Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
25–35 mpgcombined; city 22–32, highway 30–40; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$9,280–$12,990U.S. average; Ohio $8,290–$11,610 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2019 Elantra. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 265 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Elantra. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
143
2
0
1
Exterior lighting
66
2
1
2
Electrical system
37
3
1
2
Unknown or other
26
3
1
1
Power train
12
0
0
0
Steering
9
2
2
0
Forward collision avoidance
7
2
0
2
Seat belts
6
0
0
0
Service brakes
6
2
0
0
Vehicle speed control
5
1
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
4
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
4
0
0
0
12 more parts
Lane departure
4
1
0
0
Wheels
4
0
0
0
Structure
3
0
0
0
Tires
3
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Air bags
2
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2019 Elantra over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 136 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2019 Elantra, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (58), engine and engine cooling (27), equipment (25), steering (14), power train (13).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2019 Elantra.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–8 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM7)
Regular Gasoline
32 / 40 / 35
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 37 / 32
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
26 / 36 / 29
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM7)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 33 / 29
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
22 / 30 / 25
Elantra GT Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM7)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 32 / 28
Elantra GT Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 32 / 27
Elantra GT Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
23 / 30 / 26
Elantra SE Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
29 / 38 / 33
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data