Used 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Engine failure at 68k miles!
Kurt, 02/05/2019
updated 11/29/2023
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
I'm very frustrated with Edmunds.com because I trusted the good reviews of this car. We bought our 2013 Elantra GT 8 months ago and have barely put 2k miles on it. A few months go we started hearing tapping noise that went away after the engine warmed up. The noise became a full-blown knocking deep in the engine that becomes more frequent as the car accelerates. We took it to a Hyundai dealership and were told that there was a lot of metal in the oil and the engine was basically useless. The only solution is to replace it. The dealership has blamed this problem on poor owner maintenance. After further Google research I've discovered that engine failure for 2011-2018 Elantra's with the Nu 1.8L model is very common but Hyundai refuses to admit that it's a manufacturing defect. However this only seems to be the case in the US. Canadian owners of the Nu 1.8L engine get theirs replaced upon experiencing the knocking and metal shavings in the oil--at no cost to the owner (our Hyundai dealer quoted $6k for the replacement). This indicates that Hyundai knows and acknowledges the defect but wont extend the replacement to the US because we don't have consumer protection laws like Canada. In short, I'm stuck with a car that the dealership will give $1000 as trade-in (We still owe $7000), or I can spend $6000 to replace the engine. I'm considering joining in the class-action lawsuit against Hyundai. **** Update 2021 **** My daughter has been driving the car a little every day. We never go on highways or freeways and never leave town with the Elantra. We don't go over 45mph. The car still has a loud nasty knocking while running. I change the oil every 3 months, even though I want to give up and let the car self-destruct. We have joined a class-action lawsuit against Hyundai, which means that we have to keep this crappy car until the lawsuit is resolved. Hopefully that will be in April or May of 2021. I don't know what will happen if the suit is successful. What ever they do, I'm going to get the car fixed and sell it ASAP. Hyunday cars have proven to be garbage. Not only mechanically but the interior components are crappy too. The dash and plastic parts rattle, the foam padding in the seats has deteriorated to almost nothing. My advice is to stay away from Hyunday. 9/2021 **** Hyundai did end up replacing the engine. It runs well now but, after a month we keep getting check-engine lights. My daughter owns the car now so she handles all of that. She has taken the car back 3 times in 2 months because check-engine lights coming on. I've tried to get her to sell the car but she is attached to it and doesn't want to give it up now that it has a new engine. If it was up to me, I'd sell that lemon tomorrow for whatever we could get. Did I mention that I recommend everyone stay away from Hyundai? 11/2023 UPDATE: My daughter really hates this car. back in 2021 I mentioned she had check-engine lights going on. Well, the dealership kept resetting the error because they couldn't find the problem. The CEL code indicated an emissions/fuel system issue but for some reason they can't find anything wrong. They just told her to drive it until it comes on again then bring it back. She is a teacher and can't be taking time to bring her car to the dealership every week for phantom check-engine lights that the mechanics can't seem to identify. I finally went in and lost my temper and raged at the service manager. I was out of control and told them how badly they have treated her and how incompetent they were because they were wasting her time and couldn't fix the car. The other issue was the this same dealership is the one who blatantly lied to us in the beginning about how we were the cause of the initial engine failure. She has been jerked around and treated horribly because Hyundai built a crappy car and won't take responsibility for the mess they made. To be fair, my daughter STILL owns the car! Well, after my out-of-control tirade at the dealership they kept the car overnight and finally traced the problem to plastic part near the gas tank fuel outlet. I can't remember what part it was but it had cracked and was disrupting the fuel system vacuum enough to throw the CEL. After 3 months and more that 5 times in the dealership they finally fixed it... and didn't hesitate to charge her for their time. Oh, and now the hatchback won't open. The latch is stuck and can't be released with the key or the manual trigger. So that's fun. She has a horribly useless failure or a car that she can't sell because the hatchback won't open. We are wondering how many hundreds of dollars that's going to cost her to fix.
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Tall-friendly and Winter Worthy!
mushamush, 12/02/2013
updated 12/13/2016
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Edmunds sent an e-mail to "update" my review yet again. I still own it, I still love it. No mechanical issues! Edmunds sent an e-mail to "update" my review as it's going on year 3. So, here goes. As my first Hyundai, going on year 3 I continue to be impressed. I've yet to have any mechanical or quality issue arise with this little GT. We just got back from a weekend road trip, averaged 39.6 miles per gallon on the trip. Still tight as a drum, no creaks, no rattles, no noises what-so-ever. It's been through 3 Minnesota winters (2014 we were hitting -30F outside) and it performed just like any other day. The only possible "con" I have is the wheels and tires. There's nothing wrong with them, but these low profile 17" tires cost more than a 195/65 R-15 tire by anywhere from $20-40 per tire. So when the time comes, I will replace the OEM stuff with 15" wheels and tires. Will be more resistant to wheel scratches from potholes as a bonus! This car has been incredible so far. I'm 6'3", 175 pounds. I fit comfortably, better yet, I can fit 3 more 6'+ people with no problem. Ride quality, engine noise and road noise all exceed my expectations in a very good way. I own a 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 as well, the difference is staggering, and I love that car! The attention to detail and material quality really sets it apart from a lot of cars. Nothing feels cheap (and this is a Hyundai! Man, they've come a long way), nothing creaks or pops going down the road. I'm used to these small, 4 cylinder econoboxes being complete rattletraps. Not anymore. And it does well in snow. I couldn't be happier.
