2004 Hyundai Elantra Consumer Reviews

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Fuel Economy

24 - 26 mpg

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Great City Car

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 8 Fun-to-Drive: 8 Build Quality: 9
Comfort: 9 Interior Design: 7 Reliability: 10
Fuel Economy: 8 Exterior Design: 7

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GLS 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

This is by far the best city car- for the money - I have ever owned. I still get 28 MPG combined even with 69k on it. There is plenty of power to hold your own on the freeway, or get around that annoying person with his turn signal on for miles. Turn on the AC and it's a different story. The power flat lines, and the gas mileage heads to the basement. The interior is roomy - better than my wifes '08 Civic -but pretty plain (O CD player in GLS). And you cannot seem to ever find a balance between having the steering wheel at a comfortable hight, and still see all of the instrument cluster. The trunk is huge, and will hold several full sized suit cases. All in all it's a great car.

Favorite Features

Power (with AC off). Interior room. I have two kids and both car seats fit in the back with room to spare. The trunk. I can get a double stroller, diaper bag, and a toy bag back thee with room to spare.

Suggested Improvements

A CD player (MP3 compatible) standard in he GLS. A telescoping steering column. More horses, so that the AC doesn't kill the power and MPG. Standard battery, as you have to take it into Hyundai to get the thing changed. A timing chain rather than a belt needing a change every 60k.

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Not all it's cracked up to be.

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 7 Fun-to-Drive: 7 Build Quality: 2
Comfort: 5 Interior Design: 4 Reliability: 2
Fuel Economy: 4 Exterior Design: 4

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I bought the Hyundai Elantra after what i thought was sufficient research. The dealer and Hyundai billed it as comparable in quality to Toyota & Honda. That is a joke. I had rust on the rear vent windows and other places pretty quick. I take pretty good care of my cars too. I don't spoil them but I don't neglect routine maintenance and cleaning. I've had no end of issues with the headlights burning out. I've had to replace them both 4 times now (8 new headlights) and you can't do it yourself unless you've already got the tools. It's a pain.

Favorite Features

Kenwood CD/MP3 player & radio Heated side view mirrors.

Suggested Improvements

better quality headlights (or at least easier to replace ones) improve overall quality of materials. Plastic parts are cheap and crack easily.

0 out 1 people found this review helpful

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This is a great car

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 10 Fun-to-Drive: 10 Build Quality: 10
Comfort: 9 Interior Design: 10 Reliability: 10
Fuel Economy: 10 Exterior Design: 10

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

After 99500 miles, this has been a great car - fun to drive, reliable, economical. The only repair I have ever paid for on our three Elantras was an oxygen sensor on this one. I replaced the rear brakes once (still OEM in front)and the tires twice (only got 35000 miles from the second set). Gas mileage is great, power is great, 5-speed shifts nicely.

Favorite Features

Leather seats, really good A/C and heat, great sound. Also the reliability and economy.

Suggested Improvements

Load up a model with everything, as some other makers do - power seat, climate control, auto headlights, integrated garage door opener - and I would buy another instantly.

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I love my car

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 10 Fun-to-Drive: 9 Build Quality: 10
Comfort: 10 Interior Design: 10 Reliability: 10
Fuel Economy: 10 Exterior Design: 10

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GLS 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I love my car. I wasn't sure about buying a Hyundai although I knew it had been selected as car of the year. However, my mechanic recommended it and I am super glad I listened to him. It is a fun car to drive, I can park it anywhere and gives me great mileage.

Favorite Features

size, mileage and it's comfortable.

Suggested Improvements

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Great car!

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 8 Fun-to-Drive: 10 Build Quality: 10
Comfort: 8 Interior Design: 10 Reliability: 10
Fuel Economy: 10 Exterior Design: 10

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I've had the GT for five years now, few problems, only one repair I had to pay for myself. Original clutch and front brakes. It's been fun to drive, economical and reliable. After 99,000 miles, I'm looking to trade on a Sonata, and I just wanted to say that anyone who buys one of these used, if it's been treated right, you're getting a great value.

Favorite Features

Leather seats, good 5-speed, roomy, reliability, economy, warranty, good stereo, (if a little tricky to use).

