Hyundai Elantra and Solaris weak points: what to check when buying used

Which car you are looking at

The Elantra (Avante in Korea) and the smaller Accent are sold around the world; the Solaris is the Accent built for Russia and nearby markets (2010–2022). Elantra generations: HD (2006–2010), MD (2010–2015), AD (2015–2020) and CN7 (from 2020). Solaris generations: the first (2010–2017) and the second (2017–2022). Most of these cars have a 1.4 or 1.6 Gamma petrol engine; the Elantra also has a 1.8 or 2.0 Nu. The registration document or a VIN decode tells you which one this car has.

1.6 engine (Gamma): the catalyst and the cylinders

The best-known problem of this engine is a catalyst that breaks up with age, bad fuel or misfires. Its ceramic dust can be drawn back into the cylinders and score them; then the engine starts to use oil and knock.

• Listen at the exhaust for a rattle like gravel in a can when you tap it or rev the engine.
• Look for a check-engine light and ask the seller whether the catalyst was replaced or removed: a removed catalyst is illegal in many countries and can fail an inspection.
• Check the oil level and colour and ask how much oil the car takes between services. A knock from cold that fades as the engine warms up is a bad sign.
• A workshop can look into the cylinders with an endoscope; on a high-mileage car it is worth it.
• This engine has no hydraulic valve lifters: the valve clearances need checking at intervals. A loud ticking from the top of the engine means they were not adjusted.

1.8 and 2.0 engines, gearbox and suspension

• 1.8 and 2.0 (Nu): oil consumption and scored pistons have been reported. Check the oil, ask about top-ups, and listen for a knock from cold.
• Automatic: it should change gear smoothly, without jerks or long pauses, from cold too. A manual should engage gears without grinding, and the clutch should not slip.
• Suspension: knocks from the front over bumps and worn rear shock absorbers are common on high-mileage cars. They are cheap parts, but price them in.
• Cold start: see Cold start: what to listen for and look at.

Taxi wear and accident repairs

• Taxi use: these cars are popular taxis in Russia, the Gulf and Latin America. A worn driver’s seat and steering wheel, a shiny gear lever, worn rear seats, holes in the roof or the dashboard and a tired interior do not match a low odometer reading.
• Accident repairs: a cheap car is often repaired cheaply. Check the paint thickness and the panel gaps; see How to check a car’s paint and accident damage.
• Rust: in countries with winter road salt, look at the sills, the bottom of the doors and the wheel arches.

Before you pay

Ask a Hyundai dealer by VIN about open recalls and the service history. Do the whole inspection from How to check a used car before you buy it and the drive from the used car test drive checklist. Use what you find to negotiate: a car with a catalyst and engine in good order is worth more than one that needs both.