2020 Hyundai Elantra

Typical pattern

12% of complaints about the 2020 Hyundai Elantra came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2020 vehicle — around the middle of the 178 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 3.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (105 complaints), typically at 4.3 yr or about 32,500 miles.

Complaints: 342
Median age at failure: 3.8 yr
Median mileage: 8,200 n=95
Crash / fire / tow: 14.6% of reports
Safety recalls: 3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Engine

105 reports · 32,500 mi

4.3 yr

13.3%

Power train

47 reports · 5,000 mi

3.6 yr

4.3%

Exterior lighting

28 reports · 23,000 mi

4.8 yr

3.6%

Electrical system

27 reports · 70,000 mi

4.8 yr

11.1%

Other

25 reports · 4,500 mi

3.4 yr

24%

Steering

20 reports · 5,400 mi

2.3 yr

25%

Collision avoidance

16 reports · 1,700 mi

3.5 yr

12.5%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

21V301000 2021-04-28

Engine

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.

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.

19V720000 2019-10-09

Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs

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.

A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.

19V721000 2019-10-09

Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint

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.

A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Collision avoidance 8,000 mi 1.6 yr in service

WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED, THE ENGINE RPM AUTOMATICALLY INCREASES BY ABOUT 700 RPM. AT 75 MPH, THE ENGINE RPM IS 2300. WHEN CONTROL IS ACTIVATED, ENGINE RPM INCREASES TO 3000 RPM AND REMAINS THERE. THIS DECREASES GAS MILESGE AND INCREASES WEAR ON ENGINE.

Collision avoidance mileage not reported 2.2 yr in service

My car does not have forward collision warning or lane departure warning. But sometimes it will randomly pop up and the screen and cause my breaks to abruptly stop and almost crash.This has happened atleast 8 times and the car was bought brand new in 2020

Collision avoidance mileage not reported 3.5 yr in service

This vehicle has what is now known as "Phantom Braking" since day of delivery over two years ago and was reported to NHTSA previously by me and Hyundai which has not or will not try to correct this Safety Hazard. Last incident this occurred on 3/11/2023 for at least the 6th time. This has happened with vehicles behind me which have come close to hitting me.

Engine 3,900 mi 1 mo in service

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON OHIO TURNPIKE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEARS. AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING THE CAR THE FASTEST IT WOULD GO WAS 10 MPH .

Other Elantra model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.