Suggested Improvements

Hyundai should make a loaded Elantra, similar to the Mazda3 Grand Touring. If they did, I wouldn't want a Sonata. Maybe that's why they don't.

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Fine, but too much engine vibration

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 6 Fun-to-Drive: 6 Build Quality: 5
Comfort: 6 Interior Design: 6 Reliability: 6
Fuel Economy: 4 Exterior Design: 6

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Maybe I got the lemon, but there's too much engine vibration at 2500 rpm. My rear-view mirror sounds like it's trying to tell me something.

Favorite Features

Leather seats, manual transmission

Suggested Improvements

More engine vibration damping

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Hyundai still makes bad cars

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 1 Fun-to-Drive: 1 Build Quality: 1
Comfort: 1 Interior Design: 1 Reliability: 1
Fuel Economy: 5 Exterior Design: 2

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GLS 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

The steering column started squeaking at 160,000kms. Never had that problem ever before with any other car. This problem is not covered in the warranty, and have learned other drivers have faced this problem. The car is too light and need to put in bricks to stabilize it on the road else it drifts. Didn't matter how many times it was checked over, its like the centre of gravity is off on this car. The car has too many blind spots. This car has had more problems with it then my 1997 fort escort with 345,000kms on it.

Favorite Features

there is nothing to say, except least the car was cheap.

Suggested Improvements

the company should own up to the fact that its steering is faulty and design a better looking car. Elimination or at least reduction in blind spots.

2 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Nice car, but could be better.

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 7 Fun-to-Drive: 6 Build Quality: 6
Comfort: 7 Interior Design: 8 Reliability: 7
Fuel Economy: 6 Exterior Design: 8

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Bought a 2004 GT new and with the car approaching 5 years old, I'm overall satisfied with the car, but... Doing the suggested, periodic maintenance has been a huge headache, mostly focusing on the dealerships. The prices for the 30k, 60k, etc. check- ups are horribly overpriced and the dealerships don't even perform what the owner's manual suggests they do. You'll take your car in for a repair (like a PCV valve) and it's 10 minutes of sales talk before they tell you they haven't even looked at the car. I've even had them tell me I needed a grossly overpriced cabin filter replacement only to find it missing a week later when I did it myself. Thievery or the car didn't come with one.

Favorite Features

Highway driving is smooth, acceleration is adequate for the 2.0L engine. Oil changes are super easy. Overall, the car has held up well over 5 years. Car runs much more efficiently on 89 octane fuel.

Suggested Improvements

Headlight replacements are expensive and difficult. You have no room on the passenger side and the driver's requires you to take out the battery. Fuel economy could be better IMO. Getting 28-30mpg, but 30-33 should be normal. Because of the dealership, not buying Hyundai ever again.

2 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Very Reliable Car at 60,000 miles

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 5 Fun-to-Drive: 4 Build Quality: 8
Comfort: 5 Interior Design: 6 Reliability: 9
Fuel Economy: 6 Exterior Design: 7

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I bought my Elantra new and have had no major mechanical issues. I've had to replace brake pads once and front headlights twice (which the dealer replaced at no expense to me). My only complaint is that it is very noisy inside (road noise), but overall, am very satisfied with its performance.

Favorite Features

Good gas mileage, nice stereo/CD player.

Suggested Improvements

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Don't get the 5 spd.

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating 

Performance: 8 Fun-to-Drive: 8 Build Quality: 9
Comfort: 8 Interior Design: 7 Reliability: 9
Fuel Economy: 9 Exterior Design: 7

Vehicle

2004 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I've had a 2004 Elantra GT hatchback for two months. Great car - fast, safe, reliable, comfortable. However, the 5 spd. is extremely clunky; it feels more like a truck transmission than a car transmission. Moreover, the fog lights come on only when the headlights are on, which rather defeats the purpose of fog lights. Otherwise, terrific car.

Favorite Features

Generally good function and reliability.

Suggested Improvements

1) A 5 spd., eighty years after being invented, should be quick, short, and easy to use. Hyundai should fix theirs. 2) Fog lights should operate independently of headlights.

1 out 2 people found this review helpful

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