2017 Hyundai Elantra
Most riskA 2017 car is first year of the generation, so it carries the launch teething faults and most of the recall activity. At roughly 122k miles, 6 of the 8 documented faults are usually already due.
Hyundai Elantra years to avoid
Ranked from 8 documented faults · reviewed by the VehicleFaults Research Team
Quick answer
On documented faults and where each build sits in the production run, the Hyundai Elantra years to approach most carefully are 2017 and 2018. The 2020 and 2019 cars carry the least risk. No year is automatically a bad buy · service history and condition still decide it, so use the year-by-year table below as the starting point and then check the specific car.
The years to approach most carefully
2018 Hyundai Elantra
Most riskA 2018 car is an early build, while launch issues were still being worked through. At roughly 108k miles, 6 of the 8 documented faults are usually already due.
The best years to buy
2020 Hyundai Elantra
Safer buyA 2020 car is the final year of the generation, usually the best-built cars in the run. At roughly 81k miles, 5 of the 8 documented faults are usually already due.
2019 Hyundai Elantra
Check carefullyA 2019 car is a mid-run build, by which point most launch faults had been addressed. At roughly 95k miles, 6 of the 8 documented faults are usually already due.
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Faults due is how many of the 8 documented faults an average example of that year has usually already reached at typical mileage.
| Year | Typical miles | Faults due | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ~81k | 5 / 8 | Safer buy |
| 2019 | ~95k | 6 / 8 | Check carefully |
| 2018 | ~108k | 6 / 8 | Most risk |
| 2017 | ~122k | 6 / 8 | Most risk |
Guidance only · built from documented fault patterns and where each build sits in the production run, not from an individual car's condition.
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