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2021 Hyundai Elantra Gt
Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.
128 owner complaints · 6 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Buy-rated alternatives from this era
Other 2019–2023 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2021 Hyundai Elantra Gt.
Why caution?
6 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical). Confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.
Driver assistance problems dominate (25% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#301 of 426Among the 2021 models with a matured record, the 2021 Hyundai Elantra Gt ranks #301, scoring higher than 13% of them. See the 2021 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2021 Hyundai Elantra 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2021 Hyundai Elantra Gt, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Driver assistance (32) · Engine (13) · Speed control (10) · Brakes (8)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Driver assistance
25%32 complaints · 8 in the last 2 years
“Front sensor problem. Sensor Check Forward Safety System. ABS, Auto Hold light came up out of no where. No damage to sensor.”
Electrical system
23%29 complaints · typically near 35k mi · 13 in the last 2 years
“Door Lock Actuator, the door latch is stuck on unlock and it won’t close or lock when the lock button is pressed on key fob.”
Seat belts
21%27 complaints · typically near 60k mi · 3 in the last 2 years
“The horn is not working when I press the horn or on the key fob. I had it checked and the fuses were fine. The seat belt chime also does not work out of nowhere, same …”
Engine
10%13 complaints · 7 in the last 2 years
“I owned a 2021 Hyundai Elantra N Line that experienced a recurring transmission issue. In warm weather conditions the transmission would intermittently slip and stutte…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 128 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 9 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (6)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Back Over Prevention · 24V879000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Santa Fe, Santa Fe HEV, Elantra, Elantra HEV and 2022 Elantra N and Santa Fe PHEV vehicles. Due to a damaged printed circuit board, the rearview camera image may fail to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2025. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 271.
Seat Belts · 22V354000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Fix: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
Seat Belts · 22V218000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Elantra and 2020 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Risk: Exploding seat belt pretensioners can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 31, 2022. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 223. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Visibility · 21V00M000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Santa Fe, 2021 Sonata, and Elantra vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash.
Risk: A windshield that detaches from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will remove and reinstall the front windshield panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 216.
Seat Belts · 21V796000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner could project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 211 and 009G. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall numbers 22V-354 for Elantra and Elantra HEV vehicles, 22V-458 for Venue vehicles, and 23V-094 for Genesis vehicles. Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, and Genesis vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedies completed.
Seats · 21V302000
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat back recliners may have been improperly welded.
Risk: An improperly welded seat back recliner could separate from the seat back frame during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the seat back frame assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 21, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-888-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 204.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Hyundai before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Hyundai Elantra Gt. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report driver assistance problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any driver assistance symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 35k miles). Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2021 Hyundai ELANTRA GT beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every Elantra Gt model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Hyundai Elantra Gt against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.