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2012 Hyundai Elantra

Rating7.6

Ranked #7 in Compact Sedan

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Starting MSRP 

$15,345 - $20,595

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Key Spec of 2012 Hyundai Elantra
fuel economy

28/33/38

fuel type

regular unleaded

horsepower

148 hp @ 6500 rpm

basic warranty

5 yr./ 60000 mi.

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2012 Hyundai Elantra Price, Review, Ratings and Pictures

Updated on: May 9, 2022

Nathan Dyer's image
Nathan Dyer 

Senior Editor

The Hyundai Elantra started as a mediocre sedan and was labeled as just an alternative to the Japanese compact sedans. It has now come forward to being one of the best-selling sedans of the day. The new fluidic design, fuel-efficient engine, and increased list of standard features have seriously upped the game of Elantra.

2012 Hyundai Elantra Latest Updates

  • May' 20, 2022 : The Cheapest Hyundai Cars To Buy New In 2022 Read More »
  • May' 13, 2022 : Ten Cheapest Hybrid Cars To Buy New In 2022 Read More »
  • Apr' 21, 2022 : 2022 Edition: Fastest Cars You Can Buy For $20,000 Read More »
See detailed review
ProsConsWhat's New

Attractive ‘Fluidic' design

Slow throttle response

Gets a complete makeover

Impressive gas mileage on all models

Steering response could have been better 

Active Eco System mode for better mileage

Refined ride quality

Tight rear headroom. 

Upgraded optional packages 

Quiet cabin

Large Trunk

Over All Rating

7.6

Out of 10

Pricing and Features6.00
Pricing and Feature9.00
Features8.00
Engine and Performance7.60
Fuel Economy8.00
Interior7.30
Exterior7.50
Safety8.40
Competition6.00
Notable Rankings

#7 in Compact Sedan

#9 in Sedan

Pictures & Videos

Exterior [6]Interior [5]
2012 Hyundai Elantra exterior
2012 Hyundai Elantra exterior
2012 Hyundai Elantra exterior
2012 Hyundai Elantra exterior
2012 Hyundai Elantra exterior
2012 Hyundai Elantra exterior

Trims

GLS$15,345 onwards

  • 15-inch steel Wheels
  • ABS and driveline Traction control
  • Front air conditioning
  • Heated mirrors
  • Premium cloth Seat trim
  • Remote keyless entry
Build Car

Limited$20,595 onwards

  • 17-inch silver aluminum Wheels
  • Front Fog/driving lights
  • Front manual air conditioning
  • Front passengers heated-cushion
  • Leather Seat trim
  • Sliding and tilting glass Sunroof
Build Car

Colors and Styles

2012 Hyundai Elantra in Blue Sky Metallic color
Blue Sky Metallic

Expert Review, Pricing Analysis and Buying Guide

The 2012 Elantra has put the previous bestseller from a Japanese manufacturer to rethink what they offer to the public. The 2012 Hyundai Elantra is an example of an ideal and modern sedan. The 2012 Elantra rivals the likes of the 2012 Honda Civic, 2012 Kia Forte and 2012 Toyota Corolla.

Features
8.0/10

The 2012 Hyundai Elantra is offered in two trim levels. The base trim is named GLS, while the second trim is named the Limited trim. Elantra comes at a base price of $15,345 and the Limited trim is priced at $20,595. The GLS trim comes with a choice of a manual or automatic transmission, while the Limited trim comes only with the automatic transmission.

Trim

GLS

Limited

MSRP (Manual)

$15,345

NA

MSRP (Automatic)

$17,595

$20,595

Key Features

1.8-liter four-cylinder engine

Features of GLS trim plus: Front Fog driving lights
 

Cruise control

Leather steering wheel
 

Heated mirrors

Leather trim shift knob
 

Rear ventilated ducts

Multi-level heating front seat
 

Satellite radio

Leather Upholstery
 

Tire pressure monitor

Heated front seats

We Recommend

There is no lack of features in the standard trim of the Elantra, however, if you desire utmost comfort and luxury, then opting for the Limited trim would make more sense. A relaxed drive is available in both the trims, thanks to the automatic transmission but the GLS comes with a manual transmission as well that allows the driver to rev it to the redline and have more fun.

