Hyundai Elantra GT vs Honda Civic: which is more reliable?
The Honda Civic is ahead of the Hyundai Elantra GT on the federal record, 80/100 against 76/100 — a real but narrow gap that a bad model year on either side closes.
The record, side by side
Hyundai Elantra GT
- 8 model years scored
- 3,356 owner complaints on record
- about 41 complaints per year on the road
- 2 recall campaigns, 2 safety-critical
- best year 2018 (91/100) · worst 2013 (46/100)
Honda Civic
- 5 model years scored
- 1,613 owner complaints on record
- about 28 complaints per year on the road
- 15 recall campaigns, 11 safety-critical
- best year 2013 (84/100) · worst 2012 (68/100)
Mean score is the average across model years from 2013 on, where both records are comparable. How the score works.
Year by year: Elantra GT against Civic
The comparison that decides the purchase. A nameplate is not one car — a redesign can move the record sixty points inside two years, and the two nameplates rarely move together.
What owners actually complain about
Hyundai Elantra GT
- Engine — 1,058 complaints
- Unknown Or Other — 423 complaints
- Service Brakes — 420 complaints
Honda Civic
- Air Bags — 429 complaints
- Power Train — 323 complaints
- Electrical System — 178 complaints
They do not fail the same way: the Elantra GT's complaints concentrate in Engine, the Civic's in Air Bags. That difference matters more to a buyer than the score gap, because it says which repair bill you are taking on.
Years to avoid on each
Hyundai Elantra GT — avoid: 2013, 2017.
Honda Civic: no model year scores below 45; the strongest are 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015.
A year scores below 45 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. Every car’s years to avoid.
What each costs today
A recent used Hyundai Elantra GT prices at about $15,700 and a Honda Civic at about $10,000 — the Honda Civic is roughly $5,700 less, and they return 28.0 against 32.0 MPG combined.
Class-level estimates re-priced to your country, not a valuation of one car. Method.
FAQ
Is the Hyundai Elantra GT or the Honda Civic more reliable?
On the NHTSA record the Honda Civic scores 80/100 against the Hyundai Elantra GT's 76/100, averaged across every model year we hold. The gap is small enough that the model year matters more than the badge.
Which Hyundai Elantra GT and Honda Civic years should I avoid?
Hyundai Elantra GT: 2013, 2017. Honda Civic: no year scores below 45. Each of those scores under 45 out of 100 on complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns.
What goes wrong on the Hyundai Elantra GT and the Honda Civic?
The largest complaint group on the Hyundai Elantra GT is Engine (1,058 complaints); on the Honda Civic it is Air Bags (429).
Is the Hyundai Elantra GT or the Honda Civic cheaper to own?
A recent used Hyundai Elantra GT prices at about $15,700 and a Honda Civic at about $10,000, before insurance and the maintenance band. Both pages carry the five-year running-cost figure.