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It's a Love-Hate Relationship
nanne8, 07/28/2013
updated 09/24/2013
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT PZEV 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
I've had this car for about six months and have some regrets about buying it. It looks great - both the interior and exterior designs are excellent. And the technology it's equipped with (I have the tech/style pkg) beats any other car in its segment. However, there are some major deficiencies: (1) the gas mileage is nowhere near what Hyundai claims. The most I've ever gotten is 30mpg highway and 27 combined. That's driving conservatively in eco mode the entire time; (2) the ride is VERY harsh - you feel every (I mean EVERY) bump in the road and forget about going over rough pavement, bumps, or potholes. I feel like I'm riding in a school bus. (3) the acceleration/power stinks...badly.
Great value
stankjenkins, 04/25/2015
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback w/Blue Interior (1.8L 4cyl 6M)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
Owned the car for roughly a year now and I haven't had a single problem in the first 9k miles. On top of that, the dealer I work for bought in two other 2013 Elantra GTs within the last week(one with 3k miles, one with 22k miles) and the only thing found in the 22k mile elantra was that it needed a couple of new tires. The mileage is great, I average 25-27 in the city and 32-35 on the highway, can be more or less depending on conditions and traffic.
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
bcgordy1, 09/01/2012
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
Just bought the car a couple of weeks ago. Had narrowed decision down to Toyota Prius or the GT. Decided on the GT because of price, standard features, warranty, no batteries to replace and, believe it or not, quietness! Admitedly it is a little smaller than the Prius but we are empty nesters in our 60's looking for an around town/short road trip car. The car is a joy to drive and so quiet. Suspension is "sports", i.e., fairly stiff. Car feels solid.
Great Car, Known Problem with 1.8L
Jared Rella, 02/12/2018
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
I got a used 2013 Hyundai Elantra with 106k miles on it for $8,000 in May 2017. I thought it was an incredible amount of car and features for the money. I loved it for about 8 months until it started making a loud ticking noise in the winter. I brought it to a local shop and they told me I had metal flakes in my oil, probably from a spun bearing. I would need a new engine. At the time my car had 123k miles on it, and Hyundai would not help me out at all with the repair because it was out of warranty. The fact that a barely five year old car needed a new engine frustrated me. After some research I found that other people with Elantra sedans and hatchbacks have had the same problem with the 1.8L engine, with most of them being replaced under warranty. I personally knew of two other people with Elantras needing to replace their 1.8L engine as well. Hyundai apparently doesn’t think it’s a big enough issue for a recall though. They’re decent cars but if you’re looking at an Elantra with the 1.8L, I wouldn’t buy it if it’s out of warranty. I ended up trading it in for a 2018 Corolla iM.
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Sporty and reliable
Todd, 06/24/2021
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT PZEV 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Of the 20 or so vehicles I've owned, this is my favorite. It's reliable, comfy (I'm a little over 6 feet tall) good in winter (with snow tires), easy on gas, and has a ton of cargo space. It's not a "hot hatch" but it's fun to drive and doesn't have the hot hatch reliability problems associated with a turbocharged engine. It has a smooth ride on the highway and handles well - not as well as a GTI, but good enough. My only modification was to replace the stock tires (when worn out) with more sport-oriented tires. My only complaint is that it doesn't have a modern phone interface like CarPlay, though the BlueTooth connectivity is adequate to play music and make calls. I use it mainly for commuting and short (2-3 hour) business trips.
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Nice Ride!
antoniog71, 04/22/2013
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This car is simply awesome. Looks very small, but it is VERY comfortable, even for big people like me and my family. It rides super slick and it looks nice as well. The interior is nice, very nice. This car is perfect for any 4 people, can fit 5, but looks like it will not be comfortable. Besides it being a GT, it is a good purchase for my family. It will be used to take us anywhere, and the mileage on this car is sweet. Nice Ride! You can't go wrong with this car.
Great car and not a sports car - update
George, 03/05/2017
updated 03/13/2018
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Update: I have had my GT for over a year and continue to love it for the most part. I enjoy driving it and find it very comfortable for commuting and long trips. It is not meant to be a sports car and has plenty of power for me. I am disappointed in the gas mileage, around 26 mpg in all around driving, which seems low to me for a car and engine of this size. This is down a bit from my original review and that may be a result of winter driving. The push button door lock stopped working on the drivers side, which is the only non-standard maintenance I have had to do. Would I buy this car again? Yes. I love the sporty lines and the interior and the money I saved over a Civic or Mazda 3 more than pays for the lower gas mileage. Original review: I have had my GT for 3 months now and absolutely love it. I read all the reviews and those disappointed with it seem to want a sports car - I guess because of the GT designation. It is NOT a sports car but it is a solid, comfortable, versatile hatchback. I won't beat too many people off the line, but that is not why I bought it. It is plenty quick enough for me and is much quieter on the highway than any other small car I have had. I am a manual driver, but went with the automatic for this one because of my new commute. I find the 6 speed automatic to be more than serviceable and keep it in ECO mode most of the time. I love the lines and interior and it has everything I want and more. Fold down the rear seats and there is plenty of room for your stuff. For me that means bikes, lacrosse equipment, golf clubs, etc. My one slight disappointment is the gas mileage, which I expected to be better for an economy hatchback. I average about 28 in combined driving and I have a fairly light foot. If you want a comfortable, nice looking, versatile small car, I recommend you include this on your list of options.
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So far, so good...
richmonder1, 09/22/2013
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I've had my Elantra GT almost three months and nearly 4000 miles. Mine came with the "Touch & Go" package. Additionally, I preferred the manual transmission. Which brings me to the point of my review: I am getting better than the advertised mileage. On the highway, with limits varying between 55 mph and 70 mph, I typically get between 39 and 40 mpg. Sometimes more but rarely less. Around town, I can get as much as 31 to 32 mpg or as little as 27 mpg. Typically, it will depend on the number of stoplights that trip has. Even with a canoe and a kayak on a Yakima rack, I was able to get 31 mpg on country secondary roads with 55 mph speed limits. The difference might be the transmission