Compare the2025 Hyundai Elantra NVS 2024 Lexus IS

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra N has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Rear Cross-Traffic Braking costs extra on the IS.

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 and rear 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:

	Elantra N	IS
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	142	220
Neck Injury Risk	21%	35%
Neck Stress	268 lbs.	429 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	66/48 lbs.	599/675 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Compression	6 lbs.	81 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	135/61 lbs.	399/459 lbs.

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:

	Elantra N	IS
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	142
Hip Force	327 lbs.	406 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	355 lbs.	438 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	15 inches
HIC	184	293

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

The Hyundai Elantra N achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The IS has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Warranty

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.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 8th.

Engine

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.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Elantra N
FWD	Manual	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
IS
	Auto	5.0 V8	17 city/25 hwy
AWD	Auto	350 F Sport 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

Transmission

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.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Elantra N	IS	IS 500 Performance
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	13.1 inches	14 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	11.7 inches	12.7 inches

The Elantra N stops shorter than the IS:

	Elantra N	IS
100 to 0 MPH	305 feet	320 feet	Car and Driver
70 to 0 MPH	154 feet	159 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

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 F Sport’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.

Suspension and Handling

The Elantra N has standard rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The IS base model’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

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

Chassis

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.

Passenger Space

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.

Cargo Capacity

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, the Elantra N’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, 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.

Ergonomics

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 front center console. The IS doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Elantra N will be $46 to $28699 less than for the Lexus IS.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Elantra as the 2021 North American Car of the Year. The IS has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Lexus IS by almost six to one during 2023.