2024 Hyundai Elantra

The volume SEL uses the 2.0L Smartstream naturally aspirated four at 147 hp, unchanged by the MY2024 facelift. That is the lowest base output among mainstream compact sedans.

The 2.0L's 132 lb-ft peaks at 4,500 rpm, so the volume car has little low-end pull. The hybrid and N Line both make 195 lb-ft.

The 2024 facelift did not change the 2.0L/IVT powertrain, so this uses the generation's instrumented results (8.1–8.4 s), taking 8.4 s as representative. That is mid-pack for a compact sedan.

The 2.0L is adequate for commuting but gets buzzy and strained under hard acceleration. The hybrid and turbo trims are stronger and smoother but sell in lower volumes.

Hyundai's IVT is a competent CVT with simulated shift points, but it drones under sustained throttle and trails Honda's calibration. The hybrid (6-speed DCT) and N Line (7-speed DCT) use geared automatics, which can hesitate at crawl speeds.

Every 2024 Elantra trim and powertrain is front-wheel drive; AWD is not offered. It trails the Corolla Hybrid and Mazda3, which both offer AWD.

For 2024 the Elantra offers four distinct powertrains: the 2.0L gas engine, the 1.6L hybrid, the 1.6T N Line and the 276-hp 2.0T Elantra N. That is broader than the Civic or Corolla, but there is no PHEV, EV or AWD option.

EPA rates the volume SEL's 2.0L IVT (no stop-start) at 31/40/34 MPG. The SE with stop-start reaches 36 MPG, and the N Line drops to 31.

31 MPG city is respectable for a non-hybrid compact, and it is 1 MPG better than the 2025 rating of the same configuration.

40 MPG highway is near the top of the non-hybrid compact class.

The 12.4-gallon tank at 34 MPG combined gives about 422 miles per fill. The small tank keeps the range below the band midpoint.

EPA estimates $1,900 a year on regular fuel for the volume 2.0L IVT, a middling figure for a gas compact.

The volume 2.0L runs on 87-octane regular, as do the N Line and the hybrid. Only the low-volume Elantra N recommends premium for its full rated output.

The 2024 Elantra sedan carries a 5-star NHTSA overall rating. Its 4-star frontal crash result is the only sub-rating below five.

The 2024 model won a Top Safety Pick+ under IIHS's 2023 criteria and is listed as a Top Safety Pick under the tougher 2024 criteria. It is Good in small overlap, original moderate overlap and updated side tests. However, every 2024 build rates Marginal in the updated moderate-overlap test (rear-passenger protection), because the fix only arrived with November 2024 builds, so the score sits just below the award band.

Standard SmartSense on every trim includes forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane keeping and following, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, driver attention warning and high beam assist. The 2024 refresh also added rear side airbags and a rear seatbelt reminder. Adaptive cruise is missing on the SE and the base SEL; it needs the SEL Convenience package or the Limited.

The standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist earns IIHS's top Good rating in the updated pedestrian front crash prevention test, which includes nighttime scenarios. It avoided the 12 mph crossing-child collision and both night crossing-adult tests with high beams.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking are standard on every 2024 trim, and blind-spot collision avoidance can brake to prevent a lane-change crash.

Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist (true lane centering) are standard, and for 2024 they add haptic steering-wheel warnings. Reviewers find centering competent on well-marked highways but prone to wander on faded lines and tight curves.

Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go works smoothly, and on the Limited, Highway Driving Assist pairs it with lane centering. However, the SE and base SEL get only conventional cruise, so many volume-trim buyers go without.

No hands-free highway system is offered on any 2024 trim. Highway Driving Assist requires hands on the wheel.

Every trim's LED projector headlights with high-beam assist are rated Good by IIHS, with no excessive glare. The only gap is the lack of curve-adaptive lighting.

Forward and side sightlines are fine, but the fastback roofline, high beltline and thick C-pillars pinch the rear three-quarter view. Standard blind-spot and cross-traffic systems partly compensate, but surround view is not broadly offered.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable. The two outboard rear seats have full LATCH sets, but the lower anchors sit too deep in the seat. The center position has a tether anchor only, so fitting three child seats across is not realistic.

Every 2024 Elantra seats five, which is the top of the sedan band.

40.6 in of front headroom on the SEL, which has no sunroof, is above the top of the 36–40 in sedan band.

42.3 in of front legroom sits mid-band for a sedan.

37.3 in of rear headroom is mid-band, even with the fastback roofline.

38.0 in of rear legroom is among the best in the compact class (Corolla 34.8 in).

A 14.2 cu ft trunk is average for a compact sedan.

The 2024 refresh brought a redesigned wireless-charging pad and extra USB-C ports, but storage is otherwise ordinary: a console bin, door pockets and a 60/40 folding rear seat.

The front seats are comfortable for the most part but lose support on long trips. A power driver's seat with lumbar comes only with the SEL Convenience package or the Limited.