Engine and Performance
7.6/10

The engine on the 2012 Elantra has been downsized after the redesign. A 2.0-liter I-4 has now become a 1.8-liter I-4, producing 148 hp and 131 lb-ft of torque. The new engine offers acceptable performance, with no lack of power and an exceptionally high miles per gallon figure, something which makes the car more likable. It comes with a choice of either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, and both the transmission do a pretty good job of providing a refined ride. 

The engine is made on the new ‘Nu’ concept which uses all-aluminum parts. It also uses a lot of lightweight materials which not only help in weight reduction but also improve gas mileage. It uses composite intake, a silent timing chain, and an electronic throttle instead of direct injection. A 0-60 mph sprint is done in 8.2 seconds. The overall ride quality is quite refined and compresses bumps and uneven road surfaces easily. 

Models

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2012 Honda Civic

2012 Kia Forte

2012 Toyota Corolla

MSRP

$15,345

$15,955

$15,200

$16,130

Engine 

1.8-liter Inline-4

1.8L Inline-4

2.0-liter Inline-4

1.8L Inline-4

Drivetrain

FWD

FWD

FWD

FWD

Transmission

6-speed manual 

5-Speed Manual

6-speed manual

5-Speed Manual

Power 

148 hp @ 6,500 rpm

140hp @ 6,500 rpm

156 hp @ 6,200 rpm

132hp @ 6,000 rpm

Torque

131 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm

128 lb-ft @ 4,300 rpm

144 lb-ft @ 4,300 rpm

128 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm

0-60 MPH (sec)

8.2

8.6

8.4

9.9

Quarter mile (sec)

16.5

16.9

16.6

17.4

Top Speed (MPH)

130

127

124

126

The Honda Civic has the most power and also offers the most torque, yet it is slower to 60 mph than the Elantra while the Corolla is the slowest. Hyundai also has the highest top speed and is also the fastest in the quarter mile sprint. The Kia Forte comes with a slightly bigger engine and offers very similar performance to that of Elantra. 

Fuel Economy
8.0/10

The 2012 Hyundai Elantra is a very fuel efficient car and the EPA estimates state that the 2012 Elantra would return 28 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway with a combined mpg rating of 32 miles per gallon. With a fuel tank capacity of 12.8 gallons, it can travel 358 miles in the city and 486 miles on the highway. 

The combined range of Elantra is about 409 miles. While real-world numbers may differ a little, there is not a big difference, thanks to the long gear ratios and a light body. However, there is a drawback to save weight Hyundai got rid of a spare tire which could prove to be inconvenient for buyers.

Models

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2012 Honda Civic

2012 Kia Forte

2012 Toyota Corolla

MPG (City)

28

28

25

27

MPG (Highway)

38

36

34

34

MPG (Combined)

32

31

29

30

Fuel Capacity (gallons)

12.8

13.2

13.7

13.2

Range (City/ Highway) (miles)

358/486

370/475

343/466

356/449

The smaller fuel tank of the Elantra proves to be a disadvantage in the day-to-day city drive. However, the exceptional mpg figure helps it provide an overall better range in mixed driving conditions and highway driving. The Kia Forte is equipped with the largest fuel tank of the lot but can’t beat the Elantra in the range battle. The Civic and Corolla are equipped with larger fuel tanks but lose out in the range battle owing to less fuel efficiency. 

Interior
7.3/10

The space inside the 2012 Hyundai Elantra is more than what one would think it offers to look at it from the outside. The front seats are comfortable and plush, but there is a catch. The seats can have some more bolstering and support added to them, with longer lower cushions which would make them just perfect. However, they prove to be quite comfortable even on longer trips. 

