k miles now. My opinion hasn't changed regarding the pros and cons mentioned above. Since the first week of ownership, however, there have been 2 persistent problems and one fluke that my local Hyundai dealers have been unable or unwilling to fix. First, the engine has random temper tantrums. The engine runs perfectly one day, then the next it exhibits multiple symptoms. It sputters, acts like it wants to stall, makes horrible rattling noise while accelerating and feels it's lacking its usual power. The check engine light has never illuminated during these times, which I find very odd. On two separate occasions the transmission slipped between gears. I was accelerating and when the transmission attempted to change gears it felt like the car went into neutral. The engine RPMs jumped way up while the car lost momentum. The lesser issue, but still annoying, has been a creaking noise coming from the front suspension. I guess both problems have to get worse before either of my local dealerships will be able to properly diagnose and repair. There were initially a couple of interior rattles, but those seem to have sorted themselves out. *UPDATE 6/16/20* 1.5yrs and 16k miles into my ownership now. Still loving the car for all the positive points mentioned above. No new issues to report, though the above mentioned poor running symptoms persist. That has been the Achilles heel detracting from my complete love of this car. One new negative point to mention is the low ground clearance. I have to be hyper-vigilant every time I pull into a parking space facing a curb. The "chin" of the car is extremely low and scrapes the concrete. I've never had this problem in any of the dozen cars I've owned in the past. *UPDATE 12/18/20* Currently at almost 20k miles. Still loving the car. Still hating the persistent problems. Gas mileage is fantastic. 34mpg in mostly city driving lately. Exceeds 45mpg on the interstate at 70mph. I'm still living with the poor engine performance and suspension noise. At the dealerships recommendation, I'm waiting for the check engine light to come on. Considering it hasn't come on yet in 2yrs, I'm starting to wonder if it ever will. *UPDATE 12/18/21* After 3yrs and 25k miles of ownership, I sold my Elantra. I was so tired of dealing with the ongoing problems. After writing a very unflattering review of my local dealership on a survey Hyundai sent me, they finally fixed the suspension noise last Spring. It turned out to be a defective front strut assembly. The engine was still running poorly with no solution. I was done dealing with this headache of a car. It had to go. I do not recommend the 2017-2020 Hyundai Elantra. All problems I experienced with mine are common complaints. It's a shame because it's a great looking car, solidly built, with nice materials and fitment. Plenty of pep and great gas mileage. Reeks of competence and quality, but with abysmal reliability under the hood.
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Way Better Than I Would Have Thought
John, 04/06/2018
2018 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition SULEV 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
43 of 45 people found this review helpful
A 2018 Elanta was the last car that I thought I would buy. I owned a 2008 Elantra which was the only new car that I could afford at the time. It was an okay budget car, but I have driven golf carts with better driving dynamics. Ten years later, I wanted something more upscale with better road manners. My research led me to believe that the Civic or Jetta would be my best choices. But the Civic looks to me like a weird insect and the seats are really low. And the new Jetta has promise, but the old maxim of not buying a redesigned car in its first year lead me away. I was thinking of buying the current Jetta model assuming that I could negotiate a great deal on a discontinued car. Then I was on vacation and the rent-a-car place allowed me to choose which car I wanted in the aisle. I saw the new Elantra and thought it would be interesting to see what it is like to drive. I was totally blown away. Inside the car is really nicely designed and looks sporty. The value edition feels like a luxury car. And the way it rides is so improved over previous models. It is quiet and holds the road well. A number of the professional reviews say that it is not fun to drive, which compared to other new compact cars on the market (Golf, Civic, Mazda 3) is probably correct, but I think it is fun enough. It’s certainly a refined driving experience. Gas mileage is really good. I’m getting over 45 MPG on highway drives. The engine is a little slow at lower speeds but not at all a problem on the highway when you are already over 50+ miles per hour. I would recommend taking it for a test drive. Hyundai seems to realize that once you drive you, you will actually like it. I guess that is why they are giving out $40 gift cards with test drives. Hey, that is nice of them as well. I suggest calling around to various dealers to get the best price. It was not too hard for me to get $4500 off MSRP for the value edition.
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By best sedan with good features and great mpg
Nafees Shaik, 07/22/2018
2018 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
29 of 30 people found this review helpful
Overall an excellent vehicle. It's definitely a little compact in the rear seats but the front is as good as a full sized sedan. I got the value edition and the only thing I miss is the power seat but I don't normally change my seat position once I set it and I am the only one who drives my car so not a big deal. Fog lamps, USB & Aux, Sun roof, auto dimming mirror with garage opener, key less lighted entry and start/stop, auto climate control and the best features (also my favorites) are the touch screen with android Auto / iCar Play integration, blind spot detection and smart trunk . Both exterior and interior styling is top notch and nothing can beat the 5 year/60 K mile warranty. This is my 4th Hyundai (first brand new) and I have only seen quality improve over the last 15 years. Now, that's what I call a style, economy, safety & convenience package! ...and it's true...best things do come in small packages.
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Best Value!
Matt T, 10/02/2018
updated 10/05/2021
2018 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
I love this car. I am kind of wishing I had bought the Limited edition to get the BlueLink, Lane Assist, and power driver seat, but the Value Edition gives you most things you could want for a great price. Best car I have ever owned, and I have owned 8 cars now. It is a comfortable ride and integrates technology well. The only thing I miss is having a CD player. Well worth the price, and better than the other compact cars that I drove. I test drove the Nissan Sentra, Mazda 3, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Chevy Cruze, Kia Forte, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Jetta, and the Subaru Impreza. Among these cars, the Hyundai Elantra rose above the rest for me in looking for a reliable, fuel efficient, comfortable car with the few extra features I wanted. Also very sporty, I enjoyed modifying some of the features to make it look even better. It's styling is probably my favorite part. I highly recommend the Elantra, and will probably buy it again in the future. Update: After 3 years of ownership & 67,000 miles, it is still the best car I’ve ever owned. I have not had a single issue with the vehicle not even minor ones.
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