Is the Toyota Camry more reliable than the Hyundai Elantra?

No, the Elantra has a slight edge. It holds an excellent standing against good for the Camry, and only 9% of its repairs are major versus 11%. Shop visits are equal at 0.3 a year. The Camry does better on annual repair cost and complaints per car sold.

Which has more recalls, the Camry or the Elantra?

The Camry has slightly more. Federal recall records show 35 recalls across its 9 model years, against 33 for the Elantra. The difference is small, so check the specific VIN for open recalls on either car before you buy.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Camry or the Elantra?

The Camry is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $388 a year against $452 for the Elantra, a $64 gap. Over five years that is roughly $320. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year.

What are the worst Hyundai Elantra problems?

Engine trouble leads the list. Owners report oil burning from about 20,000 to 27,000 miles, followed by ticking, power loss, or seizure. Transmissions that stop delivering power, flickering high beams, and a grinding steering column also appear often. Some owners say dealers refuse recall coverage.

Which Toyota Camry years should I avoid?

Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years in the data. Owner complaints for the Camry cover air bags that failed to deploy, spongy brakes, and a coolant bypass valve that fails around 30,000 miles. The 2022 model year is among its strongest.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Camry: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Hyundai Elantra

Excellent

Toyota Camry

Good

The Hyundai Elantra edges out the Toyota Camry on reliability. Its repairs are less likely to be major, 9% against 11%. The Camry is cheaper to maintain each year and draws fewer complaints per car sold, so the gap between these two sedans is small.

How Do the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Camry Generations Compare?

Most Camry years you are likely to shop fall in the eighth generation, XV70, which covers model years 2018 to 2023. Its two weakest years, 2018 and 2019, sit at the start of that run. Later years in the table fall outside the generation list provided. The Elantra spans two generations in this window. The sixth generation, AD, ran 2017 to 2020 and was facelifted for 2019. The seventh, CN7, started in 2021 and was facelifted for 2024. Its weakest years are 2020, the last sixth-generation year, and 2022, early in the seventh.

Verdict

The Hyundai Elantra is more reliable than the Toyota Camry, scoring 80/100 vs 78/100.

Slight edge to the Elantra. Its standing is excellent against good for the Camry, and a repair is less likely to be major: 9% against 11%. Shop visits are the same for both. The margin is small, though. The Camry costs less to repair each year and draws fewer complaints per car sold. The Elantra's lead rests on how rarely its repairs turn serious, not on a cleaner complaint record, so a careful shopper should weigh both cars' weak years.

Key Differences

1Toyota Camry costs $64 less per year to repair
2Hyundai Elantra scores 2 points higher in reliability
3Hyundai Elantra has 2 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

3Hyundai Elantra

—

2Toyota Camry

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Camry: Which Is More Reliable?

Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Camry at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Hyundai Elantra	Toyota Camry
Reliability Score	80/100	78/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	33	35
Complaints per 10k Sold	3.7	2.1
Annual Repair Cost	$452/yr	$388/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	9%	11%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	5	4

What Are the Common Problems With the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Camry?

Drivetrain trouble dominates the Elantra's record. Engines burn oil from roughly 20,000 to 27,000 miles, then tick, lose power, or seize. Transmissions can stop delivering power at very low mileage. High beams flicker, and steering columns grind. Steering is its most crash-linked area, with 12 crash-linked complaints. Camry complaints lean toward safety systems. Air bags that failed to deploy account for 58 crash-linked complaints, the most of any area on either car. The Camry also has spongy brakes, an engine that shuts off in Drive without warning, and a coolant bypass valve that fails near 30,000 miles.

Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Camry common problem areas comparison
Component	Hyundai Elantra	Toyota Camry
ENGINE	0.8Very Low	0.1Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.6Very Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.4Very Low	0.4Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.2Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	0.2Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—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 Toyota Camry?

Running a Camry costs less, at an estimated $388 a year against $452 for the Elantra. That gap is $64 a year, or about $320 over five years. Both cars average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, so neither sends you to the shop more often. The Elantra's advantage is in repair severity: 9% of its repairs are major, against 11% for the Camry. The Camry is cheaper in routine upkeep, while the Elantra is less likely to hand you a big bill.

How Does Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Camry Reliability Compare by Year?

Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Camry year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Hyundai Elantra	Toyota Camry	Edge
2026	94/1000R / 0C	88/1000R / 0C	Hyundai Elantra
2025	87/1000R / 21C	76/1004R / 6C	Hyundai Elantra
2024	85/1001R / 50C	83/1002R / 35C	Hyundai Elantra
2023	75/1004R / 146C	79/1004R / 47C	Toyota Camry
2022	74/10013R / 139C	84/1002R / 47C	Toyota Camry
2021	75/10010R / 147C	82/1002R / 144C	Toyota Camry
2020	72/1003R / 212C	75/1005R / 253C	Toyota Camry
2019	78/1001R / 195C	70/1008R / 364C	Hyundai Elantra
2018	76/1001R / 309C	65/1008R / 708C	Hyundai Elantra

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Hyundai Elantra scored 85/100 and the 2022 Toyota Camry 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 Toyota Camry?

Pick the Camry if you want the lower running bill and fewer complaints per car sold. Target 2022, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest. Check that the dash lights, air bag warning light, and brake pedal feel normal on a test drive. Ask whether the coolant bypass valve has been replaced, since owners report it failing around 30,000 miles. Pick the Elantra if you want the better overall standing and a lower chance of a major repair. Avoid 2020 and 2022, its weakest years. Newer years such as 2025 and 2026 rate well, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof. Before you buy, get proof of the engine and transmission recall work, because owners report dealers declining coverage or doing only part of it. Test the high beams and listen for steering column noise at low speed.

Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Camry: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Camry more reliable than the Hyundai Elantra?: No, the Elantra has a slight edge. It holds an excellent standing against good for the Camry, and only 9% of its repairs are major versus 11%. Shop visits are equal at 0.3 a year. The Camry does better on annual repair cost and complaints per car sold.
Which has more recalls, the Camry or the Elantra?: The Camry has slightly more. Federal recall records show 35 recalls across its 9 model years, against 33 for the Elantra. The difference is small, so check the specific VIN for open recalls on either car before you buy.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Camry or the Elantra?: The Camry is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $388 a year against $452 for the Elantra, a $64 gap. Over five years that is roughly $320. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year.
What are the worst Hyundai Elantra problems?: Engine trouble leads the list. Owners report oil burning from about 20,000 to 27,000 miles, followed by ticking, power loss, or seizure. Transmissions that stop delivering power, flickering high beams, and a grinding steering column also appear often. Some owners say dealers refuse recall coverage.
Which Toyota Camry years should I avoid?: Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years in the data. Owner complaints for the Camry cover air bags that failed to deploy, spongy brakes, and a coolant bypass valve that fails around 30,000 miles. The 2022 model year is among its strongest.

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Decided between Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Camry? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Camry

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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