2023 Hyundai Elantra

2023 is a carry-over year of the seventh generation (launched MY2021, refreshed for MY2024), so the volume SE/SEL/Limited trims keep the naturally aspirated 2.0L.

Same 2.0L Smartstream MPI engine as 2021–2022, with no output change for 2023.

No Hyundai-published figure. Third-party tests of the unchanged 147-hp 2.0L/IVT come in around 8 seconds, in line with base engines from rival brands.

The 2.0L is adequate but unremarkable. It feels soft off the line and more willing above about 4,000 rpm, and is smooth without being coarse. It is unchanged from 2021–2022.

Hyundai's IVT (a belt CVT with simulated steps) is smooth at low speed and doesn't hunt, but drones under hard acceleration.

Every 2023 Elantra is front-wheel drive only: base, Hybrid, N Line and N. No AWD is offered on any trim.

Four distinct powertrains for 2023: the 147-hp 2.0L, the 139-hp 1.6L hybrid (Blue/Limited), the 201-hp 1.6T N Line with a 7-speed DCT, and the 276-hp Elantra N. That is unusually broad for a compact sedan, though there is no PHEV or EV.

EPA combined rating for the 2.0L/IVT without stop-start, used on the higher-volume SEL/Limited trims. It is down 1 MPG from the 2022 rating of 35.

EPA city figure for the 2.0L/IVT on the volume trims.

EPA highway figure for the 2.0L/IVT on the volume trims.

Calculated from the 12.4-gallon tank, unchanged across this generation, and the EPA combined rating.

EPA estimated annual fuel cost for the 2.0L/IVT at standard assumptions of 15,000 mi/yr on regular fuel.

The 2.0L, Hybrid and N Line all run on regular unleaded. Only the Elantra N performance variant, which is not the scored trim, calls for premium.

The 2023 Elantra earns NHTSA's top overall rating. Its only 4-star mark is the frontal passenger-side result.

It is a Top Safety Pick (not TSP+) and every crashworthiness test IIHS lists is Good. The award only applies with the Limited's LED headlights, so the volume SE/SEL trims don't actually qualify.

AEB with pedestrian detection, blind-spot avoidance, rear cross-traffic avoidance, lane keep/follow and safe exit warning are standard on every trim. Adaptive cruise is not standard: it needs the SEL Convenience package or the Limited.

Both the standard and optional systems earn Superior vehicle-to-vehicle ratings and avoided collisions at 12 and 25 mph. Daytime pedestrian is Advanced standard and Superior optional, and this rating year has no nighttime pedestrian result.

Blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, both with active braking intervention, are standard from the base SE. Safe Exit Warning is also standard.

Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist centering are standard on every trim. Owners report it sometimes tracks off-center, and the haptic steering-wheel feedback added with the 2024 refresh is absent here.

Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go is available on the volume SEL only through the Convenience package, and Highway Driving Assist is Limited-only. The base SE has neither. The system itself works well once equipped.

No 2023 Elantra trim offers hands-free driving. Highway Driving Assist on the Limited requires hands on the wheel.

The volume SE/SEL/N-Line halogen projectors are rated Poor, with inadequate visibility on all four curves. Only the Limited's LED projectors are rated Good. High-beam assist is standard on both.

The fastback roofline and thick A-pillars limit rear and left-turn sightlines. Standard blind-spot and rear cross-traffic systems partly make up for it, but no 360° camera is offered.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable. The lower anchors sit deep in the seat cushion, but the rear seat is roomy for the class.

Every 2023 Elantra trim, from SE through Limited, Hybrid and N Line, seats five.

The volume SEL has no sunroof, so it gets the full 40.6 in, which is at the top of the compact-sedan band. Sunroof trims (Limited, N Line) drop to 38.7 in.

Front legroom is competitive for the class on the 107.1-in CN7 wheelbase but doesn't lead it.

The fastback-style roofline limits rear headroom to mid-pack for the segment. A 2023 Limited review also noted less rear headroom than rear legroom.

38.0 in of rear legroom is enough for adults and a little better than the middle of the compact-sedan range.

The 14.2 cu ft trunk is about average for a compact sedan. U.S. News says it is deep and flat-floored but has a relatively small opening. (Cars.com's 19 cu ft figure disagrees with Hyundai's own spec sheet and is not used.)

