The Hyundai Elantra GT spans 2017–2020 with 12 recorded NHTSA recalls and a 4.5/5 ForCar reliability score. The years to approach with caution are 2017, 2019, 2020 (most owner complaints); the cleanest are 2018, 2020, 2019. It delivers up to 30 mpg combined and 5-star NHTSA safety.
How we score: NHTSA crash-test safety (40%), recall frequency across all years (25%) and the share of owner complaints involving a crash, fire or injury (35%). Based on NHTSA & EPA data — not user reviews.
Overview
The Hyundai Elantra GT is one of the most popular vehicles in its class, produced from 2017 to 2020 across multiple generations.
How to read a Hyundai Elantra GT VIN — every digit explained
Every Hyundai Elantra GT carries a unique 17-character VIN stamped at the factory. Each position is a code — together they spell out where, when and how your car was built. Here's exactly what every digit means.
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Hyundai and the country it was built in (real Hyundai codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled this Elantra GT.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- South KoreaKM8 · KMF · KMH · KMT · KMU · KPH
- USA5NM · 5NP · 5NT · U5Y
- SingaporePFD
Digits 4–17 — the engine code (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard, identical on every car. For the full year-code table (2001–2026), country codes and where the VIN is stamped on your Elantra GT, see the complete guide to reading a VIN.
How many recalls does the Hyundai Elantra GT have?
The Hyundai Elantra GT has 12 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2017–2020. Pick a year below to see its recalls — then verify open recalls against your specific VIN.
2020 Hyundai Elantra GT recalls 3
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Elantra vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint fasteners may have been insufficiently tightened allowing the ball joint to detach from the lower control arm.
Risk. A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the ball joint fasteners, free of charge. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 185.
Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles. The right-side rear wheel lug nuts may have been insufficiently tightened, allowing the wheel to detach from the vehicle.
Risk. A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten the lug nuts, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-251-0871. Hyundai's number for this recall is 184.
Engine
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Risk. A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
2019 Hyundai Elantra GT recalls 1
Engine
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Risk. A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
2018 Hyundai Elantra GT recalls 1
Electrical System
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT vehicles. The panoramic sunroof motor may be incorrectly programmed, preventing the sunroof from detecting an obstacle while closing.
Risk. If the sunroof does not detect an obstacle while closing and then retract, there could be an increased risk of injury.
Fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the panoramic sunroof, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 179.
2017 Hyundai Elantra GT recalls 4
Air Bags:frontal
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.
Risk. An air bag that does not inflate increases the risk of injury.
Fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 5,2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 144.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:hydraulic
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Elantra vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake booster may fail, resulting in a loss of power brake assist.
Risk. A loss of power brake assist can lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix. Hyundai has notified owners, and dealers will replace the brake system booster assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 157.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2017 Hyundai Elantra vehicles manufactured April 15, 2016, to September 13, 2016, and Sonata vehicles manufactured May 27, 2016 to September 16, 2016. In these vehicles, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
Risk. In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
Fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 156.
Steering:electric Power Assist System
What's wrong. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017 Elantra vehicles. The affected vehicles may have a damaged Electronic Power Steering (MDPS) connector resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.
Risk. Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPS motor, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 28, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-243-7766. Hyundai's number for this recall 161.
Best and worst years for the Hyundai Elantra GT
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint volume across 4 tracked years, the worst years are 2017, 2019, 2020 and the best (fewest complaints) are 2018, 2020, 2019.
ForCar aggregate — our own analysis of complaint volume, not published by NHTSA.
| Year | Owner complaints | Top issue | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Elantra GT | Engine | Avoid | |
| 2018 Elantra GT | Engine | Best | |
| 2019 Elantra GT | Engine | Avoid | |
| 2020 Elantra GT | Engine | Avoid |
What are the most common Hyundai Elantra GT problems?
The most-reported Hyundai Elantra GT problems are Air (1 reports), Seats (3 reports) and Tires (12 reports) — out of 1,165 owner complaints NHTSA holds for the model. Here's how they break down:
Most-reported components — tap a category to read what owners actually experienced:
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, all model years. Bar = share of total complaints. Full reports searchable on NHTSA.gov.
