2026 Honda Civic vs 2026 Hyundai Elantra
On the public data alone the Civic edges it 3–2.
| 2026 Honda Civic | 2026 Hyundai Elantra | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Midsize car | Midsize car |
| Powertrains | Hybrid, Gas | Hybrid, Gas |
| Best combined mpg | 49 | 54 |
| Safety Signal | 92 | 77 |
| NHTSA recalls | 1 | 2 |
| Critical recalls | 0 | 1 |
| Owner complaints | 27 | 3 |
| NHTSA overall stars | 5 | 5 |
2026 Honda Civic
The 2026 Honda Civic is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize car with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Civic 4Dr, is EPA-rated at 49 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this
C2026 Hyundai Elantra
The 2026 Hyundai Elantra is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize car with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Elantra Hybrid Blue, is EPA-rated at 54 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall cam
Recalls at a glance
Civic
Steering
highProblem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Acura Integra, Civic Type R, CR-V Hybrid, CR-V, HR-V, 2022-2025 Civic, Civic Hatchback, 2024-2025 Acura Integra Type S, 2025 CR-V Fuel Cell EV, Civic Hybrid, and Civic Hatchback Hybrid vehicles. The steering gearbox assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause excessive internal friction and lead to difficulty steering the vehicle.
Risk: Difficulty steering can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the worm gear spring and redistribute or add grease as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2024. Owners may contact Honda Customer Service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are SJS, MJU, QJT and VJV.
Elantra
Electrical System
criticalProblem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Elantra Hybrid vehicles. The hybrid power control unit (HPCU) assembly may overheat.
Risk: Overheating in the HPCU increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the HPCU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 301. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 16, 2026.
Air Bags
highProblem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Elantra N, 2026 Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), and Elantra vehicles. The B-pillar impact sensors may have been misassembled, which can delay air bag deployment.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the impact sensor(s), as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 11, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 299. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 22, 2026.
Green cells mark the better value on that row. Complaint counts scale with sales volume; treat them as a pattern signal, not a verdict. Sources: EPA, NHTSA.