The ride is firm but not harsh, and it absorbs bumps less well than the Corolla or Impreza.

The gas car's cabin carries noticeable road noise, and the 2.0L gets boisterous when worked hard.

Dual-zone automatic climate control and remote start are standard on the SEL, and Bluelink+ adds remote climate at no cost. Heated front seats need the Convenience package, ventilated fronts are Limited-only, and no trim has heated rear seats.

The facelifted 2024 Elantra SE is among the cheapest new compact sedans, roughly level with the Corolla LE and below the Civic LX (~$23.9K before destination per KBB).

KBB names the SEL the most popular 2024 Elantra trim. It adds the 10.25-inch touchscreen and digital cluster, dual-zone climate and proximity key over the SE for about $1,950.

The simple 2.0L naturally aspirated four and 3 years/36,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance keep costs low. Sources disagree widely, so this uses a middle value: KBB's gross figure doesn't net out the free maintenance, and CarEdge's is a nameplate-wide average.

Resale is the Elantra's weakest ownership figure. It holds value clearly worse than the Corolla and Civic but better than the all-vehicle average, and the two main projections are far apart, so this takes a midpoint.

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. The 2024 facelift added a subscription Wi-Fi hotspot on equipped trims, but there are no charging perks since this is a gas car.

$24,690 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (52% retained, or about $12,839) leaves about $11,851 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,900 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,751 in total.

Both major sources put the 2024 Elantra above average: Consumer Reports rates it more reliable than other cars of its model year, and J.D. Power gives it a Quality & Reliability score of 86/100 ('Great'). CR's owner trouble spots cluster in suspension/steering rather than the engine or transmission, which keeps it just short of the top band that the Corolla and Lexus IS occupy.

Hyundai is a mid-pack-to-upper-mid brand on dependability: close to or slightly better than industry average in J.D. Power's VDS and around 10th in Consumer Reports' brand rankings. It is clearly ahead of the bottom third but not a Toyota/Honda/Lexus peer, and still carries reputational weight from the Theta II engine campaigns.

The gas 2024 Elantra has a light recall record: one NHTSA campaign, an EGR-valve short circuit that can cause loss of drive power, covering about 13,500 units shared with the Venue and Kona. The 2024-2026 Elantra Hybrid HPCU overheat recall doesn't cover the scored gas car. The one gas campaign is a drivability safety issue rather than a minor one, and the CN7's early years were busier, so this sits in the upper-typical band rather than the clean 80+ band.

The volume 2.0L Smartstream MPi is a port-injected, low-stress Atkinson-cycle four that avoids direct-injection carbon buildup. It is unrelated to the troubled Theta II family, and CR's 2024 trouble spots don't flag it. What holds the score back is the chain-type IVT (a CVT), which is less proven at high mileage than a conventional automatic, plus the 2024-only EGR-valve drive-power recall on this engine.

The cabin has an ambitious design, with a wraparound cockpit and available twin 10.25-in screens, but reviewers keep pointing to hard, hollow plastics on the doors, console and lower dash of the volume SE/SEL trims. The MY2024 facelift updated screens and trim but not the material palette, so the cabin feels cheaper to the touch than a Civic or Mazda3.

Hyundai's initial quality consistently runs ahead of its long-term dependability, and J.D. Power's 86/100 Quality & Reliability score for the 2024 Elantra supports solid assembly. No widespread panel-gap or rattle pattern is associated with the CN7. It stays below the Civic because of scattered owner complaints (alignment, wireless CarPlay dropouts).

Hyundai's roughly 800-850 US dealers cover metro and suburban markets well but are thinner than the Toyota, Honda, Ford and Chevrolet networks, which shows in rural areas. Service satisfaction is around the mainstream average. The 10-yr/100k powertrain warranty and 3-yr/36k complimentary maintenance lower the cost of using the network.

The Elantra is a high-volume compact that shares its 2.0 MPi engine and IVT with the Kona, Venue and Kia Forte, so parts are cheap and widely stocked and independent shops know the mechanicals well. Typical repair costs are below the compact-car average. Its aftermarket is smaller than the Civic's or Corolla's, which keeps it below them.

The volume SEL gets the 10.25-inch navigation touchscreen as standard for 2024, which is mid-band for a sedan.

Hyundai's interface is simple and quick to learn, with large icons and physical shortcut keys, though it isn't a class showpiece.

Wireless projection is standard only on the base SE's 8-inch unit. The volume SEL and the Limited use the 10.25-inch navigation system, which offers only wired CarPlay and Android Auto.

Native navigation comes standard on the volume SEL with the 10.25-inch screen, but voice recognition waits for the Convenience package and most owners will use phone projection.

The SEL has an adequate six-speaker system. The eight-speaker Bose upgrade is reserved for the Limited.

From the volume SEL up, a 10.25-inch fully digital cluster sits in one panel with the touchscreen. The base SE has a smaller display.

