Driving Experience
Includes acceleration and handling
What Owners Say
"Handling is very good. Could use a bit more power. A friend of mine has a new Elantra with a turbo 1600. Mine is naturally aspirated 1800. From his description his has the power I would like."
Laurin O., AB (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It's satisfactory, but there are better choices within size and price range. Interior styling and finish also don';t measure up to other choices."
Anonymous, VA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Engine is short of torque."
Anonymous, PA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Sight lines aren't the best. The length of the windshield put the pillars in very awkward places for being able to see at turns."
Jeff V., OH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"a little sluggish but ok for around town.."
David C., GA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"very under=powered, virtually no torque, when using the cruise control it can struggle up ling grades"
Anonymous, NY (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The balance of the car is slightly off which after/during encountering bumpy roads it under steers badly."
Anonymous, OK (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Will get up and go when I need it to. Handles well."
Anonymous, MS (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"See previous answer."
Dean D., FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Plenty of acceleration for a 4 cylinder"
Anonymous, NS (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Underpowered"
W D., FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration is more than adequate. Holds the road."
James P., AZ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Decent acceleration & as I indicated before good handling, for the money."
Anonymous, VT (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Excellent"
Anonymous, FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"good"
Edward T., TX (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Great all around."
August S., NY (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration and handling are good."
Anonymous, CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Accelerates and handles well"
Anonymous, ON (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Smooth on smooth surfaces. Jittery when hitting bumps or potholes as if the struts or shocks are not keeping the car on the road."
Anonymous, CT (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"I feel like I am driving a sports car with the acceleration and handling."
Anonymous, TX (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"A little slow to excellerate, but great handling after up to speed."
Anonymous, MD (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Poor turning ratio, sluggish acceleration even when not in ECO mode."
Lance R., CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"This is a small car, & it accelerates as needed & very quickly. It handles very well. I have had no problem with handling it in any situation. To be fair, I do not put winter tires on this car, so I drive my Buick when the roads are bad. Therefore, I do not know how it would handle on slick or snowy roads. Mountain roads both up and down, it does very well."
Anonymous, WA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Again, put 3,500 miles on the car during my June road trips; could not ask for better performance."
Daniel A., FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"In ECO mode, it flies. No problem passing trucks It handles very responsively"
Universal C., FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It does not absorb bumps very well-not near as good as the Honda does-which we have owned in the past. i would go back to the Honda"
Julie N., TX (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration can be a little slow but it is a smooth transition. Stears easily and corners well."
Marilyn R., IA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It's ok. Nothing great. Traction on snow is worse than expected."
Anonymous, OR (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration is actually very good. Car is now 6 years old and it hasn't changed much. Handles quite well."
Anonymous, MD (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Handles well, goes around corners with little lean, steering has just the right feel."
Jack W., OH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Great car, fun to drive, handles really well, top notch car"
Arthur R., NH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration good and handling very responsive."
Anonymous, MA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It has great acceleration."
Jay H., KS (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It has quick response whatever I need to do. Very easy to maneuver, swerve in and out of traffic, merge onto highway. I love it."
Terry H., OH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration is merely adequate. Passing power is awful. Rear wheels step out over bumps like a stiffly sprung live axle when in fact the car is front wheel drive."
Anonymous, OH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"I drive in the economy mode. It takes a bit to get the pick up on entering a highway."
Anonymous, NC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Controls are logical. Good handling"
Anonymous, OH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Only once did I try to accelerate quickly, and it huffeed and puffed and blew black smoke out the tailpipie. But overall its ok driving and handling."
John M., MD (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Handling tight in relation to other vehicles at time of purchase in 2013"
Anonymous, CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"it is ok - the original tires were terrible in the winter - not good at all in snow & ice. I also had a hard time seeing out of the side windows in the back because the doors were higher than in my old car - it is better now that I am more used to it and have gotten better at using the side mirrors. also I had a manual shift in my old car and could feel it when the car did not shift when it should have."
Anonymous, SD (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"I have the GT version and it's very fun to drive. Zippy acceleration, great suspension, good in turns. Noisy."
William K., FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Good acceleration and handling"
Brian D., WI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration and handling are very good for such a small car; however, it is the worst car I've owned in the snow. It simply doesn't have the weight to keep it moving and going straight."
James F., OH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The car handles very well at high speed and never felt the vibration of the steering wheel or a sense it is going too fast."
Anonymous, ON (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The car is very under powered and front wheels shake during hard acceleration."
Anonymous, AZ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Quick when reving above 3000 and agile"
Anonymous, NJ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"its good"
Anonymous, CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration and handling are very good."
Anonymous, NJ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Handling is pretty good, given how much I payed for this car. However, acceleration can be anemic, especially when trying to pass at highway speeds."
