Compare the2023 Hyundai Elantra NVS 2022 Lexus IS

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Elantra N are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The IS doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Elantra N’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The IS doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Elantra N and the IS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra N is safer than the Lexus IS:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra N is safer than the Lexus IS:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Elantra N comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The IS’ 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra N 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Lexus covers the IS. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the IS ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

The Elantra N’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the IS’ (7 vs. 6 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra N for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the IS (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 3 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Elantra N’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 6th.

The Elantra N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 35 more horsepower (276 vs. 241) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (289 vs. 258) than the IS 300’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Elantra N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 16 more horsepower (276 vs. 260) and 53 lbs.-ft. more torque (289 vs. 236) than the IS 300 AWD’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6. The Elantra N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (289 vs. 280) than the IS 350 F Sport’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6.

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra N gets better mileage than the IS:

The Elantra N offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The IS doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Elantra N offers an optional sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The IS doesn’t offer an SMG.

The Elantra N’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The IS doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Elantra N’s brake rotors are larger than those on the IS:

The Elantra N stops shorter than the IS:

For better traction, the Elantra N has larger tires than the IS (245/35R19 vs. 235/45R18). The Elantra N’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the IS (245/35R19 vs. 235/40R19).

The Elantra N’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the IS 300’s standard 45 series tires. The Elantra N’s tires are lower profile than the IS 350 F Sport/500’s 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Elantra N has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the IS 300.

The Elantra N handles at .99 G’s, while the IS 500 pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Hyundai Elantra N may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 600 pounds less than the Lexus IS.

To minimize engine movement during hard acceleration and transmission shifts, the Elantra N has solid engine mounts. The IS uses conventional rubber.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Elantra N a Mid-size car, while the IS is rated a Compact.

The Elantra N has 9.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the IS (99.4 vs. 90.2).

The Elantra N has 2.4 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 5.8 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the IS.

The Elantra N has a much larger trunk than the IS (14.2 vs. 10.8 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, just waiting momentarily behind the back bumper can open the Elantra N’s trunk, leaving your hands completely free. The IS doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The power windows standard on both the Elantra N and the IS have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Elantra N is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The IS prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Elantra N has standard extendable sun visors. The IS doesn’t offer extendable visors.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Elantra N has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The IS doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Lexus IS by over five to one during the 2021 model year.