The 2018 Hyundai Elantra is associated with 330 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 102 reports (31% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 10 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.4l 4-cyl, 2l 4-cyl, and 1.6l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 25 to 35 MPG combined.

Key Data Findings
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 330 reports
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 1 campaign
  • • Top Reported Defect Area: Engine (102 / 31%)
  • • Safety Incident Signals: 12 crash / 8 fire / 7 injury reports
  • • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
  • • EPA Efficiency: 25–35 MPG (10 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
Fuel Economy
25–35MPG
10 EPA certified variants (1.4l 4-cyl, 2l 4-cyl, and 1.6l 4-cyl configurations)
Reported Complaints
330
330 submitted owner reports
Safety Recalls
1
1 official NHTSA recall
NCAP Safety Rating
4 / 5 Stars Overall

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Hyundai Elantra?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Elantra 1.4L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 32 MPG 40 MPG 35 MPG — $1,750 / yr
Elantra SE 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 29 MPG 38 MPG 33 MPG — $1,850 / yr
Elantra 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 28 MPG 37 MPG 32 MPG — $1,900 / yr
Elantra 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 26 MPG 36 MPG 29 MPG — $2,100 / yr
Elantra 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 26 MPG 33 MPG 29 MPG — $2,100 / yr
Elantra GT 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 26 MPG 32 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Elantra GT 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 24 MPG 32 MPG 27 MPG — $2,300 / yr
Elantra GT 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 23 MPG 31 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
Elantra GT 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 22 MPG 29 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Elantra 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 22 MPG 30 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR FWD 10.7%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Hyundai Elantra models.
View complete 2018 Hyundai Elantra crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra?

Summary of 330 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
330
Crash Reports
12
Fire Reports
8
Complaints w/ Injury
7
Total Injuries
7

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 102 complaints (1 crash)
Structure & Body 9 complaints
Air Bags 8 complaints (6 crashes)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 8 complaints
Fuel & Propulsion System 8 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Hyundai Elantra problems & component breakdown (81 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Hyundai Elantra?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #18V891000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Defect Summary: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT vehicles. The panoramic sunroof motor may be incorrectly programmed, preventing the sunroof from detecting an obstacle while closing.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the panoramic sunroof, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 179.
View all 2018 Hyundai Elantra recalls & campaign history (1 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.