2021 Hyundai Elantra
- All-new for 2021
- Longer, lower, wider, roomier
- Dramatic, coupe-like styling
- Up to 43 mpg on the highway
- Elantra Hybrid gets up to 56 mpg on the highway
- Available as a sporty Elantra N-Line (with manual transmission!)
- Pricing starts at $19,650 (plus $995 destination) | Price yours
- On sale now | See Autotrader listings right here on KBB.com
For the last six years, the Honda Civic has been the Best Compact Car in our annual KBB Best Buy awards. To this day, it remains one of the finer compact sedans available. But this year, the all-new Hyundai Elantra snatches its title and is the Best Compact Car in the 2021 KBB Best Buy Awards.
How did the Elantra do it? Well, the 2021 Hyundai Elantra impresses us in multiple ways. It’s based on a new chassis that’s stronger and a bit larger than before. It’s also particularly handsome – a coupe-like sedan that looks a bit like the larger Sonata but with much better proportions.
The new Hyundai Elantra also has moved up a class in quality and refinement. It’s a far better compact sedan than its manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $19,650 would suggest.
One new Elantra, four great versions
Moreover, the new 2021 Hyundai Elantra is available in three versions, each remarkably fuel-efficient. When this compact front-wheel-drive (FWD) sedan is equipped with the base engine – a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 147 horsepower – the 2021 Hyundai Elantra has impressive EPA fuel-economy ratings of 33 mpg city/43 mpg highway/37 mpg combined.
If you want even better fuel economy, consider a 2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. Equipped with a 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder engine, a 32-kilowatt electric motor, and a 1.32-kWh lithium-ion battery, the new Hyundai Elantra Hybrid SE gets up to 56 mpg (!) on the highway.
And then there’s the sporty new Hyundai Elantra N-Line, which is rated by the EPA at 28 mpg city/36 mpg highway/31 mpg combined. Powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with 201 hp, the N-Line is the driver’s Elantra. It’s equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, and the suspension – with a multi-link rear in place of the standard twist-beam axle – is tuned for enthusiastic driving. (Note: The Hyundai Elantra N-Line is not to be confused with the Hyundai Elantra N, a serious track-ready model arriving in 2021. Think of the new, turbocharged 275-hp Elantra N as a 4-door version of the entertaining Hyundai Veloster N, our KBB Performance Car Best Buy of 2019.)
A well-equipped ride
In addition to its improved quality, better fuel efficiency, and greater variety of models, what else is in the 2021 Hyundai Elantra’s favor? Most significant is a generous level of standard equipment. Even the base 2021 Elantra comes with an 8-inch color display and selectable drive modes, along with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a safety suite with automatic emergency braking.
Other standard safety technologies include lane-keeping assist and lane-following assist, along with active high-beam headlights and a driver-attention monitor. While the base Elantra does have the expected cloth interior and rather puny 15-inch wheels, the top Elantra, the Limited, boasts a beautiful leather interior, 17-inch wheels and an 8-speaker stereo system to go along with its LED headlights, sunroof, and 10.25-inch navigation screen with voice control.
The Elantra Hybrid, with a multi-link rear suspension replacing the base car’s twist-beam axle, is sold in two trims. The Hybrid SEL has 16-inch alloy wheels and 6-speaker stereo, while the Hybrid Limited sports 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather interior, a sunroof, navigation, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, and an 8-speaker audio system.
In addition to a rear spoiler and sport-tuned suspension with 18-inch alloy wheels, the new Hyundai Elantra N-Line is equipped with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with shift paddles. Sport seats covered with leather and cloth are standard fare on the Elantra N-Line, along with a 6-speaker audio system and a black headliner.
Handsome, high-quality interior
Across the trim levels, we appreciate the modern and technical look of the 2021 Elantra interior. The cabin has a low and wide feel, and the slim dash vents add to the handsome, high-quality look. Moreover, we like how the two available 10.25-inch digital displays are connected under one piece of glass.
The overall quality of the interior is excellent, and the grab handle integrated into the passenger side of the Elantra’s center console draws a fair amount of attention. We see it having a dual role as a passenger grab handle and a cockpit divider bound to be appreciated by Uber and Lyft drivers.
Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto is standard on all new 2021 Elantras, although a conventional cable connection is required if your car has navigation. Other positives include noticeably better rear legroom and more rear headroom than the Elantra’s swoopy coupe-like roofline would suggest.
Excellent driving manners
Most new 2021 Elantras have a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), but Hyundai’s version feels more direct and responsive than other CVTs we’ve sampled. It does a good job of sending 147 hp to the front wheels, and it helps the Elantra merge with ease onto the highway and cruise comfortably down the freeway.
Moreover, the suspension and vehicle controls are tuned with a deft touch. The ride quality of the 2021 Hyundai Elantra is firm without being floaty, and controls such as the accelerator, steering, and brake pedal all work with a well-oiled precision. Indeed, the Elantra is an easy car to drive smoothly, and it brings an unexpected grace to the compact car segment.
We’re similarly impressed with the new Elantra Hybrid. The interaction of the 1.6-liter gas engine and the 32-kilowatt electric motor is so smooth that some drivers might forget they’re in a hybrid. The Elantra Hybrid feels and drives just like a standard Elantra but with lots more torque and a lot fewer visits to the gas station.
The 2021 Hyundai Elantra N-Line, a 201-hp front-driver, is more firmly sprung than the standard Elantra but not uncomfortably so. As Albert Biermann and his merry band of Hyundai chassis engineers intended, the Elantra N-Line they’ve created is a quick and highly entertaining corner carver. Fitted with either a 6-speed manual or an optional 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the N-Line remains entirely suitable for everyday driving, with an engine that’s well isolated from the 5-seat cabin.
Good prices, killer warranty
Prices for the all-new 2021 Hyundai Elantra SE begin at $19,650, plus a destination fee of $995. A better-equipped SEL starts at $20,900, while an opulent leather-upholstered Elantra Limited with an 8-speaker audio system comes in at $25,450.
Sporty N-Line Elantras start at $24,100, while the Hyundai Elantra Hybrids range from $23,550 (SEL) to $28,100 (Limited).
At these prices, the 2021 Elantra represents a lot of compact sedan for the money, and it has the equipment and feel of a larger and more expensive automobile. What’s more, Hyundai resale values continue to improve, and the Elantra’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty remains the best in the business.
Congratulations, Hyundai Elantra: You’re KBB’s Best Compact Car of 2021.
Photo Tour: 2021 Hyundai Elantra
More 2021 Hyundai Elantra
Build and price your own 2021 Hyundai Elantra to see this week’s Fair Purchase Price, 5-Year Cost to Own, and more, or see Autotrader listings right here on KBB.com.
