Last updated: 2026-03-04

Predicted

2026 Hyundai Elantra Reliability Score & Common Problems

Name: 2026 Hyundai Elantra
Brand: Hyundai

The 2026 Hyundai Elantra has a predicted reliability score of 82/100 based on prior model year data. Early data shows 0 recalls and 0 owner complaints.

Recalls

Complaints

Complaint Rate

N/A

per 10k sold

Est. Annual Cost

$452

Below avg

Major Repair Risk

NHTSA Rating

5/5

Buy

Based on historical reliability patterns, predicted to score 82/100 — a strong pick.

No reported issues yet.

Should You Buy the 2026 Hyundai Elantra?

The 2026 Hyundai Elantra has a predicted reliability score of 82/100 ("Excellent") based on prior model year performance.

So far: 0 recalls, 0 owner complaints. No owner-reported issues on file yet.

Prior model years suggest dependable ownership. Confirm all recall repairs are completed, and consider a pre-purchase inspection for used examples.

See also the 2025 Hyundai Elantra for an earlier comparison.

Pros

Strong predicted reliability based on prior model years
$74 cheaper to maintain than avg compact cars
Infrequent unscheduled repairs
Low major repair risk (9%)
No recalls issued

Cons

Score is a prediction — real-world data still developing

Compare 2026 Hyundai Elantra With

Predicted

2026 Nissan Sentra

Predicted: 79/100

Predicted

2026 Honda Civic

Predicted: 80/100

Predicted

2026 Toyota Corolla

Predicted: 79/100

Predicted

2026 Toyota Camry

Predicted: 79/100

Predicted

2026 Nissan Altima

Predicted: 81/100

Recall Overview

recalls on record

The 2026 Hyundai Elantra has no recalls on record, which is uncommon and a positive indicator of manufacturing quality.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

complaints

LowAvgHigh

Very Low

Safety Incidents

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2026 Hyundai Elantra NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 5/5Passenger: 4/5

Rollover risk: 10.1%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Advanced Belt Feature (Not Available)Seat Belt Pretensioners (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Seat Belt Load Limiters (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Head Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Torso and/or Pelvis Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Knee (Not Available)Additional Air Bags (Not Available)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (No)Unattended Child Reminder Direct Sensing System (No)LATCH Locations (2nd row)Driver Monitoring System (No)Automatic High Beams (Standard)

Gas / HEV Powertrain

Rollover risk: 10.1%

Safety Technologies

HEV Powertrain

Driver: 5/5Passenger: 4/5

Rollover risk: 10.1%

Safety Technologies

View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Hyundai Elantra Repair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

4.5

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Est. Annual Maintenance

$452

vs $526 avg for compact cars

vs $652 avg for all vehicles

Repair Frequency

0.3

unscheduled repair visits per year

Severe Repair Probability

chance of a major repair

Annual Cost Comparison

Elantra

$452

Category Avg

$526

All Vehicles

$652

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

Check Any 2026 Hyundai Elantra's History Before You Buy

Reliability scores tell you what to expect from the 2026 Elantra in general — but every car has its own story. Uncover past accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and service records for a specific Hyundai Elantra with a free VIN lookup.

Run a Free VIN Check

Best & Worst Hyundai Elantra Years

Best Hyundai Elantra Years to Buy

The best Hyundai Elantra year is 2025 with a reliability score of 87/100, rated excellent. Other strong picks include 2024 (85/100) and 2019 (78/100).

Excellent

2025

0 recalls · 21 complaints

Excellent

2024

1 recall · 50 complaints

Good

2019

1 recall · 195 complaints

Hyundai Elantra Years to Avoid

The worst Hyundai Elantra year is 2020 with a score of 72/100, primarily due to engine (65) issues.

Good

2020

3 recalls · 212 complaints

See full Hyundai Elantra years-to-avoid analysis →

Hyundai Elantra Reliability Score Trend

Hyundai Elantra reliability has remained consistent across model years, averaging 78/100.

avg 78

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Hyundai Elantra reliability scores by year
Year	Score	Rating
2018	76/100	Good
2019	78/100	Good
2020	72/100	Good
2021	75/100	Good
2022	74/100	Good
2023	75/100	Good
2024	85/100	Excellent
2025	87/100	Excellent

Hyundai Elantra Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
Year	Score	vs Prior Year	Rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026(selected)	82/100 (predicted)	—	Predicted	0	0
2025	87/100	+2	Excellent	0	21
2024	85/100	+10	Excellent	1	50
2023	75/100	+1	Good	4	146
2022	74/100	-1	Good	13	139
2021	75/100	+3	Good	10	147
2020	72/100	-6	Good	3	212
2019	78/100	+2	Good	1	195
2018	76/100	—	Good	1	309

2026 Hyundai Elantra Reliability by Powertrain

The 2026 Hyundai Elantra is available with 3 powertrain options. Here's how they compare on reliability.

Reliability comparison across powertrain options
Powertrain	Complaints	Recalls	Incidents*	Crash Rating
Gas	0	0	0	5 out of 5
Gas / HEV	0	0	0	N/T
HEV	0	0	0	5 out of 5
Total	0	0	0

NHTSA tracks complaints separately for each powertrain configuration. Totals reflect the sum across all variants. N/T = Not tested by NHTSA.

* Incidents = crash + fire reports. A single complaint can include multiple incident types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2026 Hyundai Elantra reliable?

The 2026 Hyundai Elantra has a predicted reliability score of 82/100 ("Excellent") based on prior model year data. So far there are 0 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file. This is a prediction — the actual score will be available once more real-world data accumulates.

What are the most common problems with the 2026 Hyundai Elantra?

There aren't enough owner complaints to establish common problem patterns yet for the 2026 Hyundai Elantra. Based on prior model years, review known issues from previous years to understand potential problem areas.

How many recalls does the 2026 Hyundai Elantra have?

The 2026 Hyundai Elantra has no recalls on record, which is a positive indicator.

How is the predicted score calculated?

The predicted score of 82/100 is calculated by averaging reliability scores from prior model years of the same generation. When generation data is unavailable, the average of the most recent model years is used. The prediction updates automatically as new data becomes available.

How We Calculate Reliability Scores

Auto Reliability Index scores are calculated on a 0–100 scale using a weighted formula that combines multiple public data sources. Each factor is weighted based on its predictive value for real-world ownership experience.

Key Ranking Factors

Complaint Severity

NHTSA owner complaints weighted by component category (e.g., powertrain, safety systems, electronics, cosmetic) — safety-critical issues carry more weight than cosmetic ones. Adjusted for sales volume so high-volume models aren't unfairly penalized.

Repair Costs

Independent reliability ratings based on repair frequency, average repair costs, and severity of typical repairs for each model.

Recall Impact

Number of NHTSA recalls weighted by severity. “Stop driving” and fire-risk recalls are penalized more heavily than minor software or labeling recalls.

Issue Diversity

Measures how many major vehicle systems (engine, transmission, electrical, braking, etc.) have recorded complaints. A vehicle with issues spread across many systems may indicate systemic quality issues.

Scores are grouped into four tiers:

80–100: Excellent — Top-tier reliability, minimal issues
60–79: Good — Reliable with some minor concerns
40–59: Mixed — Notable issues, research before buying
0–39: Risky — Significant problems, proceed with caution

Data is sourced from NHTSA recall records, owner complaint filings, and independent repair databases. Scores are recalculated as new data becomes available. While the weighting model is proprietary, all underlying data sources are public and traceable.