Even with the sunroof, the headroom upfront is more than enough for tall passengers, while the rear seat occupants would suffer a little with the available headroom. However, it is still at par with what the other cars of the segment have on offer. The seats fold flat offering more space to store longer items in the trunk, but the standard trunk itself is quite wide and big. 

Models

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2012 Honda Civic

2012 Kia Forte

2012 Toyota Corolla

Seating Capacity

5

5

5

5

Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

40/55.9/43.6

39/56.6/42

40/55.7/43.3

38.8/54.8/41.7

Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

37.1/54.8/33.1

37.1/53.3/36.2

37.6/54.7/35

37.2/54.7/36.3

Cargo Capacity (cu-ft)

14.8

12.5

14.7

12.3

The Elantra is a bit tight at the rear with less legroom in the second row, yet the sloping roofline does not hamper the headroom that much, as it stays at par with the segment rivals. It also has the biggest trunk which might be due to the smaller rear row. Toyota offers the best in class space but cuts off significant legroom. 

Some of the standout interior features are:

  • 6-way power-adjustable driver seat
  • Sunroof
  • Automatic Climate control
  • Leather upholstery
  • Heated front and rear seats

How intuitive is the 2012 Hyundai Elantra’s infotainment unit?

The infotainment system inside the 2012 Elantra is placed in the middle of the dash and has a sort of waterfall design to it, with neatly placed climate control completing the overall design. While there is an optional display screen available which has one of the biggest screens in the segment for navigation, the standard system also has a lot of features which include satellite radio, bluetooth connectivity, six-speaker audio system and much more

Some of the standout infotainment features are:

  • 6-speaker audio sound system
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • SiriusXM satellite radio
  • Voice recognition
  • Built-in navigation
Exterior
7.5/10

The redesigned 2012 Elantra is based on Hyundai’s new ‘Fluidic’ design language. This design concept makes the car look, well, more Fluidic almost like it is flowing through the air. The character lines and angles give the body a kinetic look even while it's stationary.

The headlights move just over till the center of the wheel and the windshield looks like one of the steepest to be fitted to any car in the segment while at the rear, the lines and curves turn into lifted shoulder design with smooth sheet metal used just behind the wheel wells. 

Models

2012 Hyundai Elantra

2012 Honda Civic

2012 Kia Forte

2012 Toyota Corolla

Curb Weight (lbs.)

2,661

2,608

2,729

2,734

Length (in.)

178.3

177.3

178.3

180

Width (in.)

69.9

69

69.9

69.4

Height (in.)

56.5

56.5

57.5

57.7

Ground Clearance (in.)

5.5

6.7

5.9

5.8

Wheelbase (in.)

106.3

105.1

104.3

102.4

A higher ground clearance in the Honda Civic makes it slightly better to move over road undulations with ease. It is the lightest but fails to match the mpg figure provided by Elantra which weighs more than the Civic and offers better efficiency, showing how well engineered the Elantra is. However, the Elantra comes with the least ground clearance, with the Kia Forte and Toyota Corolla being marginally higher than it.

Some of the standout exterior features are:

  • Fluidic design concept
  • 16-inch wheels
  • Heated side mirrors
  • Rear Spoiler
Safety
8.4/10

The 2012 Hyundai Elantra received upgraded safety features, passing the new set of tests that the top institutions performed on the new Elantra. The NHTSA gave the 2012 Elantra four out of five stars for its overall safety rating, whereas IIHS gave it their ‘Top Safety Pick’ accolade as it managed to score the top rating of ‘Good’ in all the tests. The standard list of features includes airbags, tractions control, ABS, and stability control, a feature which is mostly seen as an option in cars of the segment

Some of the standout safety features are:

  • Steering effort assist.
  • Rearview camera with parking sensors.
  • Tire pressure monitoring system.
  • Brake assist.
  • Vehicle stability management system.
Final Verdict

The 2012 Elantra is one of the best compact sedans without any doubt. It is so good that its sales numbers have made Japanese best-sellers like Civic and Corolla look bad. The 2012 Elantra’s less price, more features, higher safety quotient, better sale figures are a testimony to how good the car is. Overall, the Elantra might quite possibly be the best choice for the segment.

