The 2006 Hyundai Elantra is serviceable in more ways than not, and simply unremarkable in many. But if you’re looking for a no-muss-no-fuss budget compact that’s cheap to refuel, cheaper to maintain, and fun to drive, the Elantra takes the crown year after year after year.
Is the 2006 Hyundai Elantra a Good Used Car?
- Overall Rating 8/10 – Simply the best compact you’re going to find in this price range.
- Interior, Comfort & Cargo 8/10 – Surprisingly roomy for a compact, the hatchback offers so much cargo space that it almost feels like a small SUV.
- Reliability 8/10 – Some drivers report topping 300,000 miles on the original transmission. Even if you don’t get that far, maintenance is cheap and major repairs are few and far between.
- Safety 7/10 – The 2006 Elantra earned solid crash test scores, but anti-lock brakes cost extra no matter the trim level.
- Gas Mileage 8/10 – The hatchback model averages 27/34 miles to the gallon, city/highway, which is pretty good for a car this old.
- Value 9/10 – Typically listing with around 140,000 miles on the odometer at under four grand, the 2006 Elantra is a hard deal to beat.
Positive Owner Reviews
Negative Owner Reviews
What Do Critics Say About the 2006 Hyundai Elantra?
Consumer Reports state that the 2006 Hyundai Elantra is about what you expect of the nameplate, being an adequate, but basic budget-compact. They praised the car’s crash test scores, solid acceleration, and comfortable cabin, while criticizing the mediocre fuel economy and unremarkable handling.
Kelley Blue Book users give the Elantra a strong 88% recommendation, praising the reliable engine and powertrain, spacious interior, and decent fuel economy. A few red marks were handed out for build quality issues including peeling paint and cracked interior trim. Drivers have also reported failing smog tests.
Edmunds found the Elantra’s interior impressive, being roomier than you expect in a compact, with more standard features than you expect to find in a budget car. They suggest that the engine could be a little more powerful, the ride feels a bit floaty, and you’ll have a hard time finding a used model with anti-lock brakes equipped.
What Common Problems Does the 2006 Hyundai Elantra Have?
The 2006 Elantra has just 155 complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with around one in three of these being for airbag issues. Most worrying are reports of airbags failing to deploy in the event of an accident.
Exterior lighting issues take a close second place, with 38 complaints on file, mostly for failing brake lights, despite a 2009 recall intended to correct this issue.
Engine and powertrain complaints have been remarkably few, numbering just ten reports in total. There are a few complaints of the manual transmission grinding between first and third gear.
The 2006 Elantra has just one recall on file with the NHTSA, being the afore-mentioned recall for failing brake lights.
How Long Will the 2006 Hyundai Elantra Last?
Hyundai Elantra owners typically report a lifespan of 200,000 to 250,000 miles before the engine and transmission repairs get to be more expensive than they’re worth. You’ve no doubt heard of Hyundais reaching 300,000, even 500,000 miles, but don’t count on that in a used model.
Repairpal estimate an annual maintenance cost of just $452 for Hyundai Elantra owners, with the most expensive common repair being a new AC evaporator, starting at around $1,045.
The Elantra is reliable. The only glitch - as I mentioned before - is that headlights and tail lights burn out frequently. My car has recently had trouble with struts and brakes, but that is just due to the age of the car, and to wear and tear.
It's great! No problems ever. Like I stated before it had a radiator burst and I had to replace the water pump twice.
Very reliable, if you keep them up good by changing the oil regularly and get tune ups you will not have any problems.
I do not have any problems with 2006 Hyundai Elantra I like it very much and would recommended it to other people.
It is reliable, have only had one minor issue, had to have the radiator cap replaced, but I have only had the vehicle 9 months.
It is reliable. It does not have any problems. It is easy for someone to work on and easy to fix if it does.
It has been reliable and so far has run well for us. It does have a problem with the clear coat paint peeling and looking bad, and we've had some rust we cannot get rid of.
Yes it is reliable now since I got the transmission fix. Before I got it fixed it was scary to drive
How Is the Technology?
Entertainment technology in the 2006 Hyundai Elantra is pretty basic, even for the model year. CD players with six speakers are about as fancy as it gets here. To be fair, that’s exactly what you expect of a mid-00’s budget compact.
Safety technology is, likewise, pretty basic. You’ve got airbags with occupant classification, but no standard anti-lock brakes or traction control or anything like that.
Is the 2006 Hyundai Elantra a Good Value?
The 2006 Hyundai Elantra is a very good value. Whatever your body style, whatever your trim level, the highest typical listing price tops out at around $3,819.
