How safe is the Hyundai Elantra?
Drivers of the 2021–2023 Hyundai Elantra died at a rate of 80 per million registered vehicle years, 95% higher than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it one of the riskiest vehicles on the road for its driver: it ranks 116th of 129 vehicles, safer than 10% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Hyundai Elantra sits among all 129 vehicles
Hyundai Elantra (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
Vehicles ranked near the Hyundai Elantra
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | Toyota CorollaCar · Small | 71 | 12 |
| 114 | Chevrolet CamaroSports car · Large | 88 | 12 |
| 115 | Nissan MaximaCar · Midsize | 105 | 11 |
| 116 | Hyundai ElantraCar · Small | 80 | 10 |
| 117 | Chrysler 300 2WDCar · Large | 132 | 9 |
| 118 | Dodge Charger 2WDCar · Large | 90 | 9 |
| 119 | Nissan SentraCar · Small | 81 | 8 |
How it compares with other cars
Among the 23 cars ranked, the Hyundai Elantra is 11th. The safest cars are below. See all cars.
| Cars rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda Civic hatchbackCar · Small | 28 | 36 |
| 2 | Subaru LegacyCar · Midsize | 37 | 27 |
| 3 | Toyota Corolla hybrid 2WDCar · Small | 51 | 21 |
| 4 | Subaru WRXCar · Small | 51 | 20 |
| 5 | Toyota Camry hybridCar · Midsize | 51 | 20 |
| 11 | Hyundai ElantraCar · Small | 80 | 10 |
Earlier models
In the earlier IIHS study of 2020 models, the Hyundai Elantra had a driver death rate of 103 (range 48–157) and ranked 116th of 127. The newer rate is lower.
Common questions
Is the Hyundai Elantra a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Hyundai Elantra is one of the riskiest vehicles on the road for its driver. Its driver death rate of 80 per million registered vehicle years is 95% higher than the average, and it ranks 116th of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Hyundai Elantra compare with other cars?
It ranks 11th of 23 cars. The safest is the Honda Civic hatchback, with a rate of 28.
Why is this different from the Hyundai Elantra's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.