- Safety
- 4
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 3
- on record
- MPG
- 36
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 2 reports involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2020 Hyundai Elantra
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- Owner complaints
- 240
- Complaints citing a crash
- 20
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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
3 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
3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 21V301000high
Engine issue
ENGINE
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Consequence
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
- 19V720000high
Tire/wheel issue
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles. The right-side rear wheel lug nuts may have been insufficiently tightened, allowing the wheel to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence
A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten the lug nuts, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-251-0871. Hyundai's number for this recall is 184.
- 19V721000high
Suspension issue
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Elantra vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint fasteners may have been insufficiently tightened allowing the ball joint to detach from the lower control arm.
Consequence
A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the ball joint fasteners, free of charge. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 185.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 10.7%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2020 Hyundai Elantra 4 out of 5 stars overall, below the 5-star median for the 16 comparable 2020 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 10.7% 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 2020 Hyundai Elantra, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
33
City
41
Hwy
36
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,700
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 250 g/mi
How this compares
At 36 MPG combined, the 2020 Hyundai Elantra ranks 1st of 21 midsize cars EPA rated for 2020 — 9 MPG better than the 27 MPG median for that group.
That places it among the most efficient vehicles in its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $1,700, $600 less than the $2,300 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $8,500, a $3,000 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 250 grams per mile — about 3.8 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
240 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 240
- Total
- 20
- Crashes
- 6
- Fires
- 15
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE129
- OTHER24
- LIGHTING20
- STEERING18
- ELECTRICAL15
Serious Concerns
240 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 2 reports involve a death. 15 reports involve injuries. 20 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, newest first.
- Recall
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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
- Sedan
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
33
City
41
Hwy
36
Comb
- Annual cost
- $1,700
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Compare with
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.