Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Corolla: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Hyundai Elantra burns about $1,150 of fuel annually against $1,200 for the Toyota Corolla. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Toyota Corolla is the stronger commuter at 53 mpg city, while the Hyundai Elantra pulls ahead on the interstate at 58 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Hyundai Elantra is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (2.0, SIDI, SIDI; Hybrid), the Toyota Corolla with 4 (SIDI & PFI, Hybrid, SIDI & PFI; 1-mode). Across 93 recorded Hyundai Elantra configurations and 112 for the Toyota Corolla, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Hyundai Elantra is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the Toyota Corolla with Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Midsize Cars and Compact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Hyundai Elantra emits 165 g/mile of CO2 versus 170 g/mile for the Toyota Corolla. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.