Mike G., TX (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"slow acceleration. Rides rough"
Anonymous, TX (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"manual shift is fun"
Anonymous, RI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Not the peppiest car so i would expect netter gas mileage"
James D., NH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Car handles with ease while driving, parking and all other moves. Acceleration is smooth or quick, whichever you need."
Ronald H., AZ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Steering is horrendous. Very loose allows car to wander and veer off the roadway, especially on snowy roads."
Anonymous, OH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The Elantra handles pretty well, but using the ECO setting, I often find that acceleration is not very good, I guess, because of the limitations this setting forces on the engine."
Lawrence S., FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"it moves along fine and handles well"
Gerald B., TN (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It does not handle well in snow, even with snow tires"
Pat C., NY (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"For a four cyclinder it has excellent acceration. The car handles extremely well. It holds road very well. It has a small turn radius."
Anonymous, MN (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Very peppy car for the size of engine and not being turbo charged"
Anonymous, NC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It's a small somewhat underpowered car, but that's why I bought it. Handles quite well, acceleration is no more than adequate"
Anonymous, NC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"We found this vehicle very peppy for a small car."
Anonymous, MI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Excellent gearshift and the controlled handling in sudden evasive manoeuvers has proved itself on a couple of occasions when other drivers decided that STOP signs were for other people. The speed-sensitive power steering is nicely weighted on the highway and quite light in parking lots. Hyundai Canada, though, has resolutely declined to accept responsibility for the sticking brake calipers and warped rotors that have plagued the car since delivery. In the U.S. Hyundai simply replaced the brak"
DAVID R., ON (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Not very powerful when starting to accelerate"
Anonymous, ON (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"My Elantra lacks power and acceleration when I need to speed up quickly to pass or increase speed."
MICHAEL V., PA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"I bit more horsepower would have been nice but is adequate. But acceleration was better than Civic the other car I considered."
DANNY J., CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"No road feel. Acceleration is fine."
Anonymous, SC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Handles good. Driving at 55 MPH in the hills of AR, I got 42-43 MPG!!!"
CHARLES B., TX (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"My car had the live rear axle. Hops around I bumpy roads, particularly turns."
Anonymous, NH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"I realize it is a smaller car with a smaller engine, but it seems sluggish once there is more than 2 persons riding. Otherwise it drives and handles well for my driving style."
Anonymous, UT (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Does not handle well. You lose control over small bumps."
CHRIS P., MN (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The configuration of the post & side view mirrors effectively create 'blind spots' when entering circles or sharp curves. For a full view of the road, it is necessary to lean forward in the seat. This is a potentially hazardous action. However, not doing so may allow a pedestrian or other obstacle to remain unseen until the last minute."
Anonymous, VA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The Elantra in my opinion does not handle very well. When I first bought it I thought I'd just have to get used to it as I was used to driving a van. I never did. Driving over the slightest bump can cause a wreck. The slightest adjustment in steering can be an over adjustment. Its scary on the interstate."
Anonymous, IN (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Tends to cutout if you need to accelerate to quickly."
JOHN F., CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The car is hard to accelerate smoothly as the fuel delivery seems imprecise and jerky. The car seems to surge."
ROBERT J., MI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"I generally drive the speed limit and/or 5 miles over. This has great acceleration to get me on and off the highway, as well as the speed necessary to pass. It gives me 3 different driving modes. 90% of the time I keep it on 'sporty' and find the handling spontaneous. I really enjoy driving it."
TERRY H., OH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Not enough power on the freeway or hills Poor visibility when changing lanes. Blind spot on rear posts."
Anonymous, CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"This is the GT version of the Elantra. I am disappointed in its gas mileage and its handling, specifically handling on icy or wet pavement. It is also a noisy car. Rear compartment is small and awkward compared to the sedan version of the Elantra. I would not buy an Elantra GT again, but would definitely buy another Elantra sedan."
Anonymous, TX (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"he convenience of the Hatch back for carrying groceries"
BUTLER M., NJ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Rough riding car and hard to handle on rough roads"
Anonymous, MD (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Vehicle rides low so got stuck in snow left at intersections from snowplows. Also could not drive up a snow and ice covered driveway (slight hill) at work. Had to leave it parked at bottom of driveway. But that may be a tire issue. But still frustrating with a newer vehicle."
KARI W., WI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Underpowered. Needs a few more horsepower."
Anonymous, SC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"OK acceleration, just wish it had a little more horsepower"
DAVID B., IA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Car seems light and the ride is stiff and uncomfortable, especially over rough roads. Car feels small for a six-foot male. Car came with 17" rims and this probably makes the ride feel even harsher."
Anonymous, HI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The visibility is comprised by the styling."
Anonymous, FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Lousy acceleration. Gets about 10 miles per gallon less than what the manufacturer claims."
JOHN J., NJ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The turning radius is small. I can make a U-turn on most city streets without backing up."
