2025 Hyundai Elantra

The volume SEL Sport/SEL Convenience uses the 2.0L Smartstream naturally aspirated four at 147 hp, carried over unchanged from the 2024 facelift. That is the lowest base output among mainstream compact sedans, below the Civic's 150 hp and the Corolla's 169 hp.

The 2.0L's 132 lb-ft peaks high in the rev range, so the volume car has little low-end pull. The hybrid's 195 lb-ft makes it feel noticeably stronger around town even though it is rated for less horsepower.

Instrumented tests of the same CN7 2.0L/IVT powertrain land between 8.1 and 8.4 s, and 8.4 s is used as a representative figure. That is mid-pack for the compact class. The 2025 powertrain is unchanged, so the generation's test results carry over.

The 2.0L is adequate for commuting but gets buzzy and strained when pushed hard, which reviewers have criticised across this generation. The hybrid and turbo trims are smoother and stronger, but they sell in lower volumes. It ranks slightly above the Corolla and below the Civic.

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

Every 2025 Elantra trim and powertrain is front-wheel drive; AWD is not offered anywhere in the lineup. This matches the FWD-only Civic and trails the Corolla Hybrid and the Mazda3, which both offer AWD.

For 2025 the Elantra offers four distinct powertrains: the 2.0L NA gas engine, the 1.6L hybrid, the 1.6T N Line and the 276-hp 2.0T Elantra N. Together they cover economy, electrified, warm and hot-sedan buyers, which is broader than the Civic or Corolla. It stays below 80 because there is no PHEV, EV or AWD option.

The volume SEL is rated 30/39/34 MPG on EPA's 2.0L IVT entry without stop-start. The lighter SE with stop-start reaches 36 MPG, and the N Line drops to 31.

30 MPG city is respectable for a non-hybrid compact but trails the SE's stop-start version by 2 MPG. The naturally aspirated engine has no electric assist in stop-and-go traffic.

39 MPG highway is a strong figure for a gas compact and close to the class top. The SE's 41 MPG leads the non-hybrid field.

The 12.4-gallon tank and 34 MPG combined give roughly 422 miles per fill for the volume SEL. That is adequate but below the band midpoint, because the tank is small.

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

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

The 2025 Elantra sedan carries a 5-star NHTSA overall rating. Its 4-star frontal result is the one sub-rating below five.

Top Safety Pick+ with Good ratings in small overlap, updated moderate overlap and updated side tests. The score is held just below the top because the award and the Good moderate-overlap rating only cover builds after October 2024; earlier 2025 builds rated Marginal on that test.

Every trim gets forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane keeping, lane following, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic avoidance, Safe Exit Warning, driver attention warning and high beam assist. Adaptive cruise, a key feature, is missing on the SE and the volume SEL Sport and starts at SEL Convenience.

The standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist earns IIHS's top Good rating in the updated pedestrian front crash prevention test, which includes nighttime scenarios, on every 2024–26 Elantra.

Blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic avoidance with automatic braking, and Safe Exit Warning are standard on every trim. Upper trims upgrade to active Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, which can brake to prevent a lane-change collision.

Lane Following Assist, which is true lane centering, is standard on every trim alongside Lane Keeping Assist, ahead of much of the segment. Reviewers find it competent on well-marked highways but note wander on faded lines and tight curves.

Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go works smoothly in traffic, and Highway Driving Assist pairs it with centering on Limited. However, it is absent on the SE and the volume SEL Sport, so many buyers get plain cruise.

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

Every trim's LED projector headlights with high-beam assist are rated Good by IIHS. 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 warning and rear cross-traffic avoidance partly make up for it, but surround view is not offered broadly.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable. There are full LATCH sets in the two outboard rear seats and a tether-only center position, so the anchors work but take some effort, and fitting three child seats across is not realistic.

The 2025 Elantra seats five in every gas, hybrid and N trim — the top of the sedan band.

40.6 in of front headroom on the non-sunroof volume SEL trims is above the top of the 36–40 in sedan band.

42.3 in of front legroom is mid-band for a sedan and level with the Civic.

37.3 in of rear headroom is mid-band despite the fastback-style roofline.

38.0 in of rear legroom on a 107.1 in wheelbase is among the best in the compact class (Civic 37.4 in, Corolla 34.8 in).

A 14.2 cu ft trunk is average for a compact sedan — larger than the Corolla's, smaller than the Civic's.

Conventional compact-sedan storage: console bin, door pockets, a wireless-charging tray on SEL Sport and up and a 60/40 folding rear seat, with no standout solutions.

The front seats are roomy but lose support on long trips, and only the Limited gets power lumbar; the rear is roomy but the sloping roofline makes it awkward to get into.

The ride is firm but not harsh, and absorbs bumps less well than the class leaders.

Road noise is noticeable and the 2.0L engine gets loud when worked hard, so the gas car sits at the bottom of the average band (the hybrid is quieter).

Heated front seats start at the SEL Convenience and ventilated fronts are Limited-only; the SE and SEL Sport have neither, and no trim gets rear heated seats.

The 2025 Elantra SE is one of the cheapest ways into a new compact sedan, roughly level with the Corolla LE ($23,310) and below the Civic LX.

The new-for-2025 SEL Sport took over the core SEL slot that historically carries most Elantra volume, adding the SEL's comfort content and sporty trim for about $1,100 over the SE. Hyundai doesn't publish trim mix, so which trim sells most is inferred; the price is confirmed.

The simple 2.0L Smartstream four and Hyundai's 3-year/36,000-mile free maintenance keep costs low for the first half of ownership. The sources disagree widely, so I used a middle value rather than KBB's gross figure, which doesn't net out the free maintenance.

Resale is the Elantra's weakest ownership figure: it holds value clearly worse than the Corolla and Civic, though it still beats the all-vehicle average. Heavy incentives and fleet volume weigh on its residuals.

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

The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is the longest in the mainstream segment, but 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 free-maintenance plan. There are no EV charging credits here, since this is a gas car.

$24,150 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (50% retained, or about $12,075) leaves about $12,075 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $16,075 in total.

The two major sources disagree on the gas car. Consumer Reports rates the 2025 gas Elantra below average for its model year, with owner-reported trouble in engine (major and minor), body hardware, electrical accessories, transmission, climate, noises/leaks and in-car electronics, while J.D. Power gives it a 'Great' 86/100 predicted quality & reliability score. Mixed signals from a below-average CR verdict put it in the lower half of the average band, well under the Corolla/Civic tier; note the Hybrid (not scored here) fares better at CR.

Hyundai is a solid mid-pack-plus brand: it squeezed into Consumer Reports' 2025 top-10 brand list and sits slightly better than industry average in J.D. Power's three-year dependability study. That is clearly above the bottom third but not the Toyota/Lexus/Subaru top-5 tier.

The CN7 generation had a busy launch: 2021-2022 model years drew several airbag/occupant-restraint campaigns (driver and passenger airbag, seat recliners, windshield bonding, steering-wheel emblem), plus a 2024 electrical-short campaign. The 2025 gas Elantra itself, however, carries no gas-model campaign in NHTSA's file — its only 2025 entries are the Elantra N B-pillar impact-sensor recall and the Hybrid's HPCU overheating recall, neither of which applies to the volume gas sedan. Typical-to-good for the year, held down by the generation's early record.

The volume 2.0L Smartstream MPi is a port-injected Atkinson four with no systemic failure pattern and is unrelated to the Theta II scandal, but CR owners flag engine problems (including major) on the 2025 gas car, the predecessor Nu 2.0 MPI in 2019-2020 Elantras drew a piston-ring engine recall, and the chain-belt IVT is a CVT whose long-term reputation trails a conventional automatic. No red flags severe enough for the low band, but not a proven high-mileage family either.

The cabin's styling is ambitious — the angled cockpit and twin-screen layout on upper trims look a class above — but reviewers consistently note widespread hard plastics on the doors, console and dash, and the volume SE/SEL trims use cloth and urethane touch points. It reads cheaper to the hand than the Civic or Mazda3.

Initial quality is a relative strength: J.D. Power ranks the Elantra third among compact cars for initial quality in 2025, and there is no widespread rattle or panel-gap theme. CR's 'noises & leaks' and body-hardware trouble spots keep it from the top band.

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

The Elantra is a high-volume US compact sharing its 2.0 engine, IVT and much hardware with the Kona, Venue and Kia K4/Forte, so OEM parts are cheap and plentiful and independent shops know the mechanicals; the port-injected engine avoids DI carbon-cleaning bills. A smaller aftermarket than Civic/Corolla keeps it out of the 90s.

The volume SEL Sport uses the 8-inch screen, near the bottom of the sedan band. The 10.25-inch navigation screen comes from the SEL Convenience up.

Reviewers find Hyundai's interface simple and quick to learn, with large icons and physical shortcut keys, though it isn't among the class's showpiece systems.

Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto come on the 8-inch SE/SEL Sport, but the upmarket 10.25-inch navigation unit on the SEL Convenience and Limited reverts to wired projection.

Native navigation with Bluelink map updates exists only on the 10.25-inch trims; on the volume 8-inch car, navigation and voice go through phone projection.

