Anonymous

Reviewed a 2012 Hyundai Limited FWD on Aug 18, 2014

Great appearance, with good fit and finish. Hyundai has come a long way in the Elantra's design and appeal over the last four model years. The build quality on the vehicle is good; However, the quality of each individual component is another issue entirely. Hyundai's warranty and service has thus far been absolutely unbeatable, and I do not use that word accidentally. UNBEATABLE. This car performs well among competitors in its class, but road noise in the 2011 and 2012 model years is downright excessive. Additionally, the thickness of the exterior body panels on the Elantra have always been less than that of other auto manufactures, and that continues to be the case through the 2015 model year. This exposes the vehicle to significantly more dents, dings and paint damage than one would expect, and it truly is a nuisance. As of this review, the vehicle has been to the dealer for warranty work and repair 9 times, not including normal maintenance visits, with a mileage reading of 21, 900 miles. The costs of those repairs is non-existent (no charge) under the Elantra's generous warranty. However, this has significantly affected my opinion of the vehicle, as the mileage and age of the vehicle would suggest a much more hassle-free ownership experience. I can honestly say that I love this vehicle, and HOPE to get ten dependable years of service with approximately 100,000 miles of reliable transportation. However, I would not recommend purchase of the Elantra to friends and family. Ever. Based on my ownership experience thus far, I fear that my expectations of this model are far reaching and unlikely to be attained.