Buying a used Hyundai Elantra (2011-20)

Hyundai Elantra cars seen here during 2000 were from the third generation (XD series) of the Korean brand’s cheap-and-cheerful small car.

Others had been sold overseas since the early 1990s, but presumably were too close in specification to the Hyundai Lantra sold in Australia.

Early Aussie-spec Elantras delivered more punch than their bland appearance might suggest. The first cars had 94kW, rising by 2003 to 105kW in a range that offered sedan and hatchback versions across three trim levels.

The fourth-generation (HD-series) Hyundai Elantra was launched in 2006 at the New York auto show, confirming Hyundai’s heightened global focus. The new shape was wider, with high sides and a rectangular grille; less distinctive than earlier versions but more appealing perhaps to mainstream buyers. The local launch was held in August 2006.

Australian versions of the fifth-generation MD-series Hyundai Elantra arrived in 2011 with a radically revamped shape. It was now a sedan-only proposition, with the hugely popular Hyundai i30 drawing in hatchback (and small wagon) buyers.

A 1.8-litre replaced the previous model’s 2.0-litre twin-cam four-cylinder petrol engine, but with 5kW more power and a six-speed automatic instead of the previous four-speed unit.

The next major overhaul came in 2016 with the sixth-generation model (AD series) and this was a very different Elantra again. The nose was dominated by a five-bar grille and the more rigid structure featured sufficient insulation to deal at last with lingering noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) issues.

For the first time in Elantra history, a turbocharged engine became available with the arrival of the sporty SR Turbo.

An updated model range was announced in 2019 but survived barely 18 months before Australian sales ended. Elantra then fell victim to global component shortages prompted by COVID-19 and production ended in 2022.

• Paint delamination, mostly on upper surfaces that receive greatest levels of sun exposure
• Valve train noise at start-up due to low oil pressure and component wear
• Wheel alignment leading to premature tyre edge wear
• Oil smoke due to possible turbocharger failure

Australia’s fifth-generation MD-series Hyundai Elantra arrived in 2011 with three levels of trim but a single mechanical specification.

The new shape with its swoopy profile was 45mm longer in the wheelbase and gave the impression it was significantly bigger than the model it replaced.

The Elantra’s engine had shrunk from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder to a 1.8-litre unit, and while power increased to 110kW (+5kW) the smaller engine delivered slightly less torque – 178Nm against the previous 186Nm.

Performance and improvements to fuel economy came courtesy of a brand-new automatic transmission, with six ratios in place of four. Some versions of the MD Elantra were also available with six-speed manual gearbox.

The local range opened at $20,590 plus on-road costs with the six-speed Active manual. As an automatic it cost $2000 more but weighed just 2kg more than the manual.

Rivals on price included the closely related Kia Cerato and Mazda3 Neo, so Hyundai needed to pack its product fairly comprehensively with features.

The list included six-speaker sound with a colour dash screen, iPad and USB inputs, Bluetooth and a multifunction steering wheel. Four power windows and electric mirrors were included, so too air-conditioning. The seats at Active level were cloth trimmed and needed to be adjusted manually.

Further up the line, the Elite (from $23,590) didn’t have flash interior trim but a smarter kind of cloth. Value-adding items included dual-zone air-conditioning, push-button start with a proximity key and leather wrapping for the steering wheel.

Outside were fog lights, a chromed grille embellisher and 16-inch alloy wheels. With it came a full-size alloy spare.

Topping the MD-series Elantra range at $28,990 plus ORCs was the Premium. This came with mandatory automatic transmission and is the version to track down if you’re looking for value in the used market.

After losing around half its up-front price in depreciation, the Premium won’t cost a great deal more than an Elite with comparable kilometres and comes with so much more.

Premium seats have leather facings, the mirrors fold electrically, the lights and wipers activate themselves and – the big one – there’s a powered sunroof. Down below are 17-inch alloy wheels with 45-profile tyres.