Storage is basic: a bin below the HVAC controls, a fixed console armrest box, dual front cupholders and bottle-holding door pockets in both rows. The SEL has no front-passenger seatback pocket and no rear armrest with cupholders unless you add options, and nothing is cleverer than the class norm.

The SEL's cloth front seats are comfortable for daily use, but adjustment is manual only (6-way driver) with no lumbar support. Power lumbar arrives only on the Limited. Reviewers find the rear seat roomy, with firm headrests.

The ride is well controlled and settled on the highway, better than many mainstream compacts. The SEL's coupled torsion-beam rear axle does let sharp potholes through in town, and CR says the multi-link Hybrid rides better.

Noise is average for the class. Road noise is 'so-so', and the 2.0L gets louder when the IVT holds high revs under hard acceleration.

The SEL does get dual automatic climate control, but heated front seats need the Convenience Package. No trim offers a heated steering wheel, ventilated seats come only on the Limited Hybrid, and the rear seat gets only floor heater ducts, with no rear vents.

The 2023 Elantra SE is one of the cheapest new compact sedans, under the Corolla LE and Civic LX. Hyundai raised prices during the model year, so later SEs listed about $500 higher.

The SEL is the volume Elantra trim. It adds alloy wheels, a proximity key and dual-zone climate over the SE for about $1,300 and stays near the bottom of the segment's price range.

The simple 2.0L naturally aspirated four and 3 years/36,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance keep real costs moderate. Edmunds' gross projection is much higher because it doesn't net out the free maintenance, so this uses a middle value.

The 2023 Elantra has held value reasonably well for a Hyundai. It trails the Corolla and Civic but beats the all-vehicle average, so this uses a conservative midpoint between the two main projections.

Hyundai's 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty tops the band, two years longer than the 3/36 coverage from Toyota, Honda and Mazda.

The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is the longest among mainstream brands, though it applies only to the original owner.

Three years or 36,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance, plus 5-year roadside assistance with no mileage limit, beats ToyotaCare's 2 years/25,000 miles and Honda's lack of any plan. There's a Bluelink connected-services trial on equipped trims, and no charging perks since this is a gas car.

$22,845 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (55% retained, or about $12,565) leaves about $10,280 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,280 in total.

Consumer Reports rates the 2023 Elantra's reliability about average for its model year, with owners reporting exhaust, squeaks/rattles and power-window/door trouble, and nothing flagged in the engine or transmission. J.D. Power's consumer rating for the model is strong. The two sources point to middle-to-upper-average reliability, below the 2024 car, which CR rates above average.

Around the 2023 model year Hyundai was at its dependability peak: 3rd overall in J.D. Power's 2022 VDS, which was its best result ever, and consistently better than the industry average after that. Consumer Reports' brand rankings are less flattering and put Hyundai mid-pack, and the Theta II engine history still counts against the brand. That lands it in the upper part of the mid band.

Two NHTSA campaigns cover the gas MY2023 Elantra, and one is serious. The Idle Stop & Go electric oil-pump controller can overheat and start a fire, so NHTSA issued a park-outside advisory. The other is a minor air-bag emblem weld defect on a few hundred cars. The Hybrid unintended-acceleration recall and the Elantra N fuel-pump recall don't cover the scored gas car, but the CN7 generation's early recall record (seat-belt pretensioner, rear camera) was busy, which keeps this in the lower-typical band.

The volume SE/SEL use the 2.0L Smartstream MPi, a port-injected, low-stress Atkinson-cycle four with no systemic oil-consumption or bearing failures reported. It is unrelated to the Theta II and Nu recall populations. The chain-type IVT (CVT) has a shorter high-mileage record than a conventional automatic, and the 10-yr/100k-mi powertrain warranty offsets some of that risk.

The pre-facelift CN7 cabin looks distinctive, with its driver-angled cockpit, but the volume SE/SEL trims use a lot of hard, hollow plastic on the doors, dash and console. Reviewers rate it below the Civic and Mazda3 for the price. The Limited adds leather and feels class-appropriate.