Hyundai Elantra GT specifications & dimensions
The 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT measures 172″ long on a 104″ wheelbase, with a curb weight near 2,943 lb. Full dimensions below — engine, horsepower and trim decode from your VIN. For the original factory build — MSRP, trim and standard equipment — rebuild the Hyundai Elantra GT window sticker.
| Wheelbase | 104″ (265 cm) |
| Rear track | 62″ |
| Body / trim | Elantra Gt 5dr Hatchback |
| Curb weight | 2,943 lb (1335 kg) |
| Front track | 61″ |
| Overall width | 70″ (178 cm) |
| Overall height | 56″ (143 cm) |
| Overall length | 172″ (436 cm) |
How the Elantra GT's size changed by generation:
| Years | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Curb weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 172″ | 70″ | 56″ | 104″ | 2,943 lb |
| 2017 | 169″ | 70″ | 57″ | 104″ | 2,855 lb |
Source: NHTSA vPIC / Transport Canada vehicle specifications. Metric values converted to imperial; generation ranges approximate.
Hyundai Elantra GT cargo space, seating & interior room
How much the Elantra GT holds — passengers and cargo. EPA measures its interior at 97 cu ft of passenger volume and 25 cu ft of cargo. Seating capacity and legroom vary by trim.
Exact seating capacity, third-row availability, legroom and headroom decode from your VIN or vary by trim — the original factory equipment & options list shows what each trim included.
Passenger & cargo volume from EPA fueleconomy.gov (largest configuration). Seats, legroom and headroom from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Hyundai Elantra GT tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What MPG does the Hyundai Elantra GT get?
The Hyundai Elantra GT returns up to 30 combined MPG (EPA), which works out to roughly $2,100/yr in fuel. Pick an engine to see MPG, annual running cost and CO₂ by year:
The 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT (1.6L 4-cyl) gets 28 mpg combined and costs about $2,200/yr to fuel, emitting 322 g/mi CO₂ (GHG 6/10, smog 5/10).
| Year | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel/yr | CO₂ g/mi | Smog | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Elantra GT | 25 | 32 | $2,200 | 322 | 5/10 | 1.6L 4-cyl | |
| 2019 Elantra GT | 25 | 32 | $2,200 | 322 | 5/10 | 1.6L 4-cyl | |
| 2018 Elantra GT | 26 | 32 | $2,200 | 317 | 3/10 | 1.6L 4-cyl | |
| 2017 Elantra GT | 24 | 32 | $2,300 | 331 | 6/10 | 2L 4-cyl | |
| 2016 Elantra GT | 24 | 32 | $2,300 | 331 | 6/10 | 2L 4-cyl | |
| 2015 Elantra GT | 24 | 32 | $2,300 | 328 | 6/10 | 2L 4-cyl | |
| 2014 Elantra GT | 24 | 32 | $2,300 | 328 | 6/10 | 2L 4-cyl | |
| 2013 Elantra GT | 27 | 37 | $2,100 | 297 | 9/10 | 1.8L 4-cyl |
Source: EPA fuel-economy database (ForCar-hosted, 1986–2027) — best combined rating per engine & year, with EPA annual fuel cost and tailpipe CO₂. Trim & drivetrain vary slightly; decode your VIN for the exact figure.
See how the Elantra GT stacks up against the most fuel-efficient sedans, or calculate this Elantra GT's real yearly fuel cost.
What engines does the Hyundai Elantra GT have? Power & range
The Hyundai Elantra GT is offered with 1 powertrain — 1.6L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 1.6L · 4-cyl | Automatic (AM-S7) | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
How much does a Hyundai Elantra GT cost to own?
A used Hyundai Elantra GT sells for a median of about $8,950 for a 2018 — most listed between $7,950 and $10,885, from 115 real US listings we track. That real market price is what depreciation eats into, so it's the true anchor of the cost to own:
| Year | Typical price | Market range | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Elantra GT | $7,950–$10,885 | 10 | |
| 2017 Elantra GT | $6,996–$9,154 | 4 | |
| 2016 Elantra GT | $5,500–$9,500 | 28 | |
| 2015 Elantra GT | $6,995–$6,995 | 4 | |
| 2014 Elantra GT | $4,800–$9,990 | 33 | |
| 2013 Elantra GT | $3,700–$7,950 | 36 |
For every model year mileage-adjusted, trade-in vs private-party vs dealer pricing and a good-deal check, see what a Elantra GT is worth today, or browse used-market prices across all models.