Just over two years elapsed before a mild restyle emerged (Series II) and Hyundai restructured its local range to minimise price gaps between models. It also took the opportunity to add some features at each level.

The Active now had fog lights and rear park assist and as a manual would cost $20,990 plus ORCs. It was followed by the new SE version which added leather (real and simulated) throughout the cabin and was priced from $21,750 plus ORCs.

Then came the uprated Elite and finally the Premium with a bundle of driver assistance systems added to its features list.

In 2016, the Elantra entered its sixth generation and brought a sporty new model to Hyundai showrooms. Priced from $31,290 plus ORCs, the SR Turbo didn’t come cheap but it also delivered 150kW from a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine via a six-speed manual or seven speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The stock wheels were 17-inch alloys with 18s optional, a power sunroof and leather sports seats were included.

Safety systems sat high on the equipment list for all Elantra models, and even early Active versions featured enough equipment to achieve a maximum five-star ANCAP rating.

Series II cars built after 2015 had even more, with rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera on every version in the range. Choose an SR or Premium and the list would expand to include a front cross traffic warning (but no autonomous braking) and lane change monitoring.

In any format, the Hyundai Elantra does the job its manufacturer intended. In MD Series II (from 2014) and AD (from 2016) form, it will just do it a bit better.

Then, if you can muster the money and are able to handle some possibly unexpected excitement, take a look at the post-2016 Elantra SR Turbo version.

The MD Series II Elantra was the first of the breed to benefit from local engineering input, focused mainly on improving how the cars deal with rotten Australian roads and helping overcome the inherent vagueness of Hyundai’s electric-assist power steering.

Improved body control over bumps was achieved by rejigging the spring and damper rates and fitting a slimmer front anti-roll bar. Tyres contribute significantly in this regard as well, so those whose daily commute involves lots of lumps and bumps will be better served by an Elantra with smaller-diameter rims and taller tyre sidewalls.

Seat comfort is subjective and getting the right relationship between seat, wheel and pedals can be fiddly. For some drivers, the steeply raked windscreen pillars sit in just in the wrong spot for ideal vision, but for others they are fine.

Basic 1.8-litre cars aren’t rocketships, and even Elantras with manual transmission take around 10 seconds to reach 100km/h. For proper performance – 0-100km/h in 7.0 seconds and 80-120km/h overtaking in 4.0sec with the dual-clutch transmission – an SR does the job.

No one expects the turbo engine to match an atmo unit for economy, but Hyundai’s 1.6T still won’t bludgeon you at the bowser. It uses 95RON premium unleaded and local tests returned an average of 7.9L/100km.

Considering the relative performance, that’s a good result against the 6.4L/100km achieved by a 2.0-litre Active with the six-speed automatic.

Obviously, a driver who spends a lot of time with their foot planted against an Elantra’s firewall will have no hope of getting anywhere near those numbers.

Handling in the SR climbs an extra rung, thanks in big measure to the independent rear suspension which replaces the standard cars’ torsion beam and the way it interacts with low-profile tyres.

Fitting the more complex suspension involved reshaping the rear floor pan and robbing the boot of some storage space. Owners of A9X Holden Toranas will relate.

Excellent, although only until the youngest family members start sprouting long legs and bulky bodies. Accommodation in the back of the Hyundai Elantra isn’t vast – it’s a small car, remember – and pushing the front seats to their limits of travel will cramp those in the back.

The rear seat is high enough, though, to give shorter occupants a decent view and helps when installing and removing small children from their safety capsules.

Considering the Elantra’s overall size, its 458-litre boot is substantial – just 12 litres smaller than the class-leading Toyota Corolla sedan – with further space available if you fold the rear seat.

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Used vehicle grading for Hyundai Elantra (2011-20)
Design & Function: 13/20
Safety: 15/20
Practicality: 15/20
Value for Money: 14/20
Wow Factor: 13/20 (SR Turbo)
Score: 70/100

Also consider:
Honda Civic, Kia Cerato, Mazda3, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf