- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 31
- combined
Open recalls on record
2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2016 Hyundai Elantra
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 289
- Complaints citing a crash
- 22
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 24V146000high
Latches/locks/linkages · trunk lid · latch
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Consequence
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 256.
- 26V307000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
Consequence
An air bag inflator that ruptures may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or passengers, increasing the risk of injury or death.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 300. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 16, 2026.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 10.9%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2016 Hyundai Elantra 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 17 comparable 2016 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 10.9% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
28
City
37
Hwy
31
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,000
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 282 g/mi
How this compares
At 31 MPG combined, the 2016 Hyundai Elantra ranks 2nd of 20 midsize cars EPA rated for 2016 — 5 MPG better than the 26 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,000, $550 less than the $2,550 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $10,000, a $2,750 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 282 grams per mile — about 4.2 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
289 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 289
- Total
- 22
- Crashes
- 5
- Fires
- 17
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE123
- OTHER54
- AIR BAGS26
- STEERING16
- BRAKES15
Notable Issues
289 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 17 reports involve injuries. 22 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra, newest first.
- Recall
An air bag inflator that ruptures may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or passengers, increasing the risk of injury or death.
- Recall
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP21003
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP21003
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Midsize Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 1.8L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
28
City
37
Hwy
31
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,000
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Compare with
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An air bag inflator that ruptures may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or passengers, increasing the risk of injury or death.
- Recall
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP21003
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP21003
Throttle control system vulnerabilities