Used car safety, rank #166 of 181
Hyundai Elantra Safety Rating (2020)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, a small car, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2020 Hyundai Elantra has an IIHS driver death rate of 103 per million registered vehicle years against a small cars average of 60.5, which is 70% above the class average. That places it #166 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 10.1/100.
What the Hyundai Elantra death rate means
At 103 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Hyundai Elantra is 70% worse than the small cars average of 60.5. The 95% confidence interval is 48 to 157, which overlaps the class average, so some of the gap may be chance.
The other-driver death rate of 47 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Hyundai Elantra. It is no higher than the Hyundai Elantra's own driver death rate. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used cars
The safest small cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Hyundai Elantra highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Chevrolet Bolt at a death rate of 8.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Bolt | 2017-20 | 8 (0 to 19) | 65.3 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Prius Prime | 2017-20 | 23 (0 to 45) | 52.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Subaru WRX | 2017-20 | 38 (19 to 58) | 34.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Prius | 2017-20 | 45 (23 to 67) | 29.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Subaru Impreza sedan | 2017-20 | 46 (18 to 74) | 28.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Civic | 2019-20 | 49 (29 to 69) | 26.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla | 2020 | 58 (31 to 86) | 19.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Civic hatchback | 2019-20 | 78 (26 to 130) | 13.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Elantra (this page) | 2020 | 103 (48 to 157) | 10.1 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small cars: 60.5 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Hyundai Elantra
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Hyundai Elantra we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Hyundai Elantra | TSP | 94.1 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 10.1 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Hyundai Elantra
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
3 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering engine, wheels, suspension.
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Engine
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.
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Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
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.
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Suspension: front, control arm, lower ball joint
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.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Hyundai Elantra: Common Questions
Is the Hyundai Elantra a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 103 per million registered vehicle years for the 2020 Hyundai Elantra, 70% above the class average (60.5 for small cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 10.1 out of 100 and rank #166 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Hyundai Elantra driver death rate?
103 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 48 to 157. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Hyundai Elantra died at a rate of 47 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2020 models.
How does the Hyundai Elantra compare with other small cars?
The small cars class averages 60.5 driver deaths per million; the Hyundai Elantra sits at 103. Among the 9 small cars compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the Chevrolet Bolt with a death rate of 8.