DAVID L., WI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Handles very well"
Anonymous, DE (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"There were 2 accidents, both caused by the stability control system. The car went off the road once causing serious damage to the vehicle. There was an acceleration problem when parking where several vehicles were hit by the Hyundai. We now drive it with the Stability system turned off. No incidents in 9 months. You should check the NHTSA website this is a very common problem. Since the Government requires stability control, they are not acting on all of the failures. This is infinitely worse t"
Anonymous, NY (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Engine a little weak on the hills. I drive in Econo mode which gears up early. In the hills I have to shift down to get power. This is what I would expect in a low horse powered engine."
Anonymous, CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The car runs loud, takes rough roads poorly, and underpowered."
GARY M., VA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Reversing is difficult because one cannot see where the car ends"
CHRISTOPHER R., ON (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"handling not good for a car this size. Under powered"
JOHN G., VA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"During summer months, the Elantra is fine. MPG is highly dependent on speed -- over 43 mpg at 50-55, but 35 mpg at 68-72. HOWEVER, in Michigan winter when highways are wet / snowy / icy, the Elantra is hazardous; I feel virtually no control of the car vs my other vehicle. I feel unsafw over 35 mph on the freeway when others pass me doing 60. NOT ACCEPTABLE."
AL B., MI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The car frightens me in bad weather. The rear end skips when it hits bumps because it is so light. It has no grab on the road."
MERWIN B., MN (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Handling is very good. Acceleration for entering a highway is not great."
Anonymous, NC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Rides rough"
Anonymous, NJ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration is just okay. Neither peppy nor slow. Sometimes it feels like its hesitant to down shift when passing power is needed. Steering is very numb but ultimately secure. It just has a very disconnected feel to it."
Anonymous, WI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Very roomy for a "compact" with good sized trunk. Love the "Fluidic Design" exterior and interior. Quite peppy for a four with six speed auto. It shifts up very quickly. City driving I am getting 29 plus mpg Over all, I am very pleased with this Hyundai Elantra GLS"
DOUG V., WI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Poor acceleration"
Anonymous, MI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The Elantra is adequate when it comes to these features."
THOMAS V., MI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"acceleration is excellent"
Anonymous, NH (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"I have skidded off the road a few times. quite scary."
Anonymous, TX (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"My last car was a standard and I wanted my nest car to be a standard Ford Mustang (close to retirement) but my 1995 Ford Probe threw a rod and I was tired of getting rides to work and renting cars on the weekend so I bought from Enterprise. I should have just bought a Ford Mustang automatic from Enterprise and traded it in for an standard when I retired this year."
Anonymous, CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"it is fine to drive but it is boring, just no fun factor"
A W., WA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The acceleration is poor at slow and fast speeds. Handling in the winter is poor when more than 4 inches of snow. It does take curves extremely well. It doesn't take pot holes well at all."
MOUNT P., IL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Acceleration drags. Handling not as tight and responsive as the Accord."
Anonymous, PA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The transmission (6 speed Automatic) shift very sluggish and sometime it is still in 4th gear at 65 miles an hour. I have to shift it manually. Had it in for service twice, and was told that there is nothing wrong."
A V., NJ (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Alot of brake noise,rear. No mechanical problems."
Anonymous, SD (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"My last car, a Honda Civic, drove as a more solid car. Noted going over bumps and breaking, especially on rough road."
SHEILA W., CT (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"I like the car. Am disappointed in fuel economy."
Anonymous, CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It is simply a great car for the money in every regard."
WILLIAM O., NC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The car has been reliable and handles well. For a small car, the performance is really quite good."
PAUL D., FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Noisy ride causes high volume on radio and phone; poor insulation against outside noise. Trunk is not as good as VW. AC /air flow is unsatisfactory."
ROBERT S., VA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It is just what it is advertised to be, an economical, practical car. Acceleration and handling are what you would expect. Adequate, but nothing special."
Anonymous, WA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"underpowered (1800 cc 6 speed manual)"
Anonymous, IN (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"nimble and accelerates very well. excellent auto trans. control."
Anonymous, SC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Front windshield posts too wide, block view."
WALTER R., NC (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"All but GPS"
Anonymous, KY (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"It's steering and handling are not quite as good as I would like."
Anonymous, VA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"Steering is great. Handles really well. Only negative is the bar support on the left side of windshield from the driver's seat. It's placement obstructs your field of vision sometimes when making a left hand turn."
Anonymous, FL (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"The acceleration is ok for a small car with 4 cylinders, but the handling is not so great. Car feels like it has a drag when coming to a stop and cornering at medium to high speeds feels unstable. If you hit a bump while cornering the front end loses traction and shifts/jumps toward the direction of centrigugal force"
MICHAEL C., CA (2013 Hyundai Elantra)"slow acceleration, stuttery transmission"
Anonymous, CT (2013 Hyundai Elantra)
"Very poor acceleration. One has to "floor" the gas pedal to come up to speed when merging on the expressway."
Anonymous, MI (2013 Hyundai Elantra)