Today we are gonna take a look at the 5th generation (2010-14) Hyundai Elantra and how reliable it is, along with some common problems to watch out for if you are considering buying one.
Engine options
The Elantra came standard with a 1.6L 4 cylinder engine. While not exactly impressive power, it gets outstanding gas mileage, coming in at 28mpg city and 38mpg highway.
Power could be upgraded to a 1.8L or 2.0L 4 cylinder.
The 1.8L 4 cylinder engine was offered as an option from 2011 on, as a slight upgrade in power. This power came at the expense of fuel economy (as always), dropping it to 22 city, 29 highway.
The 2.0 was an option 2013-15 grabbing slightly more power while not losing much gas mileage over the 1.8L.
These engines aren’t meant to be raced anyway, they will last far longer if you drive with a light foot. With proper maintenance and easy driving, I’ve seen this drivetrain hit 150k miles easily, 200k plus less frequently but they are still a bit new for that kind of mileage.
Suspension Problems
This car wasn’t built with racing suspension either. It isn’t the most comfortable ride out there. The rear is torsion bar-style suspension, which isn’t the most forgiving over bumps and potholes.
A common failure point is the wheel bearings. I’ve changed more Elantra wheel bearings than any other vehicle under 100k miles. Luckily this repair isn’t terribly expensive, at about an hour of labor, plus the part.
This is the only safety concern that is fairly common on the Elantra. Keep an ear out for a roaring noise as you get to speeds 35 mph(56 km/ph) and up.
Brake pads only seem to last 30-50k miles, which is low, but once again those are a cheap repair.
Interior Issues
There are a few interior issues to keep an eye out for. Although not detrimental and not affecting the reliability of the vehicle, I felt it’s worth mentioning for you to check over before purchase.
Window and mirror switches are common failures. Be sure to verify they all work a few times.
Visors breaking is somewhat common, just peek at it when you hop in.
Some people aren’t fans of the MyLink infotainment system, lots of complaints about phones not connecting or randomly not working. This is common across all manufacturers after new phones come out that the vehicle wasn’t made for.
Exterior
The only real issues with the exterior are the paint chipping and peeling early on some Elantras, and some sunroofs busting.
I prefer to stay away from sunroofs anyway, all they are good for is breaking stuck open, and being expensive to fix.
By the time you are reading this article, these models are all old enough that if the paint is going to peel, it already will be when you see it.
Overall Opinion on the 2010-14 Elantra
I have zero major complaints about this vehicle. It isn’t made to be the flashiest, most comfortable vehicle on earth.
They built this Elantra to get you around reliably, while not costing a fortune to buy or maintain.
This vehicle is more ideal for mid to low commuters. The gas mileage and faithful drivetrain will let you have a budget-friendly commute for years to come.
I can’t say I would want to drive it for an hour or more at a time, as it’s lacking as a comfortable vehicle to be in for extended amounts of time daily.
I can recommend this vehicle to drivers looking for:
a cheap, reliable ride
good gas mileage
cheap repairs
I don’t recommend this vehicle to people who:
commute more than an hour one-way
want lots of creature comforts
Hopefully, with this information in hand, you can decide if the 2010-14 Elantra is a vehicle you are interested in.
We’ve gone over some common issues to keep an eye out for and save some headaches later.
The overall reliability score I’d give this vehicle is 8/10 up until 150k miles.
Be sure to comment below, or hit me up on Twitter to let me know what you think of these Elantras @BowTiedGreaseMonkey
As always, comments, tweets, and DMs are open to any questions or suggestions you have.
1st car I bought was a used 05 Elantra. Sold that for a new 07 sonata. Only thing that went on that was the AC until it was totaled in an accident. Loved that car, base model. Picked up a new 12 accent for the gas mileage. That's hitting about 115k miles. Son mostly uses that now. I replaced the 07 sonata with a 15 crv. That's around 115k too. Great articles, thanks.