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2004 Hyundai Elantra

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$13,299

starting MSRP

Key specs

Base trim shown

Sedan

Body style

5

Seating capacity

177.9” x 56.1”

Dimensions

Front-wheel drive

Drivetrain

Overview

(31 reviews)

The good:

  • Fuel economy
  • Easy to drive
  • Performance with manual shift
  • Maneuverability
  • Interior space

The bad:

  • Instrument readability in GT
  • Frontal-offset crash-test rating

2 trims

Starting msrp listed lowest to highest price

  • GT

  • GLS

    $13,299

Wondering which trim is right for you?

Our 2004 Hyundai Elantra trim comparison will help you decide.

See also: Find the best Sedans for 2024

Notable features

  • 2.0-liter four-cylinder
  • Manual or automatic
  • Sport-tuned suspension on GTs
  • Face-lifted for 2004

2004 Hyundai Elantra review: Our expert's take

By Cars.com Editors

Nimbly Avoiding Confrontation
2004 Hyundai Elantra GT Hatchback

The offset news was upsetting. Hyundai Elantra models for the 2001-03 model years received “poor” ratings in frontal offset crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Poor means the drivers of those cars have a high risk of head, neck and leg injuries in 40-mph, 40-degree-angle, frontal crashes between vehicles of similar size, according to the institute’s evaluation.

Those kinds of collisions, in which 100 percent of the crash energy is concentrated on a small front portion of a vehicle, are the worst sort. Unlike full-width frontal crashes, frontal offset hits allow more crash forces to enter the passenger cabin and harm occupants.

By extrapolation, the institute’s rating of the 2001-03 Elantras meant the 2004 Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback sitting in my driveway had a similar potential for crash injury.

The 2004 Elantra is built largely on the 2001-03 platform. The changes for 2004, with the notable exception of a new continuously variable valve-timing device in its engine, are mostly cosmetic.

But I drove the new Elantra GT anyway. It is not so much that I am reckless as I am pathologically cynical when it comes to results from lab-test crashes.

The smallest thing can change the outcome of those smash-bang exercises in which computerized dummies are the “drivers.” An adjustment in air-bag deployment speeds, the addition of side or head bags, or a seat-belt adjustment — any and all of those things and more — could substantially change crash-test results.

Indeed, using a human being in place of a dummy could change the results. Humans react to impending danger. They try to avoid it. On the highway, success in crash avoidance varies with a driver’s skills and the vehicle’s active safety personality — its handling ability, its suspension system and steerability and the addition of features such as anti-lock brakes.

Though I think highly of my driving skills, that self-assessment is, of course, debatable. But there is little to argue about in the matter of the Elantra GT’s road competence. It is a remarkably nimble front-wheel-drive car. It’s almost astonishing when you consider that it is, after all, an economy runner.

I drove the Elantra GT mostly in the city, where it excels. It has the right amount of urban oomph — a 138-horsepower, two-liter, inline four-cylinder engine. The continuously variable valve-timing device, which more efficiently opens and closes air-fuel intake valves, makes the best use of that power.

There is good low-end torque, torque being the force that produces drive-shaft rotation. As a result, the Elantra does quite well in the myriad stop-and-go and slow-to-go situations in city driving.

Highway running in the Elantra GT is commendable for relatively short trips, such as round-trip tr avel from Washington, D.C., to New York City. The car’s “Euro-tuned suspension” offers a hard ride, which is great for instant, curve-taking gratification. But it isn’t so good for a longer-term relationship between the driver’s bottom and the driver’s seat.

All said, I like this car. Hyundai officials contend that, because of certain interior modifications, the 2004 Elantra GT should do better than its 2001-03 predecessors in the insurance institute’s frontal offset crash tests. I did not try to verify that claim in real-world driving.

The way I figure it, you can die or be injured in a variety of ways, in or out of a vehicle. I don’t worry about it. I just try to delay my inevitable appearance at the Pearly Gates by wearing seat belts, driving as well as I can, loving the ride and hoping for the best.

Nuts & Bolts

Downside: There is a possibility, based on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s crash-test results, that the Elantra GT ay not be your best friend in a specific kind of crash — a 40-mph hit at a 40-degree angle into the front side of the car.

Recommended remedy: Don’t crash.

Ride, acceleration and handling: Very good short-distance ride; excellent stop-to-start and slow-to-go acceleration; overall excellent handling.

Head-turning quotient: New front-end treatment and a revised taillight design give the new Elantra GT a richer look. People noticed.

Vehicle layout/design: The Elantra GT is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive car with a rear hatch.

Engine/transmission: The Elantra GT is equipped with a 2-liter, 16-valve engine that develops 138 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute. Maximum torque is 136 foot-pounds at 4,500 rpm. A five-speed manual transmission is standard. A four-speed automatic is optional.

Capacities: The Elantra GT has seating for five people. Maximum cargo capacity is 37 cubic feet. The fuel tank holds 14.5 gallons of recommended regular unleaded gasoline.

Mileage: I averaged 30 miles per gallon in mostly city driving.

Safety: Front side bags are standard.

Pricing: Base price on tested 2004 Elantra GT in “Rally Red” paint is $14,849. Dealer invoice price on that model is $13,667. Price as tested is $16,189, including $800 in options and a $540 destination charge.

Purse-strings note: Good value for the dollar. Compare with Ford Focus, Mazda3, Saturn Ion, Suzuki Aerio and the Toyota Corolla S.

Consumer reviews

(31 reviews)
Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 3.9
  • Performance 3.8
  • Value 4.5
  • Exterior 3.7
  • Reliability 4.4
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Most recent consumer reviews

Ol' Reliable

Is it pretty? No. Does it drive fast? No. Is it a chick magnet? Certainly not. But my 2004 Hyundai Elantra has excelled according to a criterion far more important than any of these others: reliability. Maintenance costs are low. Hardly ever needs a repair. Gets me from Point A to Point B on a regular basis. Isn't that what cars are supposed to do?

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 3.0
  • Interior 3.0
  • Performance 3.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 2.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
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Love this Car, will be missed

Perfect starter car. Very reliable, will not need work. Only has superficial and very slight damage. It has new tires and is super reliable. The battery is also only six months old and should last a long while. It’s not the most fancy, but gets the job done. Cons it smoky and a tape is stuck in the tape deck but I use the lighter for a Bluetooth plug in so it’s no problem.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 3.0
  • Performance 5.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 3.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
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The best bang for your buck ... ever

This car had 140K miles when we got it, it was already cheap, and we took it to 200K, just routine repairs: brakes, rotors, oil, replaced timing belt, replaced starter. This guy only needs gas and has been reliable.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 3.0
  • Interior 3.0
  • Performance 3.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 3.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
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See all 31 consumer reviews

Safety

Based on the 2004 Hyundai Elantra base trim.
Frontal driver
5
Frontal passenger
4
Nhtsa rollover rating
4
Side driver
5
Side rear passenger
4

Warranty

New car and Certified Pre-Owned programs by Hyundai
Certified Pre-Owned program benefits
Maximum age/mileage
Less than 80,000 miles; less than 7 years old (currently MY18- MY24)
Basic warranty terms
Remainder of the 5-Year/60,000-Mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty. From original in-service date and zero (0) miles.
Powertrain
10-Yr/100K-Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. From original in-service date and zero (0) miles.
Dealer certification required
173-point inspection
Roadside assistance
Yes
View all cpo program details

Have questions about warranties or CPO programs?

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