Compare the2023 Hyundai Elantra NVS 2021 BMW M2

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Elantra N are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW M2 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 M2 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Elantra N Auto has standard Reverse Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The M2 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Elantra N’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. The M2 doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra N’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The M2 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Elantra N and the M2 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Elantra N the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 141 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The M2 has not been tested, yet.

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 M2’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra N 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the M2. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the M2 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Elantra N’s warranty.

The M2’s redline is at 7600 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The Elantra N has a 6500 RPM redline.

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 BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 39 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 15th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 6 places higher in reliability than BMW.

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra N gets better mileage than the M2:

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is optional on the Hyundai Elantra N, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the M2.

The Elantra N stops shorter than the M2:

The Elantra N has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The M2’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Elantra N’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the M2 (107.1 inches vs. 106 inches).

The Hyundai Elantra N may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the BMW M2.

To minimize engine movement during hard acceleration and transmission shifts, the Elantra N has solid engine mounts. The M2 uses conventional rubber.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Elantra N a Mid-size car, while the M2 is rated a Compact.

The Elantra N has standard seating for 5 passengers; the M2 can only carry 4.

The Elantra N has 9.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the M2 (99.4 vs. 89.7).

The Elantra N has .5 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 5 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the M2.

The Elantra N Auto has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The M2 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Elantra N’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. BMW does not offer a locking feature on the M2’s standard power windows.

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 M2 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Elantra N’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The M2’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

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 M2 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the BMW 2 Series by almost 8 to one during the 2021 model year.