2021 Hyundai Elantra
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Driver Assistance & Speed Control
Driver Assistance & Speed Control leads by volume: 53 of 158 complaints (34%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more deaths (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 257 in 2020 to 158 in 2021.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | vs. 2021 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,800–2,500 | 1,750–2,400 | 1,150–2,250 | 1,150–3,350 | 1,150–3,350 | |
| Combined MPG | 25–35 | 26–36 | 28–54 | 23–54 | 23–54 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 22–32 / 30–40 | 23–33 / 30–41 | 25–53 / 34–56 | 20–53 / 30–56 | 20–53 / 30–56 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 256–356 | 250–352 | 165–318 | 165–388 | 165–388 | |
| Complaints filed | 263 | 257 | 158 | 155 | 166 | |
| Recalls issued | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 4 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 12 | 21 | 8 | 9 | 16 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 4 | 16 | 3 | 12 | 9 | |
| Deaths reported | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2021 Hyundai Elantra have?
7 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2021 Hyundai Elantra?
Driver Assistance & Speed Control: 53 of 158 NHTSA complaints (34%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Hyundai Elantra get?
EPA rates it 28–54 MPG combined across 6 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Hyundai Elantra?
EPA estimates $1,150–$2,250 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (6)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (AV-S1) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 31 mpg | 41 mpg | 35 mpg | $1,800 | 257 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (AV-S1) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 33 mpg | 43 mpg | 37 mpg | $1,700 | 244 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (AM-S7) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 28 mpg | 36 mpg | 31 mpg | $2,000 | 288 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Manual 6-spd | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 25 mpg (low) | 34 mpg (low) | 28 mpg (low) | $2,250 (high) | 318 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 49 mpg | 52 mpg | 50 mpg | $1,250 | 177 g/mi |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic (AM-S6) | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 53 mpg (high) | 56 mpg (high) | 54 mpg (high) | $1,150 (low) | 165 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 41 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 29 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 53 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 33 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (7)
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA · Campaign 24V879000 · Nov 21, 2024
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · Campaign 23V589000 · Aug 21, 2023
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Elantra HEV vehicles. A software error in the motor control unit may cause unintended vehicle acceleration after the brake pedal is released.
Consequence: Unintended vehicle acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the motor control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 29, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 248.
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER; SEAT BELTS:FRONT · Campaign 22V354000 · May 19, 2022
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Consequence: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Remedy: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER; SEAT BELTS:FRONT · Campaign 22V218000 · Apr 4, 2022
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Elantra and 2020 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Consequence: Exploding seat belt pretensioners can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 31, 2022. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 223. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD · Campaign 21V00M000 · Dec 28, 2021
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Consequence: A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT; SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER · Campaign 21V796000 · Oct 14, 2021
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Consequence: An exploding seat belt pretensioner could project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 211 and 009G. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall numbers 22V-354 for Elantra and Elantra HEV vehicles, 22V-458 for Venue vehicles, and 23V-094 for Genesis vehicles. Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, and Genesis vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedies completed.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER · Campaign 21V302000 · Apr 29, 2021
Defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat back recliners may have been improperly welded.
Consequence: An improperly welded seat back recliner could separate from the seat back frame during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the seat back frame assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 21, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-888-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 204.