Is the Hyundai Elantra more reliable than the Nissan Altima?

No, the two are effectively tied. The Elantra is cheaper to repair and less likely to need a major repair. The Altima has fewer complaints and recalls. Shop-visit frequency is the same at 0.3 a year, so your decision should rest on the specific problems each car has.

Which has more recalls, the Elantra or the Altima?

The Elantra has more. Federal recall records show 33 recalls across nine model years for the Elantra and 20 for the Altima. Owner complaints also run higher on the Elantra, at 3.7 per 10,000 sold against 1.6. Always check a specific VIN for open recalls.

Which costs less to repair, the Elantra or the Altima?

The Elantra costs less, at $452 a year against $483 for the Altima. That is roughly $155 over five years. The Elantra is also less likely to need a major repair, at 9% against 12%, so its cost edge is real but small.

What are the biggest problems with the Hyundai Elantra?

Engine failure leads the list. Owners describe oil burning with no visible leak, then ticking, power loss, or seizure. Early transmission failures, flickering high beams, and a grinding steering column noise are also common. Several owners say dealers denied recall coverage, so confirm what work was done before buying.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Hyundai Elantra vs Nissan Altima: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Hyundai Elantra

Excellent

Nissan Altima

Good

On reliability, the Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Altima are effectively tied. The Elantra costs less to repair, but it draws more complaints per car sold. The Altima has fewer recalls and complaints, yet a higher chance that any given repair is major. Their problem areas differ more than their standing.

How Do the Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Altima Generations Compare?

Two of the weakest Elantra years, 2020 and 2022, sit on either side of a generation change. The sixth generation (AD) ran from 2017 to 2020 and was facelifted in 2019. The seventh generation (CN7) began in 2021 and was facelifted in 2024. On the Altima side, the fifth generation (L33) ended with the 2018 model year. The sixth generation (L34) began in 2019 and received a refresh in 2023. The Altima's weakest years, 2019 and 2020, are the first two of that generation. That makes 2021 through 2023 the stretch to focus on.

Verdict

The Hyundai Elantra is more reliable than the Nissan Altima, scoring 80/100 vs 79/100.

Effectively tied. The Elantra has the lower repair bill and a smaller chance that a repair is major. The Altima has far fewer owner complaints per car sold and fewer federal recalls. Each edge is modest, and shop-visit frequency is identical. The deciding factor is which failures you can live with: engine and transmission trouble on the Elantra, or fire, braking, and air bag reports on the Altima.

Key Differences

1Hyundai Elantra costs $31 less per year to repair
2Nissan Altima has 13 fewer total recalls
3Hyundai Elantra has 3% lower major repair risk

Category Scoreboard

3Hyundai Elantra

—

2Nissan Altima

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Hyundai Elantra vs Nissan Altima: Which Is More Reliable?

Hyundai Elantra vs Nissan Altima at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Hyundai Elantra	Nissan Altima
Reliability Score	80/100	79/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	33	20
Complaints per 10k Sold	3.7	1.6
Annual Repair Cost	$452/yr	$483/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	9%	12%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	5 (1 tied)	3 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Altima?

Mechanical failure dominates the Elantra's list. Engines burn oil with no visible leak, often starting between 20,000 and 27,000 miles, then tick, lose power, or seize. Some transmissions fail at under 8,000 miles. Altima reports lean toward electrical fires, automatic emergency braking that stops the car with nothing ahead, and tie rods that separate while turning. Air bag and service brake complaints are crash-linked on the Altima, and the Elantra's list has no matching areas. The Elantra has crash-linked engine reports, and the Altima has no engine area. Steering is crash-linked on both.

Hyundai Elantra vs Nissan Altima common problem areas comparison
Component	Hyundai Elantra	Nissan Altima
ENGINE	0.8Very Low	0.1Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.6Very Low	0.3Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.4Very Low	0.1Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.2Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	0.2Very Low	—None
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Hyundai Elantra or Nissan Altima?

Independent repair-cost data puts the Elantra at $452 a year and the Altima at $483. Over five years that is a gap of about $155 in the Elantra's favor, which is small. Both cars average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, so neither takes you to the shop more often. The bigger difference is severity. About 9% of Elantra repairs are major, against 12% for the Altima.

How Does Hyundai Elantra vs Nissan Altima Reliability Compare by Year?

Hyundai Elantra vs Nissan Altima year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Hyundai Elantra	Nissan Altima	Edge
2026	94/1000R / 0C	88/1000R / 0C	Hyundai Elantra
2025	87/1000R / 21C	78/1001R / 4C	Hyundai Elantra
2024	85/1001R / 50C	82/1001R / 31C	Hyundai Elantra
2023	75/1004R / 146C	84/1000R / 24C	Nissan Altima
2022	74/10013R / 139C	83/1000R / 20C	Nissan Altima
2021	75/10010R / 147C	79/1002R / 53C	Nissan Altima
2020	72/1003R / 212C	71/1006R / 162C	Hyundai Elantra
2019	78/1001R / 195C	72/1008R / 230C	Hyundai Elantra
2018	76/1001R / 309C	76/1002R / 217C	Tie

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Hyundai Elantra scored 85/100 and the 2023 Nissan Altima scored 84/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Hyundai Elantra vs the Nissan Altima?

Pick the Elantra if you want the lower running cost and can verify the car's service history. Ask whether the engine recall work and the transmission software and replacement work were done, because owners report dealers refusing or only partly completing both. Skip 2020 and 2022, the weakest years. Treat 2026 with caution, since a model year that new has had little time to collect complaints. Pick the Altima if you want fewer recalls and fewer complaints per car sold, and your priority is avoiding sudden engine or transmission failure. Check that the tie rod recall applies to the VIN, test the automatic emergency braking on a drive, and look for dash or seat heater wiring faults. Avoid 2019 and 2020, the weakest years. Whichever you choose, run the VIN for open recalls before you pay, because owners of both cars say coverage was denied.

Hyundai Elantra vs Nissan Altima: Common Questions

Is the Hyundai Elantra more reliable than the Nissan Altima?: No, the two are effectively tied. The Elantra is cheaper to repair and less likely to need a major repair. The Altima has fewer complaints and recalls. Shop-visit frequency is the same at 0.3 a year, so your decision should rest on the specific problems each car has.
Which has more recalls, the Elantra or the Altima?: The Elantra has more. Federal recall records show 33 recalls across nine model years for the Elantra and 20 for the Altima. Owner complaints also run higher on the Elantra, at 3.7 per 10,000 sold against 1.6. Always check a specific VIN for open recalls.
Which costs less to repair, the Elantra or the Altima?: The Elantra costs less, at $452 a year against $483 for the Altima. That is roughly $155 over five years. The Elantra is also less likely to need a major repair, at 9% against 12%, so its cost edge is real but small.
What are the biggest problems with the Hyundai Elantra?: Engine failure leads the list. Owners describe oil burning with no visible leak, then ticking, power loss, or seizure. Early transmission failures, flickering high beams, and a grinding steering column noise are also common. Several owners say dealers denied recall coverage, so confirm what work was done before buying.
Is the Nissan Altima safe to buy used?: It can be, with checks. Owners report air bags that did not deploy in serious crashes, automatic emergency braking that stops the car with nothing ahead, and tie rods that separate while turning. Electrical fires also appear. Confirm recall coverage by VIN and avoid the weakest years, 2019 and 2020.

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How we score the Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Altima

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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