Used 2016 Hyundai Elantra Sedan Consumer Reviews
Used Elantra for sale
Hyundai beats Honda every which way but Sunday
DrRJP, 05/12/2018
2016 Hyundai Elantra SE 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
11 of 14 people found this review helpful
THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS to know about this car are the following: (1) how differently it performs in moist, cooler Fall and Spring weather [outstanding] versus dry, scorching Summer weather [challenging]; (2) how differently it performs from the day you drive it new out of the dealership lot versus how it performs when it's got a year's worth of mostly highway miles, and (3) the person who wrote this review obviously drove it when it was new and not when the weather was cool. I bought my 2016 Elantra SE in April 2017 as a Certified Used Car w/ a 12,000/12 month warranty. The first thing that I did was to ditch the heavy steel wheels (80 lbs total) for some sweet and light rims (56 lbs) and got rid of 24 lbs of unsprung weight. Made a big difference in the handling. The 2nd thing I did was to bump up the tire pressure to 36 psi, giving it better handling, breaking and acceleration. Speaking of acceleration, car reviewers don't seem to understand that modern, multi-speed automatic transmissions have a learning capability to adapt to your style of driving. If you drive it like the proverbial little old lady, it will shift like she walks. OTOH, if you drive like Mario Andretti, the slush box will be shifting quick, short and at maximum HP. What speeds this learning process along, as I have learned, is to put the tranny into manual mode and make all your upshifts at 5,500 to 6,000 RPM for the first month. When I first got the Elantra, it was shifting sluggishly as the reviewer said, but it soon learned how to leave Civics in its dust. I used to own Hondas, but their products started going downhill in the 2001-2008 models. My last car was a 1998 Infiniti I30. Super car that got me from Point A to Point B for 300K. I've always admired the 2015-2016 Elantras and when I was able to buy one, I became a happy camper. The size is perfect for me. I love the low front end that allows me to get in and out of places that compact cars with bigger noses just cannot negotiate. I also like the spacious interior - more so than the 2018 Elantra which, like most new cars, has enlarged the console to the detriment of leg and knee room (especially the latter). The steering is precise and gives me a pretty good feel for the road. Of course, a lot of how the Elantra drives depends on the shoes its wearing. Mine came with a set of Firestone Champion Fuel Fighters: a $90/each tire that lived up to its name because my best mileage numbers (when it was 65 degrees out) were 33.5 mpg city (avg. 40 mph) and 41.5 mpg highway (avg. 75 mph) with those tires. I have since put on a set of Sumitomo HTR Enhance that consistently give me 28 mpg city and 38 mpg highway. However, the Fuel Fighters were pretty noisy and hard while the Sumitomos are quiet and on the soft side. The front seats are very comfortable and I was afraid that I would not like them. But, they have molded to my physique just fine. The car now has 53k on it and it keeps on getting better and better. I'd love to have the car reviewer try out mine and then see if he still thinks the base engine is "sluggish." Now, there is a slight delay in starting off in 1st gear but that's because they have the idle set so low. With my left foot on the brake and my right on the gas, I add an additional 200 rpms to the idle speed and that takes care of any lag off the line. My biggest beef, however, is with the engine noise. Accelerating is when it is most noticeable. Above 4,000 rpm, it sounds like a Wal-Mart blender on Liquify. The following model years made a great improvement in both engine noise and cabin insulation. While the 2016 Elantra SE is fairly quiet at highway speeds for a car in its class, the 2018 I recently test-drove felt like a Sonata (which it almost is considering how much bigger it has grown). The bottom line is that you get a heck of a lot of goodies in a Hyundai for a little amount of money. you can keep your Mazdas, Hondas, and Furds (sic). The South Korean King of compacts is the 2016 Hyundai Elantra. Best car I've ever owned.
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GREAT CAR, no soul
Big mike, 01/31/2016
2016 Hyundai Elantra SE 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
this has been an VERY good car at a great price. in 12,000 miles have had no problems. I would recommend this car to anyone as a great "a to b" mode of transportation - gas mileage has been excellent - in the low to mid 30's. rides nice, handles nice, roomy interior and trunk. while it has performed very good in EVERY respect it has no soul, no wow factor, nothing to make you go "awesome".
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Love my 2016 Hyundai Elantra
Brittany, 03/30/2016
2016 Hyundai Elantra SE 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6M)
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Highly recommend this car. I am so proud to own it, only 2 problems i have noticed. One, driving with passenger side window down there is always a funny noise like driving on a flat (not a big deal to me). Two the handling when driving over a bump is kind of shaky but not too bad it only took me a few times to learn my car and how to handle a big bump. Above all this car is amazing and can not talk negative about it in any other way. I made the right decision and picked the right car for me!
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Still Love my Elantra!
Sheree, 03/11/2020
updated 03/15/2024
2016 Hyundai Elantra SE 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is the second Hyundai Elantra I've owned. The first bought new in 2004 which I owned for 11 years with only the routine servicing and maintenance required. Solid, reliable vehicle with great gas mileage. I only bought my second new Elantra in 2016 after a driver rear ended my car wrecking it. I test drove Volkswagon Jetta, Toyota Camry and Nissan Sentra when car shopping but in the end I decided to buy another Elantra because of its dependability and low maintenance. In the future, instead of running around to multiple car dealers and test driving different cars, I'll save my time and money by just buying another Hyundai ❤ 8+ years into ownership of my 2nd Elantra and it remains a love connection 🥰
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Great car and better value
Sebastian, 02/21/2020
2016 Hyundai Elantra SE 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This year of the Elantra is a great buy. I've put 50,000 miles on it so far, and nothing has gone wrong with it. While not a top of the line car, it has a ton of features on it, and the engine has more than enough power and is a very smooth running motor. The gas mileage is one of the main perks I bought this vehicle, since I travel quite a bit on the road. I average about 32-33 mpg in the city, and on the open road I have clocked at 41 mpg. I'm definitely not complaining after the annual summer gas price hike. The handling is decent, although it could do better on tight turns since, it is a bit too soft in feel. The suspension could be a bit sportier to improve the performance, but overall a smooth ride and no complaints. The style is great, seats are comfortable for long road trips, and the trunk has ample room for a small car. The 100,000 mile warranty adds to my peace of mind of not having to worry about major car repairs for the average lifespan of 8-10 years that I own a car. I wish they would bring the telescopic steering wheel feature back as they did not offer it on this model. The sound system is great, and I enjoy the option of the bluetooth system, satellite radio, and being able to use my ipod, (or Pandora via bluetooth when in traffic). The only reason I don't give this car a perfect rating is mostly for the lack of a telescopic steering wheel, the cheaper feeling plastic used on the interior design, visibility around the blind spots could improve, and the soft suspension.