Over-the-air updates cover navigation maps and infotainment on the 10.25-inch units, which the SEL has. Bluelink+ mentions ECU updates, but there is no evidence of feature-adding whole-vehicle OTA for the Elantra.

Bluelink+ gives 2024 buyers remote lock/unlock, remote start with climate and vehicle status at no charge. Digital Key 2 comes only on the Limited.

The 2024 refresh added one front and two rear USB-C ports. Wireless charging needs the SEL Convenience package or the Limited, and there is no household outlet.

The volume SEL has standard proximity entry, push-button start, remote start and a hands-free trunk release. Phone-as-key is Limited-only, and the SE keeps a conventional key.

A rearview camera and rear cross-traffic avoidance are standard, but no 2024 Elantra offers surround view, and parking sensors appear only on the top trim.

No 2024 Elantra trim offers a head-up display.

38 in of rear legroom fits rear-facing seats, but the sloping roofline makes loading harder and LATCH is rated only Acceptable. The 14.2 cu ft trunk takes a stroller.

The 2024 Elantra earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ under the tougher 2024 criteria, with standard front crash prevention and Good-rated headlights on every trim. Adaptive cruise comes with the SEL Convenience package or the Limited.

There is ample rear legroom and the refresh added rear USB-C, but the seats lose support on long drives, road noise is noticeable and the average trunk limits luggage for four.

The smooth, well-tuned IVT and light steering make commuting easy, and Stop & Go adaptive cruise is available. The low seat and firm ride take a little away.

About 34 MPG combined on regular fuel from a simple non-turbo 2.0L makes it one of the cheapest non-hybrid commuters to run.

A 185-inch footprint and roughly 35-ft turning circle are easy to manage in town. The raked rear glass and the lack of surround view or sensors on the SEL make tight parking slightly harder.

There is no US tow rating and only a sedan trunk, so this is not a work vehicle.

The naturally aspirated 2.0L and CVT is a simple drivetrain common in rental and rideshare fleets, but it is a light-duty commuter and unproven under work abuse.

Beyond a folding rear seat there is no onboard power outlet, tie-downs or upfit provisions.

Highway economy gives about 400+ miles per tank, and Highway Driving Assist is available on the Limited. Road noise and seats that lose support hold it back on long hauls.

Front-drive only, with 5.3 in of ground clearance and no tow rating, so it is limited to pavement and graded gravel.

A 60/40 folding rear seat extends the 14.2 cu ft trunk, but the sedan opening, no factory roof rails and no hitch limit bulky gear.

It is nimble and predictable and secure in avoidance maneuvers, but not as engaging as a Civic or Mazda3.

Steering is accurate enough, but light with little feedback in non-N cars.

Reviewers raise no braking complaints, but no stopping distances for the 2024 2.0L were found, so this is a mid-band score.

Hyundai's IVT is tuned to feel like a geared automatic and pulls smoothly from a stop, but the 147 hp engine needs revs to pass.

The 2.0L is quiet at a cruise but boisterous when worked hard.

About 35.4 ft curb-to-curb is tight for a compact sedan.

Controls are logical, with physical shortcut keys and a wide integrated display, but you sit low and a power driver's seat needs the Convenience package or the Limited.

The volume 2.0L is pleasant but forgettable. The fun in the range comes from the N Line and Elantra N.

For about $22.7K the SE comes with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto on an 8-inch screen, LED lights, rear side airbags and the core SmartSense suite. The popular SEL adds dual 10.25-inch screens, dual-zone climate and a proximity key for about $2K more. The SE still leaves out the big screen, and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assist are optional on it.

A low price, a warranty that dominates the class, strong fuel economy and a roomy cabin make the 2024 Elantra one of the best value buys among compact sedans. Weak resale value and a slow base 147-hp powertrain hold it back.

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 all-wheel drive isn't offered on any trim.

The Elantra remained the No. 3 compact sedan in the US behind the Corolla and Civic and was Hyundai's second-best-selling model in 2024. Sales slipped during the facelift year, though.

Hyundai's image is broadly positive: bold design, an industry-leading warranty and a run of IIHS awards. Resale still trails Toyota and Honda, and the 2022–23 theft wave on key-start Hyundai/Kia models still clouded the brand in 2024, though the push-button-start Elantra was less exposed.

With sales falling in 2024, Hyundai regularly backed the Elantra with below-market APR, lease cash and stackable military and college-graduate rebates, so transaction prices typically came in under MSRP. That's a real buyer benefit, not fire-sale pricing.

2024 is the fourth model year of the seventh-generation CN7, which began in 2021, and it's the mid-cycle facelift year. It brought a new 'shark-nose' front, a revised rear, dual 10.25-inch screens on SEL and above, and upgraded N-model hardware. A full redesign wasn't imminent.

The 2024 Elantra was well reviewed and earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, and this generation won the 2021 North American Car of the Year. Reviewers usually still pick the Civic, and often the Mazda3, over it for driving refinement.