Model year 2020 · Midsize Cars, Large Cars

2020 Hyundai Elantra: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2020 Hyundai Elantra at 26–36 mpg combined across 8 versions. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 262 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

26–36

NHTSA overall rating

4/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as ELANTRA GT.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Hyundai dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2020 Hyundai Elantra recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 3 safety recalls for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, newest first.

Engine

NHTSA 21V301000 Reported Apr 28, 2021

Filed by: Hyundai Motor America (manufacturer recall no. 203)
Units affected: 158,493 (estimate)
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona and Veloster vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which could result in engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Hyundai will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. Owner notification letters were mailed August 24, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Wheels: Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs

NHTSA 19V720000 Reported Oct 9, 2019

Filed by: Hyundai Motor America (manufacturer recall no. 184)
Units affected: 48 (estimate)
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles. The right-side rear wheel lug nuts may have been insufficiently tightened, allowing the wheel to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A wheel detaching from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten the lug nuts, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-251-0871. Hyundai's number for this recall is 184.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Suspension: Front: Control arm: Lower ball joint

NHTSA 19V721000 Reported Oct 9, 2019

Filed by: Hyundai Motor America (manufacturer recall no. 185)
Units affected: 744 (estimate)
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020 Elantra vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint fasteners may have been insufficiently tightened allowing the ball joint to detach from the lower control arm.
Risk: A detached ball joint can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, tighten the ball joint fasteners, free of charge. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 185.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2020 Hyundai Elantra fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2020 Hyundai Elantra EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Elantra	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 7-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	33/41/36 mpg	$1,850	250
Elantra	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 7-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/33/29 mpg	$2,300	310
Elantra	2.0L 4-cyl	Automatic	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	30/40/34 mpg	$1,950	264
Elantra	2.0L 4-cyl	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/37/30 mpg	$2,250	301
Elantra GT	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 7-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	25/32/28 mpg	$2,400	322
Elantra GT	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	23/30/26 mpg	$2,600	352
Elantra GT	2.0L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	25/32/27 mpg	$2,500	327
Elantra SE	2.0L 4-cyl	Automatic	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	31/41/35 mpg	$1,900	259

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2020 Hyundai Elantra crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2020 Hyundai Elantra NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2020 Hyundai Elantra 4 DR FWD	4 stars	4 stars	4 stars	4 stars	10.7%	Standard
2020 Hyundai Elantra GT 5 HB FWD	4 stars	4 stars	4 stars	4 stars	10.7%	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2020 Hyundai Elantra owner complaints

Owners have filed 262 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, most recently on Oct 19, 2026. 21 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 16 injured people and 2 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2020 Hyundai Elantra complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	115
Power train	46
Exterior lighting	27
Unknown or other	27
Electrical system	26
Steering	20
Service brakes	13
Vehicle speed control	11
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings	9
Fuel/propulsion system	9

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Hyundai Elantra model years

Hyundai Elantra by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2026 Elantra	23–54 mpg	4	4	5/5
2025 Elantra	23–54 mpg	2	34	5/5
2024 Elantra	23–54 mpg	2	63	5/5
2023 Elantra	23–54 mpg	4	170	5/5
2022 Elantra	23–54 mpg	8	159	5/5
2021 Elantra	28–54 mpg	7	162	5/5
2019 Elantra	25–35 mpg	1	266	4/5
2018 Elantra	25–35 mpg	1	335	4/5
2017 Elantra	25–35 mpg	4	796	5/5
2016 Elantra	27–31 mpg	2	300	5/5
2015 Elantra	27–31 mpg	3	261	5/5

All Hyundai Elantra years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2020 Hyundai models

2020 Hyundai Accent 2020 Hyundai Ioniq 2020 Hyundai Kona 2020 Hyundai Nexo 2020 Hyundai Palisade 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 2020 Hyundai Sonata 2020 Hyundai Tucson 2020 Hyundai Veloster 2020 Hyundai Venue

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Hyundai.