Cost of ownership is nice and low with moderately good fuel economy and few major mechanical issues to worry about. The Elantra may be unremarkable in many ways, but it’s easy on the wallet.
What are the Different Models of the 2006 Hyundai Elantra?
The 2006 Elantra is available in three trim levels, from the base GLS to the high-end Limited and GT.
The entry-level GLS features:
- Heated mirrors
- Cloth seating
- Manual air conditioning
- Remote keyless entry
- CD player with 6 speakers
- Cruise control
In a hatchback-exclusive GT you’re adding:
- Gray leather seating
- Fog lights
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
In a sedan-exclusive Limited, you’re getting:
- Beige leather seating
- Fog lights
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Woodgrain accents
What Engines Come In the 2006 Hyundai Elantra?
- The 2006 Elantra comes equipped with a 2.0L inline-four delivering 138 horsepower and 136 lb.-ft. of torque. This is paired to a 4-speed automatic in front wheel drive, and it averages 24/32 miles to the gallon, city/highway, in the sedan, or 27/34 in the hatchback.
What Colors Does the 2006 Hyundai Elantra Come In?
How Comfortable Is the 2006 Hyundai Elantra?
The 2006 Hyundai Elantra is roomier than you’d expect of a budget compact from this model year. You’ve got 55 inches of rear hip room, the suspension rides nice and smooth, and the seating is firm.
There are very few suspension complaints, so, don’t skip the test-drive, but you can bet that the shocks and struts have held up well over the years.
How Much Storage Space Does the 2006 Hyundai Elantra Have?
The 2006 Elantra offers up 13 cubic feet of trunk space. The hatchback’s folding back-row can expand that to 37 cubic feet. The sedan can pack 5 or 6 mid-size suitcases, while the hatchback can carry some small furniture items like nightstands and coffee tables.
What Are the Differences Between Years?
2006 was the final model year for the Elantra’s 3rd Generation, running from 2001 to 2006.
2002: There were no big changes for 2002, although the GT model, launched as a mid-season trim in 2001, was part of the launch lineup this year.
2003: The GLS trim was limited to the sedan in 2003, and the GT was offered in hatchback.
2004: A facelift year for the Elantra, Hyundai gave the car some modernized headlights and grilles for 2004.
2005: No big changes for 2005.
2006: The upscale Limited was added for 2006, with woodgrain accents and leather trim.
2007: 2007 was a relaunch year for the Elantra, with the new 4th Gen model standing two inches taller than the 3rd Gen, and dropping the hatchback body style entirely.
How Does the 2006 Hyundai Elantra Compare to the Competition?
The 2006 Hyundai Elantra is the best overall budget compact in this model year. But, there were a lot of budget compacts to choose from, so you might as well consider, for instance, a 2006 Ford Focus, which typically sells in the same price range, offers up a wagon body style, and features an MP3 player as a standard feature,
A 2006 Chevrolet HHR is a fairly average budget compact overall with slower acceleration than the 2006 Elantra. But the retro-style wagon body and extensive cargo space have a certain appeal helps it stand out in the crowded budget-compact market.
Where the Elantra really shines is in the low cost of ownership, and the long life expectancy. With adequate care, a Hyundai is generally more likely to pass 300,000 miles than a comparable Ford or Chevy.
Do Owners Recommend the 2006 Hyundai Elantra?
Yes. It is very sturdy and reliable. My car has almost 86,000 miles and still runs very well. The only hiccup is with the bulbs in headlights and tail lights burning out frequently. Others I know who also have an older-model Elantra have experienced burnouts with their lights, too.
Yes! I had a few problems such as radiator and water pump burst but other than that it has been a great car!!
Yes it is, I have had no problems with it. Very good on gas. Gets great gas mileage. Drives very good handles curves very good. I think that if you keep these cars up good by changing the oil and tune ups regularly they will last a very long time.
Yes it is very good on gas and gets me to places without any problems the brakes work fine and there is a handy cup holder in the back.
So far, yes it is, I bought it used, paid way more than I should of had to only due to cosmetic damage on the inside, but at the time I had to have a vehicle & this is what I got.
My Elantra gt is a fun to drive vehicle with lots of get up and go. It is easy to fix or work on and gets great gas mileage. It seems to be a vehicle that will last forever unless someone hits it or it is in an accident and then seems fixable.
It is overall a good vehicle. It has been reliable despite the age and over 100,000 miles. I have a couple complaints, but it has run well for us so far.
I just had the transmission done on it so now great. I don't have any other issues with it but I was told a lot of there trannys go faster than most cars.
