Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
28–54 mpgcombined; city 25–53, highway 34–56; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$6,020–$11,600U.S. average; Ohio $5,380–$10,370 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 overall safety rating
5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
7over its history, 2 replaced by later ones; check a VIN for open onesRepaired under campaign 22V218000? NHTSA's record says it still needs the newer remedy of campaign 22V354000.Repaired under campaign 21V796000? NHTSA's record says it still needs the newer remedy of campaign 22V354000.
Owner complaints
161filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Trims
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2021 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 161 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 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
Electrical system
42
0
1
0
Forward collision avoidance
35
1
0
0
Unknown or other
33
2
0
1
Seat belts
27
2
0
1
Engine
21
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
20
1
0
0
Service brakes
13
3
0
1
Power train
8
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
6
0
0
0
Lane departure
6
0
0
0
Steering
5
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
4
0
0
0
9 more parts
Back over prevention
3
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
3
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
3
0
0
0
Structure
3
0
0
0
Suspension
3
0
0
0
Air bags
2
2
0
0
Visibility
2
0
0
0
Child seat
1
0
0
0
Seats
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 7 recall campaigns for the 2021 Elantra over its history, 2 replaced by later ones. A replaced campaign is listed at the end as history, not as a separate repair. 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.
Repaired under campaign 22V218000? NHTSA's record says it still needs the newer remedy of campaign 22V354000. A repair under the earlier campaign doesn't complete the later one: check the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Repaired under campaign 21V796000? NHTSA's record says it still needs the newer remedy of campaign 22V354000. A repair under the earlier campaign doesn't complete the later one: check the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup.
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."
Risk: 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.
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.
Risk: 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.
Needed even on cars repaired under 22V218000 or 21V796000
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.
Risk: 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.
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.
Risk: 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.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat back recliners may have been improperly welded.
Risk: 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.
Replaced by campaign 22V354000, as NHTSA's record says: history, not a separate repair. Cars repaired under this campaign still need the newer remedy.
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.
Risk: 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.
Replaced by campaign 22V354000, as NHTSA's record says: history, not a separate repair. Cars repaired under this campaign still need the newer remedy.
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.
Risk: 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 96 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2021 Elantra, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (52), equipment (12), engine and engine cooling (11), power train (11), unknown or other (8).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
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 2021 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: 6–10 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
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S1)
Regular Gasoline
33 / 43 / 37
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S1)
Regular Gasoline
31 / 41 / 35
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 36 / 31
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
25 / 34 / 28
Elantra Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline
49 / 52 / 50
Elantra Hybrid Blue Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AM-S6)
Regular Gasoline
53 / 56 / 54
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