Assembly is generally sound, and J.D. Power's quality rating is good. Consumer Reports' 2023 owner data does list squeaks & rattles and body/door hardware among its trouble spots, and reviewers note fit trailing the Corolla. That puts it at mid-band with scattered complaints.

Hyundai has roughly 800-850 US dealers. That covers metro and suburban areas well, but the network is thinner in rural areas than Toyota's, Honda's, Ford's or Chevrolet's. Service satisfaction is around the mainstream average. The warranty and complimentary maintenance make the network cheaper to use.

This is a high-volume compact whose 2.0 MPi and IVT are shared with the Kona, Venue and Kia Forte, so parts are cheap and widely stocked and independent shops know the mechanicals. Repair costs are well below the compact-car average. Its aftermarket is smaller than the Civic's or Corolla's.

The volume SE and SEL use the 8-inch Gen 2.0 Display Audio screen. The 10.25-inch navigation screen is standard only on the Limited and N Line, so the scored screen is at the small end of the band.

Reviewers call Hyundai's system quick and easy to learn, and it keeps physical climate and audio controls. The small 8-inch screen is the main limitation.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on the 8-inch screen fitted to the SE and SEL. Oddly, the larger 10.25-inch Limited screen supports only wired projection.

The SEL has no built-in navigation, and its voice control is basic Bluetooth voice recognition. Native maps and 'Dynamic Voice Recognition' (natural language) are on the Limited only, so most owners use phone projection.

The SE has 4 speakers and the volume SEL has 6. The 8-speaker Bose system with center channel and subwoofer is only on the Limited, so the upgrade is modest and not available on the trims most people buy.

The SE and SEL have analog gauges with a 4.2-inch color display. For 2023 the 10.25-inch full-digital cluster was added to the SEL Convenience Package (it is standard on the Limited), which widens availability without making it standard.

Updates for this generation are limited to navigation maps and infotainment firmware on Bluelink cars (the 8-inch unit is updated mainly by USB or at the dealer). Whole-vehicle OTA isn't offered on the 2023 Elantra.

Bluelink is standard from the SEL. The app covers remote start with climate, lock/unlock, vehicle status and car finder, with a free trial followed by a subscription. The SE gets no connected services.

Every trim gets the same two front USB-A ports (one data, one charge-only) and a 12V outlet. There is no rear USB and no USB-C, and wireless charging is optional on the SEL.

The SEL comes with proximity key, push-button start and a hands-free Smart Trunk, and Bluelink adds remote start. Hyundai Digital Key (phone as key, Android only per reviewers) is optional on the SEL and standard on the Limited. The SE uses a traditional key.

The SEL has only the rearview camera with dynamic guidelines. Rear parking sensors and Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist are standard only on the Limited, and no trim offers a surround-view camera.

No 2023 Elantra trim offers a head-up display.

LATCH is rated easy to use, and the 38-in rear legroom leaves room behind a rear-facing seat. However, the trunk is 14.2 cu ft with a small opening, which makes loading a stroller awkward, and the SE/SEL rear seat folds only as one piece.

Families don't have to pay extra for core safety. The Elantra is an IIHS Top Safety Pick with a 5-star NHTSA overall rating, and every trim gets pedestrian-detecting AEB, lane keeping/following, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance, Safe Exit Warning and Rear Occupant Alert. Points come off because the Top Safety Pick applies only with the Limited's LED headlights, while the volume trims' halogens rate Poor.

Rear legroom is adequate, but rear-seat amenities are sparse. The rear gets floor heater ducts but no air vents and no USB ports, and the center armrest with cupholders is optional on the SEL. The 14.2 cu ft trunk also limits luggage for four.

The Elantra is easy to live with in traffic. The IVT is smooth around town, the steering is light but precise, and Smart Pedal and a full standard ADAS suite reduce workload. The SEL needs the Convenience Package for stop-and-go adaptive cruise.

It is cheap to commute in: 34 MPG combined on regular fuel for the volume 2.0L IVT (37 MPG on the SE with stop-start) and common, inexpensive consumables such as 16-inch tires on the SEL.

At 184.1 in long with a 35.4-ft turning diameter, the Elantra is easy to maneuver. However, the SEL has only a rear camera, with no parking sensors or surround view, and the small rear side windows limit visibility over the shoulder.