The base system is adequate. The 8-speaker Bose upgrade with a subwoofer is limited to the Limited and N Line.

Lower trims get a smaller digital display. The full 10.25-inch digital cluster, joined to the touchscreen in one panel, starts at the SEL Convenience.

Over-the-air updates cover navigation maps and infotainment on the 10.25-inch trims only. There are no whole-vehicle OTA updates, and the Elantra is absent from Hyundai's list of models that get them.

Bluelink+ gives the original owner free remote lock/unlock and remote start with climate. Digital Key 2 is limited to the Limited trims.

The facelifted cabin has USB-C ports, and wireless charging is included from the SEL Sport up. There is no household outlet.

Proximity entry and push-button start come on the mid and upper trims, the Limited adds a hands-free trunk and Digital Key 2, and the base SE keeps a conventional key.

A rearview camera and rear cross-traffic avoidance are standard, but no 2025 Elantra offers a surround-view camera, and parking sensors are limited to the top trim.

No 2025 Elantra trim offers a head-up display.

38 in of rear legroom leaves space for 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.

Cars built after October 2024 earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and a 5-star NHTSA overall rating, with blind-spot, rear cross-traffic and Safe Exit Warning standard on every trim. Adaptive cruise and Highway Driving Assist cost extra.

There is plenty of rear legroom, but the seats lose support on long drives, the cabin carries road noise, rear amenities are thin and the average trunk limits luggage for four.

The CVT is well tuned and smooth from a stop, the steering is light and adaptive cruise with Stop & Go is available, which makes for easy commuting. The low seating position and firm ride take a little away.

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

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 volume trims make tight parking slightly harder.

The Elantra has no US tow rating and only a sedan trunk, so it is not a work vehicle.

The naturally aspirated 2.0L with a CVT is a simple drivetrain widely used in rental and rideshare fleets. It is a light-duty commuter, and its toughness under work abuse is unproven.

No onboard power outlet, tie-down or upfit provisions beyond a folding rear seat.

Highway economy gives roughly 400+ miles per tank and Highway Driving Assist is available on upper trims. Road noise and seats that lose support hold it back as a long-haul car.

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

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

Nimble and predictable, and capable in track and avoidance tests, but not engaging like the Civic or Mazda3.

Accurate enough, but light with little feedback in the non-N cars.

Reviewers raise no braking complaints and emergency-maneuver tests went well. No 2025-specific stopping distances were found, so this is a mid-band score.

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

The 2.0L is quiet at a cruise but boisterous when worked hard, and CVT flare pushes the revs up.

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

The controls are laid out logically with physical shortcut keys, but you sit low, dropping down into the seats, and only the Limited has a power driver's seat with lumbar.

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

Even the $23k SE comes with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto on an 8-inch screen, LED headlights and the core SmartSense driver-assist suite (forward collision avoidance, lane keeping, blind-spot warning). The SEL Sport adds the SEL's comfort content for about $1,100 more. That's a richer base car than most rivals at the same price.

The low price, a warranty that dominates the class, strong fuel economy and a roomy cabin make the 2025 Elantra one of the best value buys among compact sedans. The main things holding it back are weak resale and a base 147-hp powertrain with a droning CVT.

This is one of the widest lineups in the class, from a $23k SE to the $37k Elantra N: five gas trims, a 1.6T N Line, three hybrid trims and the N with a manual or dual-clutch gearbox. Its one gap is that no trim offers all-wheel drive.

The Elantra is the clear No. 3 compact sedan in the US, behind the Corolla and Civic and well ahead of the Sentra, Mazda3 and Jetta. Sales were rising through the 2025 model year.

Hyundai's image is now broadly positive: bold design, a warranty that leads the industry, and plenty of IIHS awards. Residuals still trail Toyota and Honda, and the 2022–23 theft episode on key-start models left some insurance and reputation drag.

Hyundai regularly supports the Elantra with below-market financing, lease deals, and stackable military and college-graduate rebates, so buyers routinely pay under MSRP. That's a real buyer benefit, and it doesn't read as desperation pricing on a car whose sales are growing.

The 2025 model year is year five of the seventh-generation CN7, which reached the US for 2021, and comes one year after the 2024 facelift (new fascias and a dual-screen dash). A successor (CN8) was unveiled in June 2026 for export in 2027, so buyers are shopping the back half of the cycle.

The 2025 Elantra is well reviewed and decorated: it's a 2025 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, KBB's #2 compact car, and this generation won the 2021 North American Car of the Year. Reviewers usually still pick the Civic as the class benchmark and knock the Elantra for base-engine CVT drone and hard cabin plastics.