FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2018 Hyundai Elantra
The 2018 Hyundai Elantra has no open NHTSA safety recalls on file, 274 owner complaints, and gets about 29 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2018 Hyundai Elantra at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 1.6L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 1.6 L
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (AM7)
- Body
- Midsize Cars
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 9, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
No safety recalls on file with NHTSA for this year and model. That's a good sign.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 9, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
274 filed- 84
ENGINE
The engine in my 2018 Hyundai Elantra suffered a sudden internal failure at 118,444 miles. The vehicle began knocking, losing power, and running roughly. A dealership inspection confirmed heavy scoring on cylinders 1, 3, and 4, oil intrusio
- 38
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My daughter was in a parking lot and put her car in park, removed her keys and exited the vehicle. She walked around the vehicle and was removing her school bag and the car came out of park and rolled into another vehicle.
- 37
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Alarming rate of oil consumption causes sudden loss of power / acceleration which definitely increases probably of causing an accident. Local repair shop confirmed extremely low oil level with no evidence of where oil went shortly after oil
- 23
POWER TRAIN
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The car began stalling and started to become unresponsive while I was driving to work. While I was not 100% sure of what component was malfun
- 15
STEERING
My car's steering wheel is making a weird rubbing noise after driving for a short time on wet roads. It sounds like rubber is being turned against something (ie not metallic-sounding) This occurs whether I am in park, drive, reverse, and
- 12
STRUCTURE
The paint is chipping and cracking and just falling off. It started on the hood now it’s going to around the windows seals and part of the roof.
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 9, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★☆
- Frontal
- ★★★★☆
- Side
- ★★★★☆
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 9, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 29 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 26 / 33
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,150
- CO₂ / mi
- 305 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 9, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Have a mechanic check the engine
Owners report problems with the engine more than anything else on this model. Call it out specifically during a pre-purchase inspection.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
-
Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
-
Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
-
Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
Are there any recalls on the 2018 Hyundai Elantra? +
No open NHTSA safety recalls are on file for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra. Recalls can be issued at any time, so confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Hyundai Elantra get? +
The EPA rates the 2018 Hyundai Elantra at 29 mpg combined (26 city / 33 highway), about $2,150 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2018 Hyundai Elantra? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2018 Hyundai Elantra 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2018 Hyundai Elantra? +
Owners have filed 274 complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Hyundai Elantra, including 12 involving a crash. The most-reported area is engine.
MORE HYUNDAI RESEARCH
FREE IN THE APP
Comparing a few cars? Save the 2018 Hyundai Elantra and line it up against the others in the app.
No account. Saving and comparing cars is free; the per-listing report is $3.99.
THE FULL BUYER'S REPORT · $3.99
Found a 2018 Hyundai Elantra for sale?
The research above is free. The app takes a screenshot of one real listing and returns a verdict, a fair-offer number, the red flags specific to that car, a walk-away floor, and a message you can send the seller, word for word.