This is a front-drive compact sedan with no US tow rating, a 14.2 cu ft trunk and 147 hp. It can't do real work duty.

It is a passenger-car platform with cloth seats and carpet, no fleet-duty variant, and no record of hard use. It should hold up well as a commuter but not as a work vehicle.

It has no onboard power beyond a single 12V outlet and no tie-downs, rack or upfit ecosystem. The carpeted trunk is a passenger-car trunk.

It travels long distances well enough. The ride is smooth on the highway, it gets 40 MPG and about 420 miles per tank, and lane following is standard. Against that, road noise is average, the SEL seat has no lumbar adjustment, and adaptive cruise costs extra.

It is front-drive only with sedan ground clearance and no factory roof-rail or tow provision, so it stays on pavement.

The volume SE and SEL have a one-piece folding rear seatback, so a long item and a rear passenger can't share the car. The 60/40 split is only on the Limited trims. Combined with the average 14.2 cu ft trunk and small opening, bulky gear is hard to carry.

The CN7 chassis handles sharply and composedly for a mainstream compact, and reviewers praise its city agility. The volume trims' torsion-beam rear and 16-inch all-season tires do limit grip compared with the multi-link Hybrid and N Line.

The steering is quick (2.5 turns lock to lock) and accurately weighted, and drive modes change the weighting noticeably. Like most non-performance compacts, it gives little road feel.

Reviews of the 2.0L trims don't criticize the brakes, and the IIHS rates its standard AEB Superior. No instrumented stopping distance for the 2023 volume trim was found, so this is scored as class-typical.

The IVT is smooth and well calibrated in normal driving, and CR and CarPro both praise the transmission. The 147-hp 2.0L is weak at low revs, and the rubber-band CVT feel shows under full throttle.

The powertrain is quiet enough when cruising, but the naturally aspirated 2.0L sounds coarse when the IVT holds high rpm on hard acceleration, and it gets louder in Sport mode.

Hyundai lists a 17.7-ft minimum turning radius for the SE/SEL/Limited, which works out to a 35.4-ft diameter, near the tight end of the sedan band. The Elantra N's radius is 19.2 ft.

A tilt/telescoping wheel, a height-adjustable 6-way manual driver seat and a sensible layout with physical controls fit most drivers. The small rear side windows and high door panels limit rear-quarter visibility, and the SEL has no lumbar adjustment.

The chassis and steering make it more engaging than most commuter compacts, but the 147-hp IVT powertrain makes the volume trim pleasant rather than fun. The N Line and N are the enthusiast choices.

For about $21.5K the SE comes with an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping and lane-following assist, and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts. Rivals at that price are sparser or cost about $1,000–2,000 more.

A low price, a warranty that dominates the class, strong fuel economy and a roomy cabin make the 2023 Elantra one of the best value buys among compact sedans. A slow 147-hp base engine and resale that trails Toyota and Honda keep it from the top band.

This is one of the widest lineups in the class: SE, SEL and Limited with the 2.0L, a 201-hp 1.6T N Line, Blue and Limited hybrids, and the 276-hp Elantra N with a manual or dual-clutch gearbox. The one gap is that no version offers AWD.

As chip-shortage supply recovered, US sales rose to about 134,000 in 2023, up from about 117,000 in 2022. That kept the Elantra the No. 3 compact sedan behind the Corolla and Civic.

Hyundai's image is broadly positive: bold design, an industry-leading warranty and a run of IIHS awards. The widely publicized 2022–23 theft wave on key-start Hyundai/Kia models and resale that trails Toyota and Honda held it back that year.

Early in 2023, compact-car inventory was still recovering and Elantras mostly sold near sticker. By late 2023, as supply normalized ahead of the 2024 facelift, Hyundai was offering subsidized APR and some bonus cash, so buyers saw modest, occasional deals.

2023 is the third model year of the seventh-generation CN7 (launched in 2021) and a carry-over year. It was still current, but the 2024 mid-cycle facelift, with a new front end and dual 10.25-inch screens, was imminent.

The 2023 Elantra was well reviewed: KBB's #2 compact car for 2023, an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and this generation won the 2021 North American Car of the Year. In comparison tests reviewers usually still pick the Civic.