Features

vehicle bio
base price

$17595

body style

4dr Sedan

engine type
displacement

110 cu in

horse power

145 hp @ 6300 rpm

torque

130 lb.-ft. @ 4700 rpm

transmission

6-Speed Shiftable Automatic

dimensions
length

178 in

wheelbase

106 in

width

70 in

curb weight

2701 lbs

Height

57 in

Ground Clearance

6 lbs

capacity
passenger volume

95.6 cu ft

cargo volume

14.8 cu ft

passenger capacity

5 Seats

fuel economy
city/combined/highway

28/32/38 mpg

highway range

486.4 mi

warranty
basic warranty

5 yr./ 60000 mi.

See All Features & Specs

2012 Hyundai Elantra User Reviews

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Siena Barron

2014 Hyundai Elantra

Limited 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6A)

5

User Overall Rating

Posted On: May 19, 2022

Fuel economy is very poor.

Pros - AC, Audio system.

Cons - Seat Belt lock, engine issues, Fuel economy.

Engine reliability issues. I recently bought a 2014 Hyundai Elantra with 85k miles on it. After a month of driving it, the car started to cause some problems. The engine had sputtering and misfiring problems which was caused due to a faulty spark plug in the second and third cylinder. The spark plug replacement cost was around $250-300. The seat belt lock in the rear left seat doesn't work due to...

7/10
Features
5/10
Interior
5/10
Design
6/10
Safety
3/10
Reliability
5/10
Deal Value
3/10
Dealer Review
Read more »
D

David

2014 Hyundai Elantra

Sport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)

8

User Overall Rating

Posted On: April 30, 2022

Best Value Car.

Pros - Affordable, great interior quality, rides well.

Cons - Nothing major.

Finally sticking to a Car. Considering I'm someone who jumps from car to car, sticking to the 2014 Elantra was indeed surprising to anyone that knew me. Well I couldn't help it, it's an affordable car that cost me only 14 grand and considering everything about this sedan, I must say it's a goddamn good sedan, it's cheap but the interior is good, doesn't feel too cheap. It rides well and the inter...

7/10
Features
8/10
Interior
8/10
Design
7/10
Safety
8/10
Reliability
8/10
Deal Value
7/10
Dealer Review
Read more »
CAR REVIEW
JB

Jadon Burke

2014 Hyundai Elantra

Limited 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6A)

7

User Overall Rating

Posted On: April 25, 2022

Sexy Elantra with good economy.

Pros - Sleek design, ride quality, performance, awesome fuel efficiency

Cons - Noisy, interior quality.

My Sleek Elantra. I've owned the '14 Elantra for 13 months as of now, I paid 16 grand for this sedan and have found this car to be as sleek as it looks. Yeah the interior isn't top notch and has cheap plastics but it kinda looks good. Ride quality and performance is acceptable but the fuel economy is spectacular. It gives close to 27 mpg in the town and 37 mpg on the highway. The Highway ride qu...

7/10
Features
8/10
Interior
8/10
Design
7/10
Safety
8/10
Reliability
9/10
Deal Value
8/10
Dealer Review
Read more »
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Hyundai Elantra 5 year Cost To Own

Cash Price(MSRP)
$22,684
5 Year Cost To Own
$35,913
Total 5 year Cost To Own -  $35,913
Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5total
Depreciation$5,826$1,451$1,390$1,633$1,496$11,796
Insurance$1,341$1,394$1,428$1,547$1,539$7,249
Fuel$1,235$1,281$1,350$1,399$1,414$6,679
Maintenance$86$149$373$795$1,481$2,884
Repairs$48$15$21$-48$653$689
Financing Interest$1,423$1,089$834$553$176$4,075
Taxes and Fees$1,951$158$134$183$115$2,541
Total Cost-To-Own$11,910$5,537$5,530$6,062$6,874$35,913
Read more about Cost-To-Own »

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