2016 Hyundai Elantra

Fuel economy, running costs, emissions and safety · from U.S. EPA and NHTSA data

The 2016 Hyundai Elantra is sold in the U.S. with gasoline power. The EPA lists 7 configurations for this model year, with combined economy from 27 to 31 MPG and an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,100 to $2,400 at 15,000 miles.

Key numbers

Model year2016
Vehicle classMidsize Cars
Fuel type(s)Gasoline
Combined economy27-31 MPG
Best / worst combined31 / 27 MPG
Annual fuel cost$2,100-$2,400
Tailpipe CO₂282-331 g/mi
EPA smog rating6-9 / 10
NHTSA overall5 / 5 stars

What it costs to fuel

Across its configurations, the 2016 Elantra costs about $2,100 to $2,400 a year to fuel at the EPA's 15,000-mile basis, averaging roughly $2,257. Over five years that is about $11,286 in fuel alone before maintenance, insurance and depreciation — which is why the running cost, not just the price, decides what a car really costs.

Relative to an average new vehicle, the most efficient Elantra configuration saves about $1,000 in fuel over five years; less efficient versions spend more.

For context, the average combined economy of midsize cars in this dataset is about 32 MPG. The Elantra sits roughly 3 MPG below that mark at its midpoint, making it thirstier than average for its EPA class.

Configurations and fuel economy

VersionEngineDriveTransFuelCombinedAnnual fuel
Elantra1.8L 4-cylFront-WheelAutomaticGasoline31 MPG$2,100
Elantra Limited1.8L 4-cylFront-WheelAutomaticGasoline30 MPG$2,150
Elantra1.8L 4-cylFront-WheelManualGasoline30 MPG$2,150
Elantra2.0L 4-cylFront-WheelAutomaticGasoline28 MPG$2,300
Elantra2.0L 4-cylFront-WheelManualGasoline28 MPG$2,300
Elantra GT2.0L 4-cylFront-WheelManualGasoline27 MPG$2,400
Elantra GT2.0L 4-cylFront-WheelAutomaticGasoline27 MPG$2,400

Emissions, safety and size

The 2016 Elantra records tailpipe CO₂ of 282-331 g/mi, an EPA smog rating of 6-9 out of 10, a 5-star NHTSA overall crash rating. The EPA classifies it as midsize cars.

Compare this car

Open the comparison tool to line this 2016 Elantra up against any other vehicle in the database, or jump to other years and trims from the 2016 Hyundai Elantra overview.

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Data: U.S. EPA FuelEconomy.gov (public domain) and NHTSA SafetyRatings. Figures are EPA estimates; real-world results vary.