In the compact sedan segment, the competition is intense and there are a lot of manufacturers that provide properly well-equipped products. The 2020 Hyundai Elantra is one of those cars but it suffers from a bad reliability reputation. Although the manufacturer has tried a lot to change this, we still find that the 2020 model has reported 86 complaints as of now but only three recalls that barely solve any of its issues. That said, we understand that Hyundai Elantra's reliability is a big question mark even now. Starting at $20,295, it is quite affordable for most people who are looking for new cars. But undercutting on price alone does not make it the best pick of the segment because it has rivals like the Honda Civic, the Mazda 3, and the Volkswagen Jetta. The "TheTopher" experiences that it pulls surprisingly hard for its 147 hp. To know more, click on the video:
2020 Hyundai Elantra User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical problems:
- One of the most common issues in these cars is associated with the piston rings. The car stalls and then switches off. This is covered in the Hyundai Elantra piston slap recall. Several owners who had the issue have reported that their cars were not covered in the recall.
- Few owners have reported that the engine malfunctions and then fails. The vehicle jerks violently and refuses to accelerate, and this is followed by a complete engine failure. The dealerships sometimes respond very badly and this is very disheartening for owners.
- There have been several instances of Hyundai Elantra power steering problems and this is also one of the common issues. There is noise coming from the steering column, especially when turning at low speeds. Other common steering problems include the car suddenly pulling to the left or right or even failing to respond to inputs.
- One owner had a problem where she heard a sudden snap and the traction control immediately activated. This was followed by the driver losing control of the vehicle and causing an accident that injured her. More owners have reported that their vehicle does not feel like it is steady on the ground.
- Many owners have reported a common Hyundai Elantra gear shift problem where the revs rise about 500 RPMs to maintain a steady speed when cruise control is engaged. A complete transmission failure sometimes follows. There have been several complaints of unintended acceleration causing accidents as well.
- There are a few complaints about the brakes producing a grinding noise on several occasions according to multiple owners.
Exterior problems:
- One of the owners has stated that the brightness of the headlamps is about 50% of what it should be. Hence, it is not safe to drive at night.
Safety problems:
- Many owners report that the forward collision warning activates and brakes the car by itself. This happens even in cars where the system is not present.
- It is a known problem in Hyundai and Kia cars that they can be stolen very easily. The engine immobilizer, as well as the security system, needs to be redesigned to solve its problems.
- One of the worst incidents reported about this car is that it once emitted carbon monoxide into the cabin, which caused the driver to lose consciousness and crash on the highway. The car then burst into flames.
- The lane keep assist in this car also happens to be a problematic one. According to a few owners, it does not sound a warning when the car is going out of lane but locks the steering wheel which means that even the driver cannot avoid the accident.
- There was an incident where an Elantra was T-boned by another vehicle but the airbags failed to deploy. The driver suffered severe concussions.
2020 Hyundai Elantra Recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA Campaign Number |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
April 28, 2021 |
21V301000 |
Improper treatment of piston oil rings |
Piston oil brings being improperly heat-treated will mean that oil can leak into exhaust components and cause the risk of a fire. |
|
2 |
October 9, 2019 |
19V720000 |
Rear right wheel lug nuts may be loose |
Insufficiently tightened lug nuts would allow the wheels to detach from the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash. |
|
3 |
October 9, 2019 |
19V721000 |
Lower control arm ball joints may detach |
Lower control arm ball joint may have improperly tightened fasteners and allow it to detach from the control arm. |
Should you buy the 2020 Hyundai Elantra?
The Hyundai Elantra is a value for money sedan that also has a set of quick powertrains. It also has decent fuel economy and low running costs. That is until you factor in many of its reliability issues. The fact that this car has a wide range of problems across several systems makes it a bad option in a segment with several excellent cars. The manufacturer has not taken adequate steps to solve any of these issues and we also see that more owners have complained about the treatment they got at dealerships rather than the problems with the car itself, which is an extremely bad sign.
