The “consider taking a break” alert comes on every few miles including in the first few miles of driving. It is distracting and I need it shut off!
The worst 2026 Hyundai Elantra problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags1
- Wheels1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags1
- Wheels1
Recalls 3
Suspension: front: macpherson strut
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Tucson Hybrid and Elantra vehicles. The front strut assembly fasteners may not be tightened properly, which can result in a loss of vehicle steering control.
- Risk
- A loss of vehicle steering control increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and tighten the front strut assembly fasteners and perform a wheel alignment, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 19, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 309. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on on October 23, 2026.
Recall number 26V692000 · Recall details
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Venue, Elantra N, Elantra Hybrid, and Elantra vehicles. The wheel lug nuts may loosen and allow the wheel to detach.
- Risk
- Wheel detachment can cause a loss of vehicle control or create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the hub bearing assemblies and reinstall the wheels, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 19, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1‑855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 310. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on on October 23, 2026.
Recall number 26V693000 · Recall details
Air bags: sensor: side impact
- What is wrong
- Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Elantra N, 2026 Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), and Elantra vehicles. The B-pillar impact sensors may have been misassembled, which can delay air bag deployment.
- Risk
- Air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the impact sensor(s), as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 11, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855‑371‑9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 299. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on April 22, 2026.
Recall number 26V254000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2026 Hyundai Elantra 5
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger...
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- Higher-than-expected engine oil consumption
- The federal safety agency has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit...
- The federal safety agency has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag...
2026 Hyundai Elantra fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4‑cyl Hybrid | FWD | 51 | 58 | 54 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 20-31 | 27-40 | 23-35 |
| 1.6L 4‑cyl | FWD | 28 | 35 | 31 |
What 2026 Hyundai Elantra owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
my car was t-boned on the passenger side at the b pillar and airbags did not deploy. yes the body shop confirmed the airbags did not deploy. no warnings or messages.
To Whom It May Concern: I am submitting this formal complaint to request review of a potentially serious vehicle-safety failure involving a rental automobile provided to me by Hertz at its [XXX] location. Although Hertz is presently attempting to collect approximately $97 from me for alleged tire damage, the monetary dispute is secondary to the substantially more important issue: Hertz released a vehicle to me with an objectively abnormal tire-pressure reading, was expressly notified of that condition before I left the rental facility, advised me to disregard it, and subsequently documented a nail in that same tire. The chronology is straightforward and concerning. On XXX, I rented a vehicle from Hertz at [XXX]. At the time of checkout, the dashboard tire-pressure monitoring display showed that the passenger-side rear tire was approximately three pounds below the expected pressure. Although the reading had not yet reached a critical or red-warning level, it was clearly abnormal. The vehicle was also dirty and did not appear to have been carefully prepared between rentals, which further raised concern regarding the adequacy of the vehicle's pre-rental inspection. Before driving the vehicle from the Hertz facility, I specifically informed the Hertz employee handling the checkout that the right rear tire was displaying low pressure. The Hertz employee told me, in substance, not to worry about it. I relied upon that representation and drove the vehicle. Over the course of the rental, the pressure in that same tire continued to decline by several additional pounds. When I returned the automobile on XXX, I again specifically advised Hertz personnel that the tire was losing pressure and should be inspected. I also documented the issue in my written customer review, specifically expressing concern that providing a rental automobile with an apparent tire problem was inappropriate INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Compare the 2026 Hyundai Elantra
Elantra vs Ford FocusElantra vs Honda CivicElantra vs Toyota CorollaElantra vs Volkswagen JettaElantra vs Nissan SentraElantra vs Chevrolet CruzeElantra vs Mazda MAZDA3Elantra vs Subaru Impreza
Other model years
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Questions about the 2026 Hyundai Elantra
Is the 2026 Hyundai Elantra reliable?
Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 2026 Hyundai Elantra, fewer than a typical Elantra model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2026 Hyundai Elantra?
Airbags, with 1 complaint. Next is wheels (1).
How many recalls does the 2026 Hyundai Elantra have?
3 recalls, covering suspension, wheels and air bags.
Was there a recall on the 2026 Hyundai Elantra airbags?
Yes, 1 recall: 26V254000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Hyundai Elantra have bad airbags?
The Hyundai Elantra model years with the most airbags complaints are 2013 (168 complaints), 2012 (124 complaints) and 2001 (118 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2026 Hyundai Elantra get?
Official estimates for the 2026 Hyundai Elantra range from 23 to 54 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl hybrid, FWD) gets 51 city and 58 highway.
VIN decoder
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Buying a used 2026 Hyundai Elantra?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its historyHyundai Elantra in the news
- Hyundai recalls 2026 Elantra and 2026 Tucson Hybrid over macpherson strut problem (24 vehicles)
- Hyundai recalls 2026 Elantra, 2026 Venue and 2026 Elantra Hybrid and other models over wheels lugs/nuts/bolts/studs problem (17 vehicles)
- Hyundai extends warranty coverage on 2015-2019 Sonata, 2015-2018 Elantra and 2017-2021 Tucson and other models (unknown or other)