A Hyundai Elantra GT depreciates at about an average rate. A typical example keeps roughly 46% of its value after five years — losing about 54% to depreciation. Fuel, maintenance and insurance add to the total cost to own.
| Age | Value retained | Est. resale value | Lost to depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 80% | $24,000 | −$6,000 |
| Year 2 | 70% | $21,000 | −$9,000 |
| Year 3 | 61% | $18,300 | −$11,700 |
| Year 4 | 53% | $15,900 | −$14,100 |
| Year 5 | 46% | $13,800 | −$16,200 |
What goes into the five-year cost to own:
- Depreciation — the biggest cost: this Elantra GT loses about 54% of its value over five years. See the full depreciation curve by age.
- Fuel — ≈ $10,500 over five years at roughly 15,000 miles a year.
- Maintenance & repairs — routine service, tires and wear items as the Elantra GT ages.
- Insurance — varies by driver, state and trim; get a quote for your exact figure.
Resale & depreciation are ForCar estimates from typical segment value-retention curves — not a live market quote. Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov at ~15k mi/yr.
How much is a Hyundai Elantra GT to insure?
A Hyundai Elantra GT costs about $1,605 a year to insure for a typical driver on full coverage — roughly 12% above the average car. That's from its real HLDI insurance-loss index (112, where 100 = average car); your own rate moves with state, age, record and coverage.
Estimate = US-average premium × the Elantra GT's HLDI loss index. See Hyundai insurance cost by model, cost by state, or compare any car.
Is the Hyundai Elantra GT safe?
The Hyundai Elantra GT earns up to 5-star NHTSA overall safety — real government crash-test data. Ratings by year:
| Year | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Elantra GT | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2019 Elantra GT | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2018 Elantra GT | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2017 Elantra GT | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested model years.
Want the safest pick? Compare crash-test scores across the safest cars.
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How many miles does a Hyundai Elantra GT last?
A well-maintained Hyundai Elantra GT typically lasts 250,000–300,000+ miles. It's exceptionally durable — with routine maintenance many owners report 250k+ on the original powertrain. Its ForCar Reliability Score is 4.5/5.
Check your Hyundai Elantra GT’s VIN — history, recalls & specs
Title records, open recalls, build details and paint code — straight from the VIN. Free.
Check this Elantra GT’s VIN free →All Hyundai Elantra GT model years
A year-by-year snapshot of the Hyundai Elantra GT — recalls, best EPA fuel economy and NHTSA safety. Tap a year for full details.
| Year | Recalls | Best MPG | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Elantra GT | 3 recalls | ★★★★☆ | |
| 2019 Elantra GT | 3 recalls | ★★★★☆ | |
| 2018 Elantra GT | 2 recalls | ★★★★☆ | |
| 2017 Elantra GT | 4 recalls | ★★★★★ |
Recalls = NHTSA campaigns that year · MPG = best EPA combined · Safety = NHTSA overall stars (tested years).
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Elantra GT?
By owner-complaint volume, 2017, 2019, 2020 drew the most reports. 2018, 2020, 2019 have the cleanest records.
How many recalls does the Elantra GT have?
12 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2017–2020. Always check open recalls by your VIN.
What MPG does the Elantra GT get?
Up to 30 combined MPG (EPA), depending on engine — from the base 4-cylinder to the hybrid.
Is the Elantra GT safe?
The Elantra GT earns up to 5-star NHTSA overall crash-test safety; ratings vary by model year.
How many miles does a Elantra GT last?
A well-maintained Elantra GT typically reaches 200,000–300,000 miles with regular maintenance.
Is the Elantra GT reliable?
Our ForCar Reliability Score for the Elantra GT is 4.5/5, based on NHTSA safety, recall history and complaint severity.
What's the Hyundai Elantra GT warranty?
New Hyundai models carry a 5 years / 60,000 miles basic (bumper-to-bumper) warranty and a 10 years / 100,000 miles powertrain warranty. Coverage can vary by model year and market — confirm with a Hyundai dealer.
Where is the Hyundai Elantra GT made?
The assembly plant is encoded in the VIN — the 11th character. Decode your Elantra GT's VIN above to see exactly where it was built; Hyundai may build it at more than one plant depending on the year.
How much does a Elantra GT weigh?
The Elantra GT's curb weight is around 2,943 lb. Its GVWR — the maximum loaded weight — decodes from the VIN.
How much ground clearance does the Elantra GT have?
Ground clearance varies by trim and drivetrain — AWD/4WD versions often sit higher. Decode your VIN or check the specific trim for the exact figure.