Reliable Auto DB

2016 Hyundai Elantra reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Hyundai Elantra holds 292 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 20 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Elantra years here — under the median of the other years, which is 25. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Inflator and Latch.

2012 Hyundai Elantra
Photo by SsmIntrigue, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

292

Per year

20

Recalls

2

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (111 of 292), then Powertrain (31) and Air bags (26). Those filings include 22 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 16 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Elantra has 262 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2017 has 767 complaints, 51 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Hyundai Elantra. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator 2026-05-15 · NHTSA campaign 26V307000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra and 2016 Elantra GT vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 300. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 16, 2026.
Recall latches, locks, and linkages, trunk lid, latch 2024-02-23 · NHTSA campaign 24V146000
Summary Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Elantra vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Remedy Dealers will replace the trunk latch base sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 256.

Complaints by component (292 total)

Engine
111
Powertrain
31
Air bags
26
Electrical system
22
Fuel and propulsion system
19
Steering
19
Speed control
18
Structure
18
Service brakes
15
Latches, locks, and linkages
13
Suspension
10
Wheels
10
Exterior lighting
9
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
Visibility and wipers
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Seat belts
3
Tires
2
Visibility
2
Equipment
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Lane departure
1
Seats
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

22

Fire-flagged

5

Injury reports

16

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

52015172016142017252018232019252020352021372022382023342024192025202026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Vehicle stalls while driving which is very dangerous. All dashboard lights go on prior to stalling. No engine light is on. Knocking sound coming from engine. Dealer states engine needs to be replaced. Car has been…"
    Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-29
  • "The motor started to make a ticking noise 5 months earlier. 5 months later at 180,000 miles a borascope finding, reveled all 4 cylinder walls were worn related to cylinder slap. Called Hyundai dealership and was told…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-29
  • "P0420 P0441 P0014 P1326 C1260 C1688 C2130 These are the codes that's affecting my car"
    Suspension, Powertrain, Speed control · filed 2026-07-25
  • "Engine burned oil and had knocking sound, despite having regular oil changes. Stalked out while driving took to dealer initial said it was covered by the exerted coverage but ultimately denied. It had 111,000 miles on…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-16
  • "The oil light & check engine started flashing. Took it to the auto shop. The mechanic stated that the oil level is very low and the engine has a bad lower-end knock. Removed the oil filter and found metal debris in the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-14

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Hyundai Elantra 4 DR FWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2016 Hyundai Elantra Gt 5 HB FWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Elantra 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 24 35 28 MPG $2300
Elantra 1.8L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 27 36 30 MPG $2150
Elantra 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 28 37 31 MPG $2100
Elantra 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 34 28 MPG $2300
Elantra GT 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 24 32 27 MPG $2400
Elantra GT 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 32 27 MPG $2400
Elantra Limited 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 27 36 30 MPG $2150

Specs and fitment

5th generation (MD), 2012–2016
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-20 or 5W-30 (1.8L and 2.0L per manual) , 4.2 qt capacity
Tire size 205/55R16 to 225/45R17 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 17V769000. Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Elantra sedan, coupe and GT vehicles. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously. It can also allow the shift lever to be moved without depressing the brake pedal, or activate the engine management brake pedal override feature. If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing accurate communication to following vehicles that the vehicle is slowing or stopping. Additionally, if the brake switch plunger is not retracted, then the transmission can be shifted out of PARK without depressing the brake pedal. Either condition increases the risk of a crash. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 8, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 170. This campaign expands recall 16V574.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Hyundai Elantra Next year 2017 Hyundai Elantra See every Hyundai Elantra model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Hyundai Elantra reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Hyundai Elantra holds 292 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 20 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Elantra years here — under the median of the other years, which is 25. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Inflator and Latch.

What are common problems with a 2016 Hyundai Elantra?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (111 of 292), then Powertrain (31) and Air bags (26). Those filings include 22 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 16 that report an injury.

Is the 2016 Hyundai Elantra more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Elantra has 262 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2017 has 767 complaints, 51 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Hyundai Elantra been recalled?

The 2016 Hyundai Elantra has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Hyundai Elantra?

Owners have filed 292 complaints about the 2016 Hyundai Elantra with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Hyundai Elantra get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Hyundai Elantra is 28.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Elantra take?

5W-20 or 5W-30 (1.8L and 2.0L per manual)

What does NHTSA recall 17V-769 cover on the Hyundai Elantra?

NHTSA campaign 17V769000.

What generation is the 2013 Hyundai Elantra?

5th generation (MD) (2012-2016).