Hyundai Elantra Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 6,323 NHTSA complaints, the Hyundai Elantra years to avoid are 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2020 — the worst logged up to 4× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 315 | 229 | 7 | CAUTION |
| 2009 | 279 | 210 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2010 | 451 | 360 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2011 | 459 | 253 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 671 | 371 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 1,324 | 864 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 380 | 298 | 2 | CAUTION |
| 2015 | 258 | 195 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2016 | 286 | 181 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2017 | 759 | 428 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 274 | 193 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2019 | 242 | 151 | 1 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 240 | 174 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2021 | 128 | 37 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2022 | 95 | 26 | 5 | SOLID |
| 2023 | 90 | 38 | 2 | CAUTION |
| 2024 | 52 | 19 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2025 | 20 | 7 | 0 | SOLID |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Hyundai Elantra. Full methodology.
Common Hyundai Elantra problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Hyundai Elantra are engine, brakes, electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Piston slap / engine knock / internal engine failure
· Hyundai Elantra 2012–2014Corroborated by 11 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 543 engine complaints across 2012–2014, typically 76,000–134,500 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $15,000.
ABS module / brake system malfunction
· Hyundai Elantra 2012–2015Corroborated by 4 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 432 brakes complaints across 2012–2015.
Airbag non-deployment / warning light malfunction
· Hyundai Elantra 2012–2014Corroborated by 5 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 329 electrical complaints across 2012–2014.
Why these years stand out
2010 Hyundai Elantra: 451 owner complaints on federal record, 360 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Elantra.
2011 Hyundai Elantra: 459 owner complaints on federal record, 253 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Elantra.
2012 Hyundai Elantra: 671 owner complaints on federal record, 371 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Elantra.
2013 Hyundai Elantra: 1,324 owner complaints on federal record, 864 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Elantra.
2017 Hyundai Elantra: 759 owner complaints on federal record, 428 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Elantra.
2020 Hyundai Elantra: 240 owner complaints on federal record, 174 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Hyundai Elantra.
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FAQ
What years of the Hyundai Elantra should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Hyundai Elantra years to avoid are 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2020 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Hyundai Elantra?
No single Hyundai Elantra year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Hyundai Elantra verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Hyundai Elantra's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Hyundai Elantra before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Hyundai Elantra reliable?
The Hyundai Elantra's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 6,323 NHTSA owner complaints, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2020 rate "avoid" — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Hyundai Elantra?
The most-reported problem area for the Hyundai Elantra is engine, followed by brakes and electrical. Confirmed failures include piston slap / engine knock / internal engine failure, abs module / brake system malfunction, airbag non-deployment / warning light malfunction. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Hyundai Elantra across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Hyundai Elantra, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.