how does a hyundai elantra drive in snow?

Even though the 2011 Hyundai Elantra looked cool and handled well over hard- packed snow-covered roads, I wasn't feeling the love for this compact car. Here's why: The week I test-drove the Elantra more than a foot of snow fell. The front-wheel-drive Elantra just couldn't get a break since its low ground clearance meant I had to floor the gas pedal just to get through my subdivision's snowy intersections without getting stuck. Nearly every day I threw my snow boots and a shovel into the Elantra in case I needed to dig the car out. On the compacted snow that covered much of my city's streets, the Elantra handled well and didn't lose traction or fishtail in corners. However, the Elantra's fuel-economy numbers took a hit in my wintry wonderland.

I just drove my new 2013 Hyundai Elantra for the first time in the snow. I was so disappointed to find that it was the worst car I have ever driven in the snow in 35 years. It would not go up any type of hill. At one point I got stuck on the road (not a steep hill but only a slope) and the other cars had to drive around me. I have never had a car with traction control but I would think it would be able to navigate snow covered roads better than even my rear wheel drive car without traction control. But my Elantra did not. I do not have snow tires but I have never had snow tires on any of my cars in 35 years. I would never recommend this car to anyone who lives in an area where it snows and there are hills. After only 2 months of driving the car I am thinking of trading it in for something else. In addition the gas millage on this car is very bad. I have been getting only about 24 to 25 mpg combined driving. I my opinion, this is the worst car I have ever purchased. I would not recommend it.

pittgirl: Adding new all weather tires and turning off traction control helps a lot. Made a night and day difference on my 2011 elantra

There were only about two inches of snow on the street, but this morning my 2012 elantra couldn't handle them at all. When I got to a stop sign, I couldn't brake the car and it drifted across the street and crashed into the curb. Thank God I was going slow and was able to turn the wheel to hit parallel and not head on. And that I hit the curb and not a parked car. I can't believe how horribly the car handled with so little snow on the roads. I'm actually in shock.

Worst handling car I have ever driven in the snow. It drives like a rear wheel drive car. We also have a Sonata that is equally as bad in the snow. I couldn't be more disappointed with the performance in bad weather. I have read other reviews which scored the Elantra pretty well in the snow. Am I doing something wrong or is there a setting I don't know about?

Gave the Elantra another chance in the snow yesterday. It hadn't snowed since my last post. No difference. Still cannot go up hills without a good fight. Tires just spin and get no traction. I did try to turn off traction control and was able to get a little traction but not without burning the tires. Had to quit trying due to racing RPM. Thought I would burn out the engine. I have to say it is not all bad in snow. It goes down hills pretty good. Also no problem in reverse backing up in my driveway in deeper snow. Does that even make sense.

I have a 2007 Manual Elantra. It handles relativley well!! Tires really make all the difference too! If you tires need replaced, you could be driving AWD and you would still be in a ditch! I think the manual helps too. Driving in low gears helps from loosing control. I've had my car for almost 6 years and never been in an accident or a ditch...knock on wood!

I HAVE A NEW ELANTRA-- I ALSO GREW UP IN SNOW COUNTRY AND KNOW HOW TO DRIVE IN IT- FIRST I THINK ALL OF THE ABOVE SAVE ONE ARE DRIVING WITH THE TRC/CONT ON! THAT IS A NO NO AND EXPLAINS WHY IT WON'T GO AND SKIDS -ITIS PUTTING THE BRAKES ON AND STOPPING YOUR MOMENTUM- TURN IT OFF-- LOOK YOU HAVE A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE THE ENGINE IS OVER THE DRIVE WHEELS IT IS A GOOD SNOW CAR BY THAT VIRTUE- SNOW TIRES AND USE YOUR ACCELERATOR AND BRAKES PROPERLY-- TAKING OFF (AUTO MATIC) PUT IT IN SECOND OR THIRD MANUALLY SLOWLY ADDING POWER YOU WILL GO FORWARD- DRIVE SLOW STAY OFF THE BRAKES USE YOUR SHIFTER TO DOWNSHIFT WHILE FEATHERING THE BREAKS- IF IT SLIDES LET OFF THE BREAKS AND GEAR DOWN AGAIN ALL THE WAY TO FIRST IF YOU HAVE TO.- NO FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CAR IS GREAT IN THE SNOW BUT IF YOU KNOW HOW TO DRIVE ONE IN THE SNOW IT WILL GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO!! MY ELANTRA DID JUST FINE!

Snow tires are your friend. I have friends with Elantras of various ages, and none has a problem provided they run good snow tires. All seasons don't cut it on these cars.

i had the exact same problem in car....i could not go up a hill to save my life....i was in Wisconsin with very little fresh snow on top of compacted snow....could not GET ANY traction...happened on 2 different hills, one a cop followed me up the hill, it took me 30+ mins to get up the hill....I live in Minnesota, and am very used to the snow...I have never ever experienced something like that. Also, what is totally strange is that although i was not even using my breaks, my abs and emergency break lights came on at the same time....My tires are not bald at all....I just don't understand.

I have a 2012 Elantra and when cars or trucks pass me on the highway it sends my car sliding sideways. It won't stop or go on the snow and the traction control is off. I don't feel safe driving anywhere. I've lived in snow most of my life and have never experienced anything so scary. I had a Triumph that drove in the snow like a tank! I hate my beautiful new car!

Update to last years post regarding driving my 2013 Elantra on hills in snow. Just got snow tires (one of the best tires) on all 4 wheels. With the snow tires, it drives like a champ. No difficulty with all the snow we have been having lately. Able to go up hills I could not last year with original tires. I would definitely recommend snow tires for the winter. They were expensive but worth it. I can now drive anywhere.

I have a 2012 Elantra purchased 2 years ago in Minnesota (November 2011). It quickly became evident that the car handled terribly in snowy conditions. In Minnesota I had access to a Jeep Wrangler which I would use for driving in snow. Now I live in upstate NY and last weekend had an awful experience driving my Elantra up a snow-covered hill, got no traction at all and was at a standstill while every other vehicle was able to pass me and get up the hill (at night, bitter cold weather and in a snowstorm, very scary). I am debating between getting snow tires or trading in for an SUV. Can those who have had good experience with snow tires tell me what brand they purchased?

kristininupstateny: I just purchased Bridgestone Blizzak tires. I understand they are one of the best if not the best but expensive. They have been working great in the snow on these many hills in Pittsburgh. I would recommend them.

Pittgirl: Thank you, your posts have been a big help. I am having winter tires put on my Elantra next Monday at the dealership, not the same brand as yours and not as expensive, but I'm guessing they will make a big difference nonetheless. After I am able to test them in a snowstorm I will post an update. Thanks again!

Just drove from Naperville, Illinois to Ann Arbor. I have all weather tires. The stability was absolutely horrible. The car was dangerous & very stressful to handle. My 2012 Elantra would every so often sway as if it was sliding and i had to drop my speed down to regain control. I was driving at about 35MPH all the way! At this speed I got 39 MPG but this truly is offset by the terrible terrible terrible handling. Its awful. I intend to get winter tires put on my Elantra tomorrow.

I am so unhappy with my 2013 Elantra. I have NEVER had a car that will not start up from a complete stop. Lived in Chicago my entire life. Had a 2004 Elantra and this did not happen. I am seriously thinking of trading this car in already. And the last thing I want to do is spend a ton of money on new tires. I got a new car to get rid of huge car expenses! On top of it, the early brake detection is chirping in this cruddy weather, and again, for having only 23,000 miles, this is not a problem I want to deal with. So frustrated.

Update to my post 2 weeks ago: Last week I had Mastercraft winter tires (four) put on my 2012 Elantra at a Hyundai dealership (Miller Hyundai, Vestal NY). They are 16 inch tires and cost $107 per tire and $20 labor per tire, total bill adding up to about $535. What a WORLD of difference they make! My car is doing great on snowy roads (including snowy roads in the Adirondack mountains), and today we have this major snowstorm going on and I drove to and from work without any worries. I feel very safe and secure with them on, and no longer feel scared to death to drive in snow. Of course I use common sense and drive slowly and carefully. I too was tempted to trade in for a different vehicle, but I'm glad I tried the winter tires first. I might still consider a different vehicle at some point, but I won't feel under pressure to do it "before the next snowstorm". Those Hyundai people should be ashamed of themselves for putting such cheapo crappy tires on their new Elantras, it makes them look very bad in my eyes.

TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL. Seriously. It makes a HUGE difference.

Carrie, I hate to sound silly (or stupid, whichever one:) but how do you turn off the traction control? (I know I can check my manual, but I'm at work right now). And will it really make a huge difference? I really hate to spend a ton on snow tires, but am afraid that's what I'm going to have to do.

button on the lefthand side of the steering wheel, on the dash that says traction control. When you push it, a TCS OFF indicator will light up on your instrument panel. I cannot drive mine in snow with the TCS on, or it is ALL OVER the road. I can always tell when I forget to turn it off (it defaults to on, everytime you start the car)

(I intend to still get snow tires after reading this thread, but turning off the tcs at least makes my car driveable, which it otherwise isn't, even in light snow)

I had heard the thing about turning off "traction control" and was not able to figure out how to do so on my 2012 Elantra. There is no button on the leftside of the dash, and I could not figure it out by looking at the "short" manual. Maybe it says something in the huge thick manual about it.

no button? It should be next to the interior lights dimmer switch.

(that's where it is on my 2013 elantra as well as my 2002 sonata, so I think it's pretty standard)

I just looked at the dash again, and DID see the traction control button this time because I was looking at it from the left side while standing outside the car. When sitting in the drivers seat, the steering wheel must be completely blocking it! I'll give it a shot (turning it off), thanks, but I'm glad I have my new snow tires already.

Good luck!! :)

Oh boy am I glad I read this thread. I thought I was losing my driving skills! My 2012 Elantra is the worst car in snow ever. I am leasing it, so am not sure I want to invest in snow tires, but really, this car cannot get up hills. I'll turn off traction control and see if that helps. The low clearance also got me stuck twice when I tried to go through snow at an intersection. Never had a problem with my Sonata. thanks everyone here for the advice!

Kathinwny I am leasing a new 2013 Elantra which I really liked until I tried driving in the snow. I've lived in Buffalo, NY all my life so I know how to drive in all kinds of snowy weather but my Elantra slips and slides at stops and slides upon acceleration. I haven't tried it on hills yet. I do not feel safe driving in the snow in this car. I will now turn off the traction control thanks to the advice on this site and I will re-post then to see if it is much better. Like others here I hate to spend the money on snow tires since it is a three year lease. Thanks everybody, I will keep in touch.

This thread was extremely helpful. I'm leasing a 2013 Elantra and definitely experiencing the same problem. I've also experienced a slight skidding when applying the brakes prior to the snow. I live in NY and we get our share of snow. I don't feel safe driving that car in the snow or slushy weather, especially with my kids in the car. I'm definitely going to turn the traction off and looking foward to it making a huge difference. I doubt I will invest in snow tires since its a leased vehicle, unless I decide to buy it. Thanks to all for sharing!

I have a 2013 Elantra GL that I purchased in June 2012. The Elantra is the weirdest handling car on snow and ice that I have ever driven. I've been driving all types of vehicles for 48 years so this is really saying something. The car has this very uncomfortable habit of swaying from side to side when there is any ice or snow on the road. It seems like the vehicle is loosing traction, but it isn't. If you check the brakes or steer from side to side there is still plenty of grip. I decided to buy snow tires and rims. This is the first time I have ever done this for any vehicle - always made it through the winter on all- season tires before. The snow tires definitely helped, but it still has the nagging habit of trying to change lanes on the highway with no driver input - but not as bad as with the all season tires. The car has 17 inch rims, I believe. Any comments?

did you turn off the traction control? If not, DO IT! HUGE difference.

Hi Carrie: Thanks for getting right back to me! My car is a 6 speed automatic and I can't find a switch to turn off the ABS, but I did find the switch for the ESC (Electronic Stability Control), so I will turn this off and let you know how I make out! Hoping this helps!!

I didn't say to turn off the abs, silly. You got it though the stability (traction control) is what you should have turned off. Mind you, it defaults to "on" so you have to turn it off EVERY time you start your car. It's a pain, but makes a huge difference in the snow.

on the elantra I drive (2013) the switch just has a picture of a car with slidey marks by the tire, but on my sonata that same switch is actually labeled "Traction control system"

Thanks Carrie! I found the switch (ECS) and am going out on our incredibly icy roads shortly to give it a try! It also had the image of a car sliding on the switch.

Be careful!!!! Let me know how it goes!

and you really should NOT be going out on incredibly icy roads no matter what! Even 4X4s can't steer on ice. Be safe!!

Ha ha! Well if you live in Alberta, Canada, incredibly icy roads are a fact of life! Sadly, it warmed up today and the roads weren't as slippery (thought I'd never say that!) so I couldn't get a real solid evaluation with the ECS off. Standby for further!

I have a 2012 Elantra and have been having the same issues with driving in the snow and ice. I live in Chicago and the weather is miserable here right now, tons of snow and wind chills in the -40 range, so even with plowing the roads are still slick. I too have a lot of experience with driving in bad conditions, but this Elantra has been ridiculously hard to drive in these conditions. So I took Carrie's advice and turned off traction control and it's MUCH better.

i'm so glad to hear that! I'm not far from you in michigan (we had the -40 windchills too!) and even knowing what I know about the TCS, i've kept my car home the last two days. It just isnt' worth the chance of sliding off the road. I'm going to try to go to work tomorrow. Wish me luck! As soon as I can afford it, snow tires too.

I'll be getting snow tires too when I have the money to do so. I've also stayed off the roads up until today when I had a dental emergency. I was frantically looking for information on why my car was so bad in the snow and what, if anything, that I could do about it so I could go to the dentist. Fortunately I found this forum. Many thanks for your contribution and be careful driving. :)

Hello Carrie and Joeysmom: I've had a chance to drive on some pretty slippery roads yesterday and did find that the Elantra drives much more like a "normal" car with the ECS turned off! I felt much more confident driving on the roads and was able to move with the traffic instead of crawling along. Thanks for the great advice Carrie! I will continue with updates as I get more experience with this.

YAY!! I'm glad to hear it! Stay safe up there!

Will do! Just some follow up information regarding the symptoms: With the ECS on, the car feels like it's "floating" or "squishy", like the rear end wants to float from side to side, so it gives the impression that the car is losing traction either on the front end or rear end because it is losing directional stability. Sometimes this will cause uncommanded directional changes which can be quite exciting in a multi-lane situation on slippery roads! I am at a complete loss to figure out what the ECS is doing to cause this since the ECS light never illuminates, which I presume would indicate operation of the traction control. This seems to be mainly a problem on icy roads especially when the icy section is under the one side of the car and there are bumps on the ice. I would be interested to hear the symptoms that other people are experiencing to see if they are having the same. I was also thinking that it may have to do with poor directional stability of this vehicle in gusty crosswinds since not all vehicles are created equal for handling crosswinds, but yesterday on the highway there was a fairly significant crosswind causing snow to drift across the highway and the car did seem considerably more stable with the ECS off. I would love to have a clear explanation of how the ECS works from the manufacturer. Seems like if may be a case of "over-engineering" the car... Comments please!

I would agree on the feel of the car. I know in both the 2002 Sonata AND the 2013 Elantra with the TCS (or ESC) on, the back end feels very loose, and if I try to accelerate, it feels like the back driver's side end wants to swing to the front.AND It makes it feel like it's being pushed around in a crosswind, even when there isn't much of one to speak of. I've never experienced this phenomenon on dry pavement with these cars, which are both surefooted otherwise! This is even worse at dead stop on ice or snowy conditions. From a dead stop, with it on, (at stoplights that turn green) my car only wants to turn sideways, with the back driver's side end again swinging to the front and the front passenger side of the car wanting to go to the back. I would agree that someone somewhere tried too hard and maybe put a system into production without testing the actual physics of it. I'm not sure what the TCS does.....but I'm guessing that little icon of a car sliding all over the place on the switch is rather (unfortunately) accurate.

http://cars.about.com/od/thingsyouneedtoknow/a/ESC.htm this was interesting. It explains the difference between TCS and ESC, and how they work :)

Thanks Carrie!!

This is great information! I'm delighted to hear that the car has a yaw sensor. This explains a lot. And also that the ESC can activate without the driver being warned. So now I see why the car behaves so differently with the ESC ON or OFF. Again, let me say that I REALLY appreciate your help!

No problem! I think perhaps in my car's case, the TCS (and the ESC on the Elantra) are over-sensitive and possibly react before they need to, anticipating a driver who doesn't know how to drive on snow or ice. I can't help but notice that the majority of complaints come from people who have been driving in winter conditions for decades (myself included) who are baffled by the cars' erratic behavior.

I would guess that the computer is optimized for paved roads in summer conditions - i.e. wet or dry. I've had absolutely no problems driving the Elantra through the mountains to the west coast and back on summer roads. Handled perfectly. All of the problems have reared their ugly little heads on winter roads. Wonder if the heroes that wrote the program tried it out on snowy and icy roads???

I turned off TCS and it only very slightly improves the stability / loss of control at slow speed. Its tough to get snow tires so late in the season. Fortunately Costco found Bridgestome Blizzaks WS70. These are recommended tires for snow and ice. I paid about $750 to be put on my Elantra. Ironic the snow is gone... I am hoping the drive will be safer with these tires otherwise I am selling my Elantra. This is either not a safe car for snow or the Hanook tires it came with are the cause. Will let you know how it perform when it snows again. I am interested to hear back from anyone who has used these tires though. Thank you

Billelantra: I put those same tires on this year and they work great (See my post from 3 weeks ago.) Last year I could not go in the snow at all with original tires. (see my post one year ago).For me, I could not go up even small hills.but now with the Blizzak snow tires I had no difficulty the last time it snowed. I feel much safer with these tires. Let us know how yours work next time it snows.

Carrie i hope you can read this! You are so right about that ESC-- the car is designed to be super stable on dry roads at higher speeds, it has aYAW sensors in the doors- The ESC controls the following: brakes, throttle, timing and steering to keep from over and under steering- not good for snow- NOW here is what you all have over looked! A. Hankook tires are serious good tire for the dry roads- here we go, they are made of a hard rubber compound to get good gas milage which is what this car is all about! They are just awful in snow and ice for that reason- it is mostly tires! So much good info has already been conveyed except for this! I am a race car driver road and circle! i grew up in the winters of Ohio and i live in Washington now! here is what i do with my 2013- i bought snow "cable chains" pre fit them and put them in the trunk! These are simple and easy to put on with out a jack and no muss or fuss just about 10 min and they are on- WOW you wil not get stuck my elanra is like a tank- i actually stopped on huge grade with slush and the ESC "on" started 2 gear light peddle it never slipped a wheel took right off! this is a good deal! Cost $36 @ wallmart! leave them on if you want in bad weather-you can drive up to 40mph with no problem! It takes about 5 minutes to take them off-HOPE THIS HELPS ALL OF YOU! DON'T TRADE YOUR ELANTRA! this is a technical wonder -engine is unreal! it is the tires mostly and turning off the ESC that is the problem- there is a youtube clip "NU Hyundia 1,8 liter engine" this has many racing componets! watch it- if you have a 2011-2014 Elantra you have a fantastic car!

6T9AMX: Thanks for your comments!

Great information, 6T9AMX. Thank you!

My 2010 Elantra is not equipped with an ESC , just a blank space for it. I guess I'll have to purchase snow tires after all, as this car is not drivable in even light snow. This is the worst car I have ever driven. Thanks for all the useful comments everyone.

2010 elantra- check your SAFETY CHAPTER - it say your car is equipped with (ESC-TRACTION CONTROL) 2 L engine CHECK YOUR CAR MANUAL OR TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR HELP! ps/ my friend has a 2010 and his has ESC!

Thanks so much for your reply. I checked my manual, and it said "if equipped". It may have ESC, but there is no button, switch or dash light for it. I will check with the dealer, but I'm out to buy snow tires this week.

I got to drive my elantra with the Bridgestone Blizzaks WS70 in an inch and half of snow. The car did so much better. I fealt confident driving it with these tires. I noticed about 3 - 5 MPG penalty, but its so worth it. I drive almost an hour each way to work, the 41 MPG made this car attractive to me. BTW my elantra did not come with the spare tyre. I am thinking this was done to save weight! My advise is to get good winter tires and you feel much better about the car.

BillElantra: I "ditto" everything you say about the snow tires. You are correct the Elantra doesn't come with spare tire to save on weight and gas millage. However, I would recommend that you purchase the spare. I recently hit a pothole and destroyed my tire and wheel on a Friday night, Had the car towed to dealer and it took 4 days to get it back. If I had the spare I wouldn't have been stranded for the weekend. I now have the spare in my trunk.

What BillElantra said~~ BUY the Bridgestone Blizzaks! they will last a long time if you use only when you need them! forget the cost! i bought a spare tire also! Needing one almost never happens- but when it does! @#$%$#&

Thank you all for the information. I have a 2013 elantra and I have lived in NJ all of my life and I could figure out why I was having so much trouble with my car sliding on even light snow. My question is: isn't the ESC for traction? So how is turning it off going to help with not sliding?

Tracy, it really just does. I would suggest you take your car out and try it with the ESC off and see for yourself. I personally think the reason is because it overcorrects. Especially if the driver is one who is experienced in driving in the snow and both you AND the ESC are correcting.

As easy as snow chains may be to put on, how easy are they to put on in a foot of snow? Not all of us have garages...just curious.

I knew I wasn't crazy! I live in Colorado and I am terrified to drive my 2011 Elantra when it snows. I had my first wreck ever in 1 inch of snow with this dang car. I now have a panic attack every time the weather even mentions snow. I want to try with the ESC off but I am so scared, I hope it works better! Thanks for the info

Well, I definitely do not have ESC. It doesn't come with the 2010 Elantra GL. It just figures somehow, doesn't it. I too am afraid to drive this car in the snow after a few experiences I've had. I have been looking into the Bridgestone Blizzaks as suggested (thank 6T9AMX) and they seem to be the answer. I now have to price them here in Canada, as they will be more expensive here Also figures!. Next question is do I get them filled with nitrogen like the originals are, or not?. Has anyone had experience with this? I don't remember the exact reason for the nitrogen fill in the first place, but my dealership put it in at time of purchase. Thanks everyone for the great feedback.

The story on Nitrogen vs air is that the nitrogen molecules are larger and therefore less likely to leak slowly through the sidewall. And supposedly the nitrogen is more stable. This is all according to a mechanic friend of mine. It might be utter BS, but I do notice that the tires on my motorcycle seem to hardly ever need extra nitrogen. But as long as you check your tire pressures regularly, it probably doesn't make any difference. My summer tires are nitrogen filled but my snow tires are air filled. Don"t notice much difference. Would be delighted to hear other comments on this...

Well, now I have a price for the Blizzaks. They are $125 each in the US, but here in Canada they are $189 each. A $64 difference in price per tire is outrageous. On top of that are the rims, which are at least $60 each. Then there is an installation charge, an environmental charge per tire, and 14% sales tax,which comes to a grand total of $1300. I'm beginning to wish I had chosen another car last year when my 15 year old Ford Contour (which got me everywhere with all weather tires) died.

I bought NEXEN WINSPIKE snow tires on the recommendation of my dealer. They had a set already mounted on rims ready to go. He said they would last around 3 winters. Total cost all in was 960.70 in Alberta. Tire were 126.75 each and rims were 71.00 each. Installation and balancing was 107.95. Tire tax was 16.00. I am very happy with these tires. They can also be studded if you think you need it but the dealer recommended against it. Don't seem to need the studs in any of the driving I've done so far. The car handles snow and ice much better now.

I was an outside sales rep for 36 years covering four states Pa, Nj, De & Md. Dove about a million miles and in snow many times, my 2012 Elantra is without a doubt the worst car in snow ever made. My first front wheel drive was a 1979 Plymouth Champ (Japanese) stick shift compact two door, it was fantastic in snow.

I hear ya Teddy...(moment of silence for our cars that have passed on).

Thanks a300guy, for the info.It's going to take a chunk out of my bank account any way I look at it. Guess I have to go out looking tomorrow for the best prices, dealership vs tire store.

@Carrie-- yes i see your point! But that is because you don't know how to put them on in a foot of snow. It is so easy you might be surprised! I carry a sheet o 6mil black plastic to keep my knees dry! You don't need a garage or a jack-! i have a link i am going to post here, I hope everyone can see it here! Oh, to take them off you just reverse the process and just drive off them and put them in the box! :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpiW0SEIIT4

In regards to Nitrogen vs regular air: When I was driving in my 2012 Elantra with the original tires (pre-snow tires) the tire pressure was getting low in one of them and I was afraid to inflate them with regular air, knowing they had been filled with Nitrogen originally. I thought I might void the warranty or something! When I brought the car to the dealership for an oil change I asked them to rotate tires, check pressure, etc. Afterwards I asked them if they had put Nitrogen in the tires. The service guy said no, they just use regular air unless asked specifically for the Nitrogen which costs an additional $30. So I guess it's not too big of a concern, it certainly won't hurt the tires to have regular air put in, as that's what will probably be put in eventually!

@Mark: No! air is just as good as it was 100 years ago to fill your tires! Almost nobody uses nitrogen! By the way- you car tires have a sensor connected to them that tells you if your tire is to low! It lells you which one is low! look in your manual! I have a 2013 which should be the same as your car- One more thing i have a set of snow tire for one of my other cars that are ten years old- they still hold air, not lumpy and have plenty of tread-- Once you get snow tires you can keep them a long time! Learn how to put them on and off in your garage- it is simple, then you can put them on when you want and take them off when you want! helps make them last longer!

@CARRIE Here is another link that shows how to put on chains if you can't move the car--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVYqmytJyYs FOR ALL: here is a link that show how winter work compared to all season using ELANTRAS- you will be supriesd-- filmed at a driving school- http://www.wheels.ca/guides/video-how-to-prepare-for-winter- driving/

Yeah. I checked out the videos. There's so much ice packed in my wheel-wells, there's no way. Not to mention that you can't drive very far or very fast (20mph??) with them on. That is unacceptable where I live. I can drive 20 with my car as is.

EXCELLENT 1--a screw driver will take care of the packed snow-- and you can drive safely up to 40 mph i have done it for years-- but i said it was an alternative to winter tires, not better than for most situations- Like you said and are doing good winter tires all around, is the best for most situations-- i am all for that in areas where you have lots of bad winter weather- you can carry on , go any where any speed! i wasn't suggesting anything different! Where i live it is now and then snow seldom need even snow tires-But once in a while we get it good but it goes away in a day or two so cable chains for me is way cheaper easy on easy off and i only need them one to three days a year if at all!-- So i agree with you! :)

Good answer, 6T9AMX! I think there are places in the mountains where you have to have chains or they won't let you on the road, but I avoid the mountains in the winter!

Thanks Carrie. I turned off the ESC for the last couple of days. The roads are better now but the side roads are still messy. I do feel more comfortable with the ESC off. I use to creep to the stop sign because I was scared I would slide but now I don't slide even when I braked unexpectedly, I did not slide. I'm hoping to get buy without buying the snow tires this year. But I will definitely get them next year. Thanks again!!

Sooooooo happy to find this thread! I bought a 2013 Elantra four days ago and had my first experience in the snow tonight. Couldn't get the car to turn to save my life! I missed three right turns trying to get home because it absolutely wouldn't turn! Jeez! I will try turning off the ECS and will buy some snow tires post haste!

One more update: I found my car handles about ten times better if my tires are underinflated by about 12 pounds. My one tire looked low, so I took it to my mechanic thinking I had a leak. He told me all of my tires were at about 20 pounds, so he aired them all back up to 32...and all of a sudden it handled crappy again! Huh! So I'm planning to let a few pounds out of them today. I am guessing the under-inflation gives them a little more grip on the road.

WOW! THATS A NEW ONE ON ME! NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING! WELL A LEAST SNOW MELTS, RIGHT! :)

That is an excellent point, Carrie. I wouldn't recommend running at 20 psi, but probably around 25 would be a noticeable difference from 32 psi. I've heard this lowing the pressure a bit mentioned to me before.

Check the tires on your car. Numerous forums mention the standard Hankook Optiomo H426 tires as awful in the snow nad swapping them out make the car handle quite well.

I live in Minnesota. I made the mistake of buying a Hyundai Elantra 2013 because it had good gas mileage. I seriously have never been so scared driving in the winter. I slip and slide constantly. This car should not be sold in places that have snow, seriously. I am a good driver, no accidents, 41 years old. Terrible, terribly winter car. I am going to get snow tires, but have never had to do that in any of my other cars. Dangerous vehicle, and now I worry because I was going to give it to my daughter. I would never let her drive it in the winter, ever. So mad!

I have a 2012 Elantra Touring. I live in Chicago & have lived in the midwest most of my life. My wife and I have driven multiple cars, both old and new. I am very used to driving in cold/snow/ice. The Elantra Touring (which is a little bigger than most Elantra's) is absolutely the worst car I have ever driven when in any snow/ice of any kind. I spent the last several weeks with the car constantly getting stuck in only a few inches of snow. It wouldn't stop, go or steer in even the slightest amount of snow/slush/ice. My wife and I have each been in a very minor fender-bender over the last few weeks entirely due to the lack of control in this car. We switch to our other light, front-wheel drive car, which is doing wonderful. I have tried shutting off the ESC & made sure the air-cond/defrost was shutoff, but it didn't seem to help much. I will say that turning off the ESC did help quite a bit when taking off in the snow, but not at any other time. It is still not safe to drive. Right now I have parked it and am researching whether new tires will help, or whether I should sell it. Thanks to everyone who has provided info & suggestions in this post. It's a help to learn from your experience & knowledge as well.

HI-TheDelay! I HOPE YOU READ MANY OF THESE THREADS== BUT I WILL JUST REPEAT MOST OF THEM---TIRES TIRES TIRES & etc. HANKOOK TIRES ARE MADE WITH A HARD RUBBER COMPOUND AND USED TO GET BETTER GAS Mileage! They are NO good for the snow! If you would purchase WINTER snow tires your troubles will be same as your other car for snow and ice driving! Aggressive tread and soft rubber compound does wonders! Dan

I don't have the original tires on mine, so I know that's not the issue, and paying $800 to put snow tires on my 12 year old Sonata isn't an option either. I've found that turning off the Traction Control System, and lowering the pressure in the tires makes my car driveable in winter and that this also translated to the 2013 Elantra I drive. I am disappointed that such a beautiful and well-engineered summer car requires so much effort in the winter though. This will be my last Hyundai.

I live in Ontario Canada. I bought my 2010 Elantra last year and have been cursing it and the dealership all this winter. It slips, slides, skids, does everything short of a summersalt, but does not drive in snow. This particular vehicle does not even have traction control to turn off. My 15 year old Ford Contour had all season tires and I never had a problem with it. I have read everything in this thread, and went out to find a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks, as suggested by several people. Thanks guys, my car now handles so much better...like night and day. No slipping or sliding, corners well, and the brakes actually work now! It took me a while to find the tires at a reasonable price, but I found them at the Costco tire department. for $118 each. Service was great, although they did try to talk me into getting a different tire. I stuck to what I knew from the forum would work, and now it's happy driving. Special thanks to 6T9AMX, and to BillElantra for their input. Much appreciated, guys.

Hi Mark helpful: Glad to here your super cool ELANTRA is back on the on the snow trail-! If you are prudent with those tires they will last a long long time!- They will wear out if driven as regular tire on dry surface for months and months or all year long! -- One more thing I do- $36 or so will buy you a set of "cable chains" put them in your trunk for emergencies. They are easy to put on and take off. If your winter tire and regular tires are the same size you can use them on both!- My ELANTRA runs like a tank with these, you can run up to 40 mph with them safely. Remember (FOR ALL) all of your steering all of your your traction and in snow and ice 90% of your stopping power is your FRONT WHEELS! so if your are a real bad situation throw on the tank tracks and go on home! GOOD LUCK up north! here is a link on how to put them on easy! just reverse the process to take them off! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpiW0SEIIT4

This thread has been very helpful...bought the elantra for gas mileage but living in Wisconsin has been quite the trial. I have had to put all my experience to use....worse fishtailing I have had in years...I have been told the ESC should ONLY be turned off if a temporary tire has been put on due to a flat. Cant't recommend this car...should I put up with it, trade it in, or buy something I have NOT bought for years...snowtires???

Oh Marie. PLEASE turn off the ESC. Seriously. Until you try it, don't judge it. It makes a HUGE difference.

AND buy snow tires. Have you read the posts in this thread??

I too own 2013 ,have been reading all the Questions and answers .did turn off the ESC does seem to be a little better .was going to order snow tires went to the dealer, they told me they can,t get them from their supplier now, because its to late in the season .going to check around other places too.but not sure if I will be able to get them this yr,Just hope to make it thur the season.

HI BONNIE! i never heard of people going to the car dealer for tires until i go on this site-- Gee Whiz thats the last place to go-- heck any tire dealer and wallmart can get you snow ttires-- the season is over- what its FEB. it can snow in March! Tires is the problern your tires have a hard rubber formula bad for snow!" Soft compound aggressive tread thats what you ask for!! " YOU WILL BE HAPPY you did Dan

@MARIEMARGRET-- THAT IS JUST WRONG! THE ESC CAN BE TURNED OFF ANYTIME AND SHOULD BE IN LOT OF CASES! Now turn it off and get some winter tires SOFT COMPOUND AGGRESSIVE TREADS= Your car will drive like a Judy! The tire on there now are made to get fuel mileage and long wear not ice and snow! I know you will have good luck if you do!! Dan

The only reason I got my snow tires from the Hyundai dealer is I already had an all-day appointment to leave my car there for that recall work that had to be done on the "exhaust flaps". I needed the snow tires immediately and it was convenient to have them put them on the same day. I did not get the Blizzaks, I got another tire they recommended (Mastercraft) and am very happy with them. Some of us don't have time to run all over looking someplace else for tires. If the dealership does good work for a decent price, why not go there? Mine were reasonably priced and now I feel safe driving in snow. So wherever you can get snow tires, just get them! Blizzaks aren't the only tires out there, plenty of others can do the job well.

@BONNIE-you are right any place you want just get them on your car and have safe driving-- so glad to hear they work good! Drive safe ! Dan

Thanks for the advice! Usually when tires are so new they handle snow better. I will look into the snow tire suggestions. appreciate the advice!

Have the same problem. 2011 Elantra. Worst car in show I've EVER had. Can't drive in 1/2" of snow even with ESC turned off. Tire dealers tell me same thing, "out of season" though dealership has them amazingly for twice as much as my local tire store would sell them if they could get them. Hyundai must stalk up on them knowing how terrible their cars are for the snow. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS!! I WILL NEVER BUY A HYUNDAI AGAIN. PLEASE DON'T BUY THIS CAR.

@123jdog: I would be glad to take your car off your hands ! i will take your advice and not buy it off you! just give it to me! :) why didn't you buy snow tires when they in season? go to wallmart get some winter tires turn off the ESC and go on with life! your car will run like a champ!! ps /do you work for KIA?

@6T9MX Do you work for Hyundai? Because it's kind of starting to sound like it. The fact is, people shouldn't have to go to extraordinary measures to drive the car they bought. And their ire IS legitimate. I've driven all kinds of cars in snow. Toyotas, Fords, Chevys, VWs, GMCs, Dodges, and Hyundais. You can be snarky about it if you want to, but I've NEVER had to buy snow tires. Not once. EVER. In twenty years. You think this person should have to buy snow tires for a HALF AN INCH of snow? Get real. Acting like someone SHOULD have bought snow tires is ridiculous. There is something seriously wrong with these cars and pretending the problem doesn't exist isn't helping anyone.

@123 dog I HAVE A 2013 ELANTRA AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL-- 1/2 INCH OF SNOW? A HALF INCH OF SNOW! HMMM!

Well you are certainly out-numbered by Elantra owners who DO have problems driving their cars in the snow, by about a million to one!

@ whoever AND YOU HAVE NOT READ THE THREADS--! i have answered these issues in detail! THE TIRES ON YOUR CAR ARE MADE OF A HARD RUBBER COMPOUND FOR FUEL MILEAGE! NOT FOR ICE AND SNOW-YES THEY ARE TERRIBLE IN SNOW BUT THEY HELP MILEAGE! IF YOU BUY A TIRE WITH A SOFT RUBBER COMPOUND (WHICH MOST CARS COME WITH) IT WILL WORK MUCH BETTER- IF YOU BUY WINTER SNOW TIRES THEY WILL BE EVEN BETTER! THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR CAR IT IS THE TIRES! SO THE OFFER STANDS -YOU WANT TO GIVE ME YOUR CAR I WILL TAKE IT- YOU ASK IF I WORKED FOR HYUNDAI- I AM A PROFESSIONAL RACE CAR DRIVER! not for Hyundai!

It's not the tires. There are plenty of people here who have driven OTHER cars and have not had these problems. If you want to get crazy over denying the problem, that's obviously your issue. Your temper tantrum is helping no one.

While turning OFF the ESC/Traction control and getting winter tires are a way to make this car driveable, that doesn't negate the fact that there IS a problem with this car that makes it dangerous in wintertime as opposed to other cars. I love my Hyundais...but i'm not about to stick my head in the sand when it comes to their faults.

DID THEY HAVE THE SAME TIRES!? OK MY BAD! THEY DID GET MY GOAT! TRY DIFFERENT TIRES YOU WILL SEE IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

And that takes us to the point that most of us have been trying to make. Hyundai should not put a car on the road with those tires which are useless in the snow. I purchased my car new in Minnesota, for God's sake! I don't care if it saves a few pennies in gas mileage (another issue - how they over-estimated the car's gas mileage and now are doing the Mileage Reimbursement Program for consumers). The fact is, they put lives at risk - there are probably thousands of Elantra owners out there who bought the car not knowing that it will basically not operate in snow without snow tires and/or fiddling with the ESC. I myself got stuck on a hill in a dangerous snow storm while every other car drove up past me with no apparent problem. You're damn right I wished we had driven my friend's Toyota Camry with all-weather radials - he has never had a problem with his car in the snow! Luckily no one was hurt or killed. Why should my next car be an Elantra when there are so many others out there that are safer and have comparable fuel economy and DON"T need snow tires put on?

I traded in my 2012 Cruz about a month ago for this 2013 Elantra. The day we purchased the car it was pouring rain and only road tested it locally. A few days later we took the car for its 1st highway drive and I kept telling my wife the car handled funny ,like I was being pushed side to side. This was on a non windy day and dry roads. This car is what my wife drives daily about 35 miles each way almost all highway. Today I drove the car and when I came out from where I was it was snowing lightly. I have to say this car handled terrible, way worse then my Cruz. I mean it was so bad I'm not very concerned about my wife's safety since we live around Chicago and we have been getting a lot of snow. I was concerned so much that is what caused me to google the situation which led me to this forum. I already told my wife about the turning off of the ESC, but still a big concern.@ 6T9AMX, I do believe these tires to contribute a lot to the issue, but I don't think I should have to go out and spend $800 to a grand on new tires on a car that is 4 weeks old with 1k miles on it. The Cruz wasn't the absolute best in the snow , but I never felt unsafe. And on a side note the Cruz got about 5-6 mpg more then I am getting on the Elantra, and it came with a spare.

In my mind Hyundai optimized tires, wheel rim material (aluminum to steel and i have already had to change a rim for $600 because it deforms much easier than steel), no fifth wheel and who knows what else to promote the 41 MPG. Winter tire can only make this worst for them. I want to also warn you that in rain these tires are dangerous (speeds of 65 -75 MPH). This was in summer. My previous 250,000+ Mazda protege with regular tires had no such issue in rain at faster speeds! Now I have winter tires and I can feel the drag in the car on a day like today when the roads are clear. The reason I bought the Elantra was because of its promoted MPG.The main purpose to continue voicing my opinion is that I hope other Elantra drivers warn each other somehow so that no one get badely injured due to these issues.

6T9AMX- Thanks for your professional "race car" opinion. You're absolutely right, it is the tires! It's also the alignment of the car. The point is this car operates SOOOO badly in MINIMAL amounts of snow (and rain) IT IS DANGEROUS to the people driving the car and the people who happen to be driving on the road around the car. Not everyone who buys this car is going to have the wherewithal to turn the ESC off (which only helps a little bit) every time the weather is questionable or to buy snow tires to make it handle "somewhat" better. Furthermore, a person who bought this car for 20k should not have to plan on buying $800 worth of snow tires to get around town in MINIMAL weather conditions to feel semi safe. I grew up and learned how to drive in WYOMING. This is the worst car for snow conditions I've EVER driven in!! (this is the 8th car I've owned). My father’s 69 Chevy Nova (rear wheel drive!!) handled better in feet’s of snow than this car does in inches! You can defend this car all you want with your "race car knowledge" but if you were truly a "professional race car driver” you would know and understanding that this car is DANGEROUS for the "average non professional race car driver". How much is Hyundai paying you to defend this piece of Sh#t car?? EVERYBODY reading this already knows I'm right!! They wouldn't be reading it otherwise. This car is DANGEROUS and will KILL people. TO EVERYONE WHO IS READING THIS, THAT HAS NO "RACE CAR KNOWLAGE", UNLESS YOU WANT TO SPEND AN EXTRA $800 TO 1K IN SNOW TIRES AND HAVE TWO SETS OF TIRES TO SWITCH OUT EVERY SIX MONTHS AND WANT TO MAKE (6T9AMX) THE "PROFESSIONAL RACE CAR DRIVER" HAPPY, PLEASE DON'T BY THIS CAR!!! IT IS DANGEROUS TO YOU, YOUR FAMILEY, AND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD!

So here's my thoughts - to re-iterate: This is the first vehicle that I have EVER purchased snow tires for. I live in Alberta, Canada (-25C last night) where we get lots of winter driving. I found my 2013 Elantra had very unusual driving characteristics on snow and ice compared to ALL other vehicles I have driven over the last 49 years, namely that when driving on winter roads the car had a tendency to act as if it was being pushed aggressively by the wind even when there was no wind, causing undesired lateral movement. It felt as if the rear end was VERY loose and the car wanted to make lane changes with no driver input! This was especially evident when driving on uneven roads, for example, uneven icy ruts on the right wheel track, but not on the left. So after finding this forum, I did the math: how much would an accident cost me in terms of lost use of my vehicle, loss of value to the vehicle, and increased insurance premiums. I decided to bite the bullet and by a set of rims and snow tires. I purchased the tires and rims from our local Hyundai dealer which were already mounted and ready to go. I've discussed pricing in a previous thread. The dealer recommended the NEXEN Winspike tires (which can be studded) which are less expensive than the Blizzaks. So I've been driving since December with this set-up and the ESC turned off when the road conditions are poor. I have found that the vehicle handles much better and I'm more confident on the road now. By the way, I talked to a Hyundai mechanic yesterday and he was explaining the mechanics/software involved. He said that if you ever get a wheel alignment, they need to hook the car up to their computer to zero out the settings, otherwise the car will not drive properly. So if your car is still under warranty, might be worthwhile having the Hyundai dealer check the computer settings on a wheel alignment rack. Also, I found out that the car has a "steer by wire" computerized driving system. There is no power steering pump any more. The computer augments the steering, so another good reason to make sure the alignment is perfect and the steering computer set correctly. This computer is measuring yaw rate (sensors in the doors), wheel position, wheel force, etc. All good reasons to turn the ESC off if you are confident in your winter driving ability. Thanks to everyone for contributing to this forum!

@a300guy-I agree with your mindset and math. However I still don't think as consumers we should have to go out and spend additional money on a brand new purchase, just to get it to handle "much better". Truthfully not only do I feel ripped off, I now have very little confidence in this vehicle . I too am doing the math, and if I'm going to have to spend the extra $ just to get the vehicle to perform somewhat decent, I may just take a loss on the car and trade it in for something that already performs to my satisfaction. I grew up in Chicago, now live just outside the city and have been driving in this climate for 40 years. I could purchase a rear wheel drive car and would perform better then this vehicle. Truthfully, this car is a hazard to drive and Hyundai should be held accountable. Just my .02

I agree this car is dangerous in snow. Live in Cleveland and the car is useless to me right now. Love the aesthetics, heated seats, moon roof. Just wish I lived in San Francisco with this beautiful car and not Ohio. Debating tonight on trading it in or putting on new all weather tires. Hey I live in an apartment. I don't have anywhere to store an extra set of tires. I have a 2011 Elantra with 31,500 miles original tires.

Hi everyone, I have 2013 elantra gls for a year now. I love the car very much . I feel its one of the best car for summer . But this winter in nov i was travelling to edmonton from regina, canada. My car went out of control at 110 km/ hr. Sliding from the rear end.luckily on that icy road the ESC corrected the the car was under control. One thing that i noticed the ESC seems to have a mind of its own. The violent sliding started at the first place coz ESC locked one of the wheels thinking that the car was sliding. Other thing was the slide became worst as i did not have winter tire. Immidiately i changed to winter tire.it made a lot of difference but still the handling is bad at high speeds and the car tends to have body roll. So i tried using couple of sand bags in the trunk to make the rear end heavy. It does help but not much. Then i watched a video about toyota corolla on youtube and the toyota sales person was comparing 2013 corolla with elantra and he pointed the fact that elantra does not have a rear swey bar( stabilizer bar) which is one of the reason for so much body roll. I dont know much about swey bar but it looks like a solution for the problem and its one time installation and doesnt look expensive too.

Search to the sway bar by the sales person on youtube." Toyota Corolla comparison against Hyundai Elantra by Brandon Martin".

TURN OFF THE ESC THAT SHOULD DO THE JOB-- THE ESC COMPUTER IS PROGRAMMED FOR NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS SNOW AND ICE ARE NOT NORMAL-- TURN IT AND TELL US HOW THAT WORKED

Watching other cars handle the snow-covered parking lot in my apartment complex. Mine sits by the mailbox, because I backed it out but still can't coax it into going forward. At least it's not blocking traffic. The snow has stopped falling and is melting, so I expect to park the car tomorrow and wait a few days. Good thing it rarely snows like this in Charlotte.

Well, I turned off the ESC and bought four Hankook snow tires (the originals on my car were Michelins) and today just barreled on home, up the hill, no problems. This is a leased vehicle and lease is up in November (and no way will I keep it!), so hated to spend the money, but it was so unsafe without the snow tires. The feeling driving this time with snows and no ESC was so much better. The ESC must be overcorrecting because I used to be fishtailing all over. Today, any slight skid and a little correction by me and back on track. No sliding to a stop, no slipping all over starting up from traffic light, and absolutely no problem getting up the hill to home. Thank you everyone for the great advice. Too bad about this problem because otherwise the Elantra is a nice car.

@cohsier: so glad you are safe and able to get thru the bad stuff- but there is another way to look at it! the computer and esc system saves lives read about it! it is designed to correct your mistakes in normal driving conditions! IF YOU LEASE ANOTHER CAR AND IT HAS ESC IT WILL DO THE VERY SAME THING - THE EXPENSIVE CARS ALL HAVE IT! AND YOU NEED TO TURN IT OFF--here where i live snow tires and chains are a way of life - they last for years! in a way it is like saying i paid all this money why should i have to pay for gas and oil to run it? or insurance> because it is a cost of owning a car- if you live if snow country you have to be prepared! just so you know(read about it) you have a high tek car- the engine and transmission is at the edge of technology- it was designed as a superior handling car and it is under normal conditions! snow and ice is another story for all cars that have esc(SYSTEMS CONTROL) or any system, reading about it might be interesting! Good Luck whatever you do!

TURN OFF THE ESC that will help a lot ! buy a cheap set of radial cable chains (keep them in the trunk) and throw them on when needed- you can drive up to 40 mph with them since you don't get much snow! they are easy to put on almost anywhere and easy to take off- no jack no lift no garage needed! look at the article by cohosier above turn of the esc and take it easy good luck :)

Chains are illegal where I live. And No, these cars DO NOT handle like other sedans with ESC. You are seriously misleading people now. There is a reason this forum is here. This particular car has a handling problem.

124 comments in this thread, 20 of them come from 6T9AMX (16%) who "does not work for Hyundai" the one person in the entire thread who seems to be hell bent on defending this car and convincing everyone that this car is safe if only you would buy snow tires. Go with your gut people...this car is dangerous! You shouldn't have to buy snow tires (or chains!!) to drive safely in normal winter conditions. Most of you don't live in "snow country." I grew up in Wyoming and now live in Colorado...It snows a lot! I've never once considered buying snow tires for any car I've ever driven other than this one.

Further more, this car frightens me even when there is no snow on the road. Any time I get it above 65 or 70 mph on the Interstate the car seems to have a mind of its own; veering every which way for seemingly no reason. God forbid the wind happens to be blowing more than 5mph. Then I have to keep it under 60. Can't wait till the snow stops and read some threads on how this car handles in summer conditions and see what 6T9AMX has to say.

@ CARRIE YOU ARE CONFUSING "EC"WITH "ESC" THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE! CHECK YOUR FACTS BEFORE YOU CRITICIZE! THE SYSTEMS CONTROL INCORPORATES YAW SENSORS WHICH CAUSES THE CAR "FISH TAIL IN SNOW CONDITIONS! THE NON SYSTEM CONTROL DOE NOT AND DOES HANDLE BETTER IN THE SNOW!

123 DOG!-- i drive my elantra on twisty windy roads on the interstate at those speeds and higher with no problem-- maybe a trip to the dealer and tell him your problems! you can keep up this talk but i have one and drive it in terrible conditions heavy rain and wind like we just had and i will admit i thought about what you said and i pushed the car way beyond safe driving limits of the area and it handle fantastic!

6T9AMX- good for you. You must have been the only person in this entire thread who happend to get an Elentra that drives perfectly! Congratulations! The rest of us have to deal with reality unfortunately. So to clarify, you're telling me you just read my thread from 30 minutes ago, happened to have heavy rain and wind in your area and decided to take your elantra out and "push it beyond safe driving limits" just to test my theory!?!? and then came right back to your computer to tell all of us about how your car handled awesome!? How many people do you think were driving on the road with you with their children and loved ones in their vehicles while you were "pushing your car way beyond safe driving limits"??? Quit "yelling" at people with ALL CAPS when you talk to them, makes you look like an idiot. No one is buying your BS. And yes, as long as you're trying to convince people that this car is safe I'll keep talking my talk. Hope Hyundai is paying you well.

i am not tying to convince any body of anything! and yes i did do that! because i wanted to test it because just a few of you are having such trouble of all the people i know with the elantra! actually i told all of you haw to overcome you problem. if it didn't work for you i am sure there is a suburu dealer in you area who would be happy to sell you a car!-

Wow! just a few!?!? Are you actually reading these threads? And yes you are trying to convince people that this car is safe; wouldn't be 20+ comments from you testifying how awesome your elantra experience has been if you weren't. And to respond to your comment about contacting my dealer about my concerns, in fact I have, way before I found this thread. Any guesses as to what they told me? Exactly everything you've been regurgitating!!! (You should buy snow tires...they're really cheap, and be sure to turn your ESC off "that will help a lot") The fact that you just admitted that you, 1st read my thread, 2nd, decided to go out and drive like an assh*#e in "terrible weather conditions," and threaten the lives of innocent people just to test my theory, and 3rd hurried back home to comment on my thread in less than a 1/2 an hour's time to prove to everyone that Elantra's are indeed safe because the "professional race car driver" says so, shows that your totally full of SH*T. You should be ashamed of yourself.

you are s trying so hard to justify you own ignorance-- i helped you and admit it! i did go out in the rain and wind to drive it hard-- what i am beginning to believe its more then the car here that is at fault! your constant replies trying to prove your point why? - hey if you think i am wrong why are you spending so much time here!! just go buy another car- or go to your dealer AND TELL HIM- OR HAVE YOU ALREADY AND HE TOLD YOU THE SAME THING I DID!! look i really don't care that much to argue about nothing! it is YOU or the CAR -you have been told how to fix the car or get a a different brand of car!

You show your ignorance every time you comment. Again, there is no "justifying." Everyone reading this other than you knows I'm right, they wouldn't be reading it otherwise. If anyone here could just go buy another car whenever they wanted they would have never bought an Elantra in the first place. 2nd, are you even reading these threads before you comment or are you so programmed to say the same thing over and over again that you just can't help it? If you go back to the last thread you just commented on, I already told you I talked to the dealer and yes "He" told me the exact same BS that you've been spewing to everyone else. Just because a car dealer and some yahoo "professional race car driver" on some web thread say the same thing I'm suposed to swallow it?? That is the point mister!! The fact still remains (a fact you have failed to comment on every time someone brings it up) that no one should have to buy snow tires to feel somewhat safe driving around in "normal" winter conditions.

When I said ESC, (with regard to other cars having it) I was quoting you. You are the one who said it. So if it's incorrect it's because you are were incorrect in your post. Furthermore, "yelling" at me in all caps is not ok.

Ok,so here is a if you were me opinion question? I purchased my new 2013 Elantra the week of Christmas 2013. Like most who have come here I found this forum because of the poor handling in the snow, and truthfully don't like the feel of the car all that much on dry pavement. So this week I receive $2500.00 on my GM credit card and loyalty program, which is all good. The problem is that the car I traded had about $3600.00 equity and if I now go to trade in the Elantra its a good possibility I'll be upside down and take a big loss. I haven't talked with my Chevy dealer yet ,,but may later today. So my question on others opinions is if you had the opportunity to get rid of your Elantra but would incur a loss would you do it or would you invest more money into the Elantra to make it somewhat decent to handle? If so how much loss would you take ? My thought is if I could get another vehicle and loose 1k it may be better then investing 1k in tires and rims. Thoughts ??

@6T9AMX- Truthfully your posts defending this vehicle so much do make it come off as if you may work or be tied in with Hyundai. I profess to be no expert but do have some experience. I was a GM Dealership technician for 12 years and a Dealership Service Manager ( mostly with Ford & Chrysler) for another 15 years. In that time I have driven more cars and more of a variety of vehicles then most people will ever drive in their life. As one of the techs who had to drive city and highway to work I was usually elected to road test vehicles home if they had unusual problems that we could not identify with just normal road tests while working. Again with that said I don't profess to know all the answers, but do consider to have a good knowledge on how numerous vehicle handle. This car by far ranks as one of the worse I have ever driven. You compare having to purchase things/ tires to get the car to perform satisfactory in the same class as having to buy gas and do maintenance,,which to most is a pretty lousy comparison When people buy a vehicle we are all aware maintenance ,insurance and fuel are all necessary. I don't think you will find many people who believe that after they buy a new vehicle that a new or different set of tires will be needed to make the vehicle operate safely. You , along with a few others, like to coin the phrase "under normal conditions" to justify the vehicles faults. With that in mind I'll utilize the term "all season" when referring to the tires. I live just outside Chicago and guess what ? as long as I have been alive Winter is considered a season. Like summer brings warmth and sunshine, winter brings cold and snow. If the tires are truly a GOOD all season, it would possibly help to make this vehicle better to handle Winter season.

My fingers are still cramped from white knuckle driving a new loaner Elantra 30 miles into work this morning after a whopping inch of snow fell. I had traffic backed up at every intersection because this car simply did not want to move from a stopped position and when it finally did it was every which way but straight forward. To tell you the truth I drove it the same 30 miles home last night on dry roads and I wasn't impressed then either. The car just drifts; not like it's out of allignment but rather similar to a canoe rocking in waves. Good gawd I hate this car and as my car is going to be in the shop a week I'm calling and requesting anything else....and I mean anything. Oh yeah been driving the the hilly suburbs WNY for almost 30 years...so it's not that.

I'll admit, I haven't read absolutely all of the posts, but this is what I experience with my 2013 Elantra. It doesn't matter if it the ESC is on or off, the rear end floats around like a rear wheel drive. I put brand new top of the line all season tires on at Christmas and they made a difference, but that was because the old ones were practically bald after 25,000 miles. I have lived in northern Indiana my entire life and grew up driving Trans Am's, Mustang GT's and Thunderbirds. All notorius for being terrible winter driving cars. I would take any one of them back over my Elantra in the snow. I was told by a mechanic that the issue is there is no sway bar or stabilizer bar on the rear so the the rear end just "floats" around. And it's not much better on dry pavement. I had back surgery 2 1/2 years ago and when I hit a bump (especially at highway speeds) the rear end shifts so hard that it tweaks my back and I feel like I will lose control of the car. And all the dealer ever says is that it's normal. You ask a sales rep who is currently driving one and they will tell you their's never does that. I took one guy for a drive in his car and when it shifted on bumps he told me that he had never noticed that before. Really?????????

Very interesting....I searched this site for other Elantra tire issues, and came across this topic: "Tire problem - what type of tire should I replace with?" under Hyundai Elantra Touring question. 91 answers given, all having to do with problems with the car's original tires, such as needing to replace the tires soon after purchase due to "sidewall bulges" and other issues that arise from simply driving over a fairly minor bump or pothole. Complaints about the lack of spare tire and the "tire inflation kit" that comes with the car that doesn't work. Some people even suggest bringing a Class Action Suit against Hyundai for selling the car with these dangerous tire issues! I think if you read the posts, they will sound quite similar to the issues raised here. I am really appalled by Hyundai and this car, after everything I've read here and experienced myself. Can't imagine buying another. Has anyone taken advantage of the "guaranteed trade-in value" policy that came with the car when purchased new? I really see myself trading mine in for something different, sooner rather than later.

@ kristininupstateny: I'm surprised after all that has been put forth on this subject that your the 1st to mention a class action suit,as I had been thinking along the same lines. "Guaranteed trad in value" ?? Is that from Hyundai or your specific dealer. After owning my car for 6 weeks I looked up the trade value on Kelly Blue Book and found I would loose around $1400.00, PLUS my trade of $2700.00 and the $1500.00 from Hyundai totaling about a $5500.00 loss in about 6 weeks of ownership. OUCH !

I think there is no question that the standard tires on these cars are crap, ironically my snow tires are Hankook and I love them. BUT any Class Action law suit should be brought against the car itself. There is something just not right with the suspension in it regardless of how light it is. Sorry to those of you that actually own this vehicle. I have no doubt that if I had to drive one much longer I'd gain a cup size just from the workout I get trying to drive it...my bad.

@exautomgr; you asked if some are considering taking a loss and trading it in. I am. Never expected this to be such an issue. We usually drive our cars till they are done and I am getting more concerned this is a very dangerous car. I am a good driver but emergency situations do happen and I no longer trust this car. I truly wish Toyota would have warned me for it was between these two. Have not bought the snow tires yet, trying to hold off but this Summer might trade it in.

exautomgr: I purchased my vehicle brand new, back in Nov 2011. Hyundai sent me a letter, titled Hyundai Assurance Trade-in Value Guarantee, which lists the guaranteed trade-in value, which starts 24 months after purchase and ends 48 months after purchase. I've owned mine for 27 months so would they would give me $12,036 IF I were to trade in for a new Hyunda motor vehicle at a Participating Dealership. The trade-in value decreases from 31-36 months, 37-42 and 43-48 months. The purchase of the new Hyundai must be financed by Hyundai Motor Finance. So now that I've read the fine print, I realize I probably won't take advantage of it because I don't want another Hyundai. However, some people love their Sonatas so that might be an option if someone wants to trade for a Sonata. The trade-in value guarantee was a Hyundai thing, not dealer-specific. Kelly Blue Book lists $11,467 as their estimated trade-in value of a car like mine in "very good" condition. Being that you haven't had your car for very long at all, maybe the dealer would be willing to work with you on returning it for a different vehicle? For myself, I don't know what I'm going to do....I have the snow tires and feel safe now in winter driving conditions. I might wait until I've paid off my loan and then consider trade-in (Nov 2015), just not sure.

My sonata has all the same handling issues as the elantra...which is also how I know this is a Hyundai issue.

@kristininupstateny.. Safety is a big concern but I'm torn between taking a 6k hit on a car owned for 2 months or spending the money on tires and HOPING to resolve the vehicle handling. Truly I don"t know about working with the Dealer as I really don;t know if after this I would want another Hyundai. Unfortunate because both myself and my wife like the aesthetics. I have yet to bring my car in to have inspected and placed on record the way the car handles, so I must. After that ,and I see what the dealer tells me is what direction to go on handling this.However I'm not hopeful the dealer will have a solution as yesterday my father was at the Dealer I purchased my car from getting his car serviced. He told the new car Manager that I bought a vehicle and was extremely disappointed in the way the car drove in the snow, and the Manager shrugged it off and said all cars handle this bad and we have had a especially bad winter. I will agree we have had a bad winter, but as far as all cars handling this way he is much off the mark.

I'm driving a '12 Elantra Touring, 5 speed. Even with the esc off it is completely undriveable in even the slightest bit of snow/slush. It's unable to get or keep any traction on anything but dry roads over 40 degrees. Even on a slight incline in dry roads under 40 they front tires will spin a bit before grabbing the road. I've had snow tires on it these last two winters and while it makes the car drive-able it is still getting stuck in anything over a half inch of snow or slush. Even with the snow tires it is unable to make it up any snow or slush covered incline. Even with the snow tires on and the esc turned off it is without a doubt the worst and most dangerous car I have ever driven in winter conditions. I've seen old american RWDs with bald tires make it up hills that I cant even hope to climb in my Elantra Touring with snow tires. I'm not sure how they let these things out on the road in the first place without any sort of disclaimer relating to at least the tires. It's very frustrating to eventually be told that in order to drive in the winter you must spend upwards of $1000 on snow tires only to make it marginally more driveable (which is not at all)

@ElantraTouringPhilly/ So this is exactly my point about purchasing tires. Your stating even with winter tires the vehicle still gets stuck in minimal snow and inclines are still a problem. Again, since I have yet to bring my vehicle in to the dealer to get my concern on record I must do so. Depending on the outcome is how to proceed,. If told nothing is wrong or can be done I am going to seek out legal advice . Appaarently there is enough evidence out there that this vehicle has issues . We'll see

@exautomgr: I purchased my 2012 Elantra in Minnesota, and now live in NY, so I don't really have access to the dealer that sold it to me anymore. I don't know the best way to proceed...letter writing to the dealer and Hyundai, posting to websites such as this one, contacting consumer action websites to ask them their opinions....all of these might help and are worthwhile actions. Most of us lead busy lives and it's hard to find the time for these things, but if enough of us do it, at least we're doing our part to let the world know that these cars are dangerous and Hyundai was wrong in putting them on the road with the sub-standard tires, no spare tire, poor handling, etc etc.

@exautomgr: I purchased the touring in Feb, '12 so I was introduced to it's limitations almost immediately. Unfortunately there was no snow or ice around when I went for a test drive. My introduction to the inability to deal with snow was up Appalachian Gap (rt 17) in Vermont, if you're not familiar with this road it's kind of a miniature version of a Colorado pass (ie Loveland or Hoosier Passes), steep switchbacks up and down on both sides. Although it hadn't snowed in a week or so the upper portion of the road is covered in a layer of thawed/frozen, dirty sugary textured slush/snow. On dry roads on the bottom of the pass it was a pleasure to swing into and out of turns but once I hit the "snow" the tires just start spinning (esc was off). I eventually had to give up and head back downhill. I chalked the failure to handle this on the low profile tires and got a set of snows just before the following winter. Long story short there was little to no improvement with the snows, still unable to make it up a gentle hill in an inch or two of snow. It says a lot that I can make it a little further up a hill in reverse than I can in first. It will even be unable to get out of a parking (parallel) spot in an inch or two, the tires just spin. It's great during the summer but at this point I cant deal with the feeling that myself and any passengers are in serious danger in any adverse winter conditions.

We bought our 2013 Elantra in the spring of 2013. It is by far the worst winter driving car we have ever owned. I was told by the Hyundai sales person that I should try using snow tires and adding 200-300 pounds of weight in the trunk. They are making the car lighter by not including a spare and then they suggest adding weight to the trunk? I have been driving cars for forty years (most have been front wheel drive) and have never needed snow tires previous to this. This is simply unbelievable. The car is unsafe on snow - both in-town and highway driving. I also have a 2009 Honda Civic with original tires which handles great in the snow. This is not what you expect when you buy a new car.

Less than a week ago I purchased a 2011 Hyundai Elantra. I live in Upstate NY and the last 2 days we got hit hard with a snow storm. I can NOT believe how horrible this car is in the snow. The sale person said that the car had "good tires"...ya, good tires for someone who does not live in Upstate NY maybe!! I am sick to my stomach knowing that I will have to spend another $1000 on snow tires just to make this car the slightest bit more handleable in the winter. The reason I purchased a fairly new car (only 20,000 miles) with a 10yr 100,000 mile warranty, was so I could avoid any large out of pocket costs! I am thankful I came across this forum and now know I am not the only one who is scared to death of driving this car in the snow! I learned that turning off the ESC will help so I am going to try that. I am just so disappointed in this car and the dealership I bought if from. I have had nothing but issues. It is ridiculous when you can not make it up your own slightly hilled driveway!! I just was not expecting to be so disappointed with my new car. I bought a 2010 VW Jetta a little over a year ago and that car is a saint compared to the Elantra!!! I do feel a little relief now that I know that the way this car handles in the snow is not my fault :)

Snow tires may help a little. My Elantra loaner literally left my crying trying to commute between Lockport and Buffalo. I cried today during the commute too, but it was tears of joy because I had my beloved Fiesta hatchback w/snow tires back.

I am the owner of a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, and I too have had the same issues as all the others on here. I, like many of you, purchased this car for the gas mileage as I travel 75 miles (one way) to school. Living in Wisconsin, I knew I would face tough driving conditions, but I never in a million years would've guessed I'd have to deal with this from a brand new car! My old 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis with rear wheel drive handled better in the snow than my Elantra. I will try turning off my traction control, but I don't feel like that's an answer to my (or any of your) problems. As a full time student, I don't have the extra money for snow tires. In addition, nobody should have to turn features off, buy expensive snow tires, for a new, or nearly new car to perform as it should on the roads. I am lucky that we also own a F-150 which I can drive when I need to. I truly believe that Hyundai should be doing something about this as it's obviously an ongoing issue. Nobody's life should be jeopardized because their new car can't drive in a little slush or snow. Just an FYI....I am an experienced driver, have driven numerous cars over the years, and this by far is the worst of the lot!

It's been established that these cars are unfit for driving in winter or winter like conditions...does anyone have any idea why they could be so poor? With FWD it just doesn't really make any sense.

Have you read this thread? Someone has already said it's because there aren't stabilizer bars on the rear suspension.

Very helpful, thanks...Except that the Elantra Touring does have a rear stabilizer bar. Even if it didn't, how are many economy cars without stabilizer bars as capable enough in the snow to not feel life threatening? Additionally, why would the lack of a rear stabilizer prevent the front wheels from gaining any traction?

I have never owned a car without a stabilizer bar before so I would not know how any other cars handle in the snow. I did check with my local dealership and my GLS does not have a stabilizer bar. As far as tire traction, I am one of the lucky very few who really do not have an issue with traction in the snow. I do not have snow tires, but did put on new Bridgestones all season tires just before Thanksgiving. I have several small inclines, one at a stoplight, that I encounter every day on my 35 mile one way trip to work and very rarely have I lost traction or had the car fishtail. I have gotten stuck twice this winter, but both times there was over 8" of snow that had just fallen and my alley and parking lot at work had not been plowed. So it was the low ground clearance that got me those times. Raked the snow out from under the car, shoveled a path in front of the tires, a good push, and I was on my way. My biggest problem is the "floating" rear end and the way it wants to jump side ways when you hit a bump, when it starts fish tailing in icy conditions or snow packed roads. Especially if its uneven due to the snow or only one side of the car is driving on the ice.

My car also has the floating rear end issue and I think it's because of the lack of a stabilizer bar (but I wouldn't know because I only referenced that as an answer because someone posted it and also posted a link to a video and a fix). My car has no traction though, and the tires spin in NO snow (just a dusting) or an inch of snow, or three inches or five. My car has crap traction in any sort of precipitation.

@Elantratouringphilly Your question that I answered was in regards to why it handles poorly NOT why it doesn't have traction on the front wheels. But as for that, I don't know if other compacts HAVE stabilizer bars. But it sounds like they are pretty standard on passenger cars, which is why someone posted it as a potential cause of the loose rear end. According to this link: Yes, most cars have them : http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index? qid=20100216014638AAomrcn Reviews of the touring say the handling is MUCH improved over the sedan because it has stabilizer bars, so if you think YOUR car handles poorly, you're living in the lap of safety heaven compared to the rest of us who DON'T have a rear stabilizer bar and whose cars slide all over the road because the rear end is fishtailing. As for the front traction, my personal feeling is that my car has too much power and not enough weight, so it can't get traction. Whether this is why or not, I don't know, just my personal feelings on it.

" My biggest problem is the "floating" rear end and the way it wants to jump side ways when you hit a bump, when it starts fish tailing in icy conditions or snow packed roads. Especially if its uneven due to the snow or only one side of the car is driving on the ice." shiftyelantra: This is exactly the way I would describe how my 2013 Elantra GL behaves. But I also did by snow tires and rims to address this issue and it did seem to help at least in the area of improved traction. Thanks for your comments!

I had a 2012 elantra 6 speed manual, even with snow tires the car was completely useless. constantly felt like it was on the verge of spinning out of control, even at low speeds. Traded it on a new rav4. the difference is like night and day, although i am definitely missing the gas mileage, and shifting myself ...

how are the 2008 Hyundai elantra on snow? I'm trying to get one for work and I live in Canada so I was just wondering if I should buy it due to the fact that it snow a lot here.

This is regarding the 2013 Elantra GT GLS 6 speed automatic . DO not turn off your traction control .Simply just put the car in manual mode and blip the gas pedal, accelerate and upshift accordingly . It took me a bit to figure this out but it will go up hills easily in this mode . If it is in the auto mode it won't let the tires spin at all which I think is really sad on Hyundai's part for making such a traction system and don't get me started on the rear suspension issue which is a super crap design . Worst car ever from Hyundai ,,,

I have a 2005 Hyundai Elantra, and drove in Minnesota for about 8 months and now in NYC weather - had no problems and I don't have snow tires and I never turned off TSC. Initially in Minnesota, my car slided at traffic stops, but fortunately it was at low speeds and I was able to get it back. And I did see many other cars slipping and sliding on ice as well as snow. Its not the best car ever, but its not the worst.

traded the car in....bought the Elantra in 2013....gas mileage great, 2012 car of the year??? yeah, not for states with snow. Ship the car south...now I have a pre-owned toyota camry.

@akc5247-a 2005 is not the same as a 2013. Drive a 2013 in the snow and I believe you would come to realize how poor this car handles. Even in rain this vehicle has poor performance

@exautomgr - very surprising. I guess not always newer means better!

You got that right

Is it just the new(er) Elantras that are bad in winter weather, or is it the Sonatas, Santa Fes too? Just curious.

My daughters friend has a Sonata and she says it's not as good as her old two door Saturn was in the snow.

I can only speak for how poor the Elantra handles. I have read some people not all that thrilled with Sonata too,but don't really know. Haven't read anything on the Santa Fe

I too, am infuriated with Hyundai for the driving in the snow issues. I live in Pittsburgh, PA & had an AWFUL time last winter trying yo go anywhere when it snowed. I'm investing in snow tires & have a question I'm hoping someone can help me with. Do I go with four of the Blizzak for $785.38 or a no name snow & ice tire Antares for $445.63? HELP! I need to get them stat! PS: I'm glad I'm not alone in this misery, I was seriously questioning my prior 20 years of driving in winter conditions.... I'm glad it's not ME!

I've had good luck with my Mastercraft winter tires , $107 each (I got 4 of course), which I had installed last December at a Hyundai dealership following a terrible experience in a snowstorm in my 2012 Elantra. I was not able to drive up a hill on a rural highway, I mean NOT AT ALL, the tires just kept spinning, but all other cars (there were many) were able to pass me by and make it up the hill no problem. After having the winter tires removed this spring, I purchased four new all-weather tires which were 100 times better than the original tires installed at the factory which are absolute CRAP. I recently had them switched out for the snow tires again, but to be honest I wonder if just having a GOOD set of all-weather tires put on the car would make a world of difference when driving in snow. Because in this day and age, it should really not be necessary to have to switch to winter tires each year, most people are fine with their all-season tires on many makes and models of cars.

Just about any snow tire will help, but they won't be a miracle cure on the Elantra like they are on other cars. I live in Buffalo and have a 60 mile work commute...snow tires are a must! The best I ever had were honestly made by Kumo. I never took them off my car (not an Elantra) and 30,000 miles later driving year round they still looked new. YES get all 4.

Thank you both for your help! I too kristininupstateny can relate to being stuck on a hill while others whiz right by. It's so frustrating & scary!

kmz2011: I too live in Pittsburgh and questioned my many years of winter driving because I had a TERRIBLE time driving in the snow with my brand new 2013 Elantra. I got the Blizzak tires last year and were a miracle. I can't tell you about other brands but I know the Blizzaks work very well. The best money I have spent. I just had them installed for this winter so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

pittgirl: I'm glad it wasn't only me wondering what th e heck waas up with my driving skills! I have my appointment for Saturday! Blizzaks here I come! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow, AFTER noon on Saturday! :)

I am dreading driving my 2013 Elantra again this winter. I took it to a reputable garage and they recommended a very good set of all weather tire instead of snow tires. .My Elantra is a lease so I will be paying lots for tires I will have to remove in 2 years! last year I got stuck 6 times when other years I never got stuck. Any recommendations?

If you read through some recent posts you will see that several of us got 4 new winter tires and then had no problems driving in snow. I actually wonder though if some "very good all weather tires" might do the job almost as well. I was so freaked out last year about getting stuck in the snow on a hill with my Elantra that I went right to new winter tires. However I would like to hear about other Elantra owner's winter driving experiences if they simply replaced the original crappy tires with good all-weather ones. It's bucks either way, but better than getting stuck in snow in a dangerous situation or getting into an accident!

I just ordered four Bridgeville Blezak tires today based on comments made on this site, I could not go another winter slipping and sliding. I was an outside sales rep for thirty-six years covering four states did over a million miles, had a 1997 Honda Civic put 290,000 miles on. had a 2002 Honda Civic put 258,000 miles on it and never had the problems I'm having with 2012 Elantra in snow. The 100,000 mile warranty not needed on Honda's they just begin to prove their worth.

Wow, I'm glad I found this thread. I thought I was crazy when it felt like my Elantra GT would shimmy or move around on crappy roads. I'm definitely going to try turning of traction control.

I don't own an Elantra but thinking of buying one as a 2nd car since our son is getting his license soon. So, I cannot speak to the Traction control, but quite familiar with it on other vehicles. But wow, how so many people have absolutely NO clue about the critical importance of the one item on your car that actually connects it to the road....YOUR TIRES...is incredible!! Frankly, most tires that come with cars from the factory are cr@p, even for "all seasons". Then, the fact that any "all-season" tire should be called a "compromise tire" is beyond most. Depending where you live, an all season may work for you. However, there is not one good "do it all in every season" tire. It's simply not possible given todays tire compounds. If you live anywhere where you get snow and ice for any significant amount of time in the winter, you NEED to invest in a good snow tire, especially on a FWD car. That's it that's all. I live in Canada and we have snow from mid-Nov through to April, and even having had AWD vehicles for the last 20 years, I would NEVER think about driving any car without snow tires in the winter. In fact, the province of Quebec mandates it...it is against the law to drive a vehicle without winter tires in the winter!! There are many options to choose from popular tire brands. Blizzaks are a good one for ice since the rubber is soft to help it stick to it. The flip side is that the Blizzaks tend to wear out more quickly than other winter tires with slightly harder rubber compounds. Anyway, go to Tirerack.com or other sites and you can find winter tires that specifically fit your vehicle. And don't cheap out and put on only two winter tires for up front! Traction in the rear is just as important. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7xXDMkVFlE

Thanks luck123 - good information.

I got very good winter tires and have been driving in Alberta and Sask for 15+ plus years and the GT definitely feels funny. I also drive my 07 Versa and it feels much better.

luck123 your post seems to be indicating that we are all stupid and that Elantra issues can be solved with a good set of tires. The latter is not the case. If you doubt us by all means put your inexperienced driving son behind the wheel of a late model Elantra :( **Driving in Buffalo 30 years**

luck123, I grew up in the city of Chicago and started driving in the early 70's,when cars were rear wheel drive. I have driven through many brutal winters.I was a auto technician for Cadillac for around 10 years and a auto Service Manager for approximately another 12 years.Truthfully I have driven more cars then most people ever will. I'm not touting my driving experience over anybody else's ,but I do believe I have enough experience to know when something drives like crap. I agree with your statement "the critical importance of the one item on your car that actually connects it to the road....YOUR TIRES" ,but over the years I have driven many vehicles that came with good all season tires and have never had a issue like I do with the Elantra. Maybe in Canada it is just standard to put on winter tires,but until I bought this vehicle I have NEVER had the need to put any different tires on any of the new vehicles I purchased. When your stuck in light snow( in the Elantra) and you see everyone going around you with ease,it really makes you sad to think of all the choices I had to purchase a new car I got this piece of crap.I'm going to attach a photo from last year of when I pulled out of my driveway on to this light stretch of snow my car would not even move. I had to put it in reverse,use no gas,let the car go back slightly until I hit dry pavement ,before the car would move.Truthfully if after everything you have read here and all the choices available you would still think to get this car for your son,all I can say is I'm glad your not my Dad.

I have a friend who recently was traveling in far Western states such as Arizona and California, she rented an Elantra and liked it. I told her, hey, I liked my Elantra too, until the first snowstorm hit! They should only sell this vehicle in states which seldom get snow. As I've mentioned before, I purchased mine in Minnesota new (2012 model). I think it's a crime for Hyundai to sell these cars in any areas that experience any type of harsh winter weather!

Not saying anyone is stupid. My primary point is how amazed I am that some don't understand the importance of having good quality tires on a vehicle, and importance of choosing the right tires for the right conditions. Some obviously figured it out and have posted how much their traction improved with a good set of winter tires. But since others seem intent on blaming the Elantra and claiming that I somehow made it seem like tires would solve all problems, let me provide a counter point...from experience. My brother lives a block away and has had an 2012 Elantra gls with Michelin x-ice i3 tires for 2 winters now (this his 3rd), and I have driven it at least 20+ times in snow when he borrows our SUV to haul stuff. My street is in suburbia on a crescent that goes uphill, and never, never have I had an issue getting up my crescent or getting around with it in snow (never even touched the TC). Does it grip like my AWD? No and I would not expect it to. And I wish my street looked nice and clear like the one posted by exautomngr. Our street gets cleaned only once snow has completely stopped, so its not uncommon to have 8+ inches of unplowed snow for the better part of 2-3 days after a good snow storm while the main streets and highways are plowed. Our streets have at least 1" of hard packed snow and ice all winter! 2 neighbours on my street with Elantras and both said they loved their vehicles and no issue with snow. Again, both have a separate set of steelies with with winter tires. It's just the norm here. Then do research in other forums. Very few complain about traction on the Elantra's ability in the snow...many of those being Canadian. That said, I still see people at stop lights spinning their wheels trying to get traction here too, and it never fails that they are running all-seasons. Exautomngr, as far as my consideration of an Elantra and insulting my ability as a father, you know nothing about me. My son's safety is priority #1, and always has been since he has been a baby. Funny, because most accuse my wife and I of being over protective. Your personal jab to make a point just truly diminishes your credibility in my eyes, regardless of your "auto technician" experience. Furthermore, perhaps if you did research in other forums (i have!) you would read very few complaints out of thousands of posts about the Elantra in the snow...certainly nothing out of the ordinary and nothing like this thread. Also if you did said research, you may realize that the Elantra does have one consistent complaint...rear end being a bit skittish over bumps. Easily solved with a different set of shocks, if one is so inclined. Anyway, I take everything I read with a grain of salt, and will judge with my own experience and trial. Then, I, like I would expect others to do, will make my own decision regarding the appropriateness of vehicles for our family. Back to my original point...winter tires will make a massive difference in winter drive-ability...regardless of the vehicle.

Gee with "thousands" of minimal complaints about the Elantra's handling in the snow, it's a wonder I was able to stumble on this forum,where so many have had a much different experience. I don't discount that different tires could improve the handeling,and yes I know how the rear feels skittish. "Easily solved ,if so inclined". Humorous. I think tthe majority of people,including me, dont believe they should have to start making costly changes to their new vehicle just to get it to handle somewhat better,when they can buy numerous vehicles that will handle to their expectations right off the showroom floor. I wonder what sales on this vehicle would be if while sitting at the dealership considering the purchase on this car the salesman tells you " oh and just so you know this car handles extremly poor in the rain and snow,but don't worry a good set of winter tires should help:? Also this particular vehicle is a bit skittish over bumps,but if you change out the shocks that issue is much better too. So should we write this up deal up? Did you want a quote on the tires and the shocks too? The good news for you luck123 is with your love for this vehicle I think you could find a great deal on this vehicle,maybe even right here on this forum

Well an auto technician you may have been, but reading ability is obviously not your strong suit. I said minimal complaints out of thousands of posts....not thousands of minimal complaints. And so the elantra could benefit from new shocks based on posts from a few? Horrible. Frankly, there are probably 10x as many that are just find with it as is. All depends how "anal" one is about their vehicle. Geez, would take this over other cars that are known to have oil line failures, head gasket problems etc etc. And, I invite you to find any car forum on any car that doesn't have enthusiasts posting ways to improve their vehicles or have issues with them, whether THEY believe it is required or not? Face it...Elantra, like many other cars in this class, are economy cars. You want more and better technology, then get out your pocket book. And again, let's be absolutely clear (again, not sure what post you're reading), I never said I am sold on the Elantra....only that I am CONSIDERING it, and that based on research I have done to date. It, along with 3 or 4 other vehicles in this class are on my short list. You make me out to be an Elantra fan-boy when in fact my original post was simply to point out the importance of tires!! And, in my defense, I only presented a counterpoint to your absolute instance that every Elantra on the road is plagued and to trash this car. Where I seem to have come at this with an open mind and just trying to look at it objectively since I have no affiliation with this car, you have resorted to personal attacks without any facts, other than 190 or so odd posts, many from the same members. If you think that these numbers prove anything, I have a really nice bridge to sell you. Nuff said. Enjoy your Elantra.

OK OK let's not fight. As far as I'm concerned this topic should keep people from investing in the Elantra. The improvements listed in this thread with the addition are minimal. Ironically I ended up with an Elantra loaner after my car which was able to stop at a red light during a snowstorm was rear ended by a Chevy Suburban that couldn't. Even more ironic is less than 2 weeks after getting car repaired my car was t- boned and totaled by an unlicensed and uninsured driver. Yeah pity party for me. Anywho having decided my love of Fords was jinxed I started looking at other makes of cars (obviously not Hyundai). I complained that the Elantra was hard to drive even on dry roads, that the rear end felt all over the place and not in control and noted numerous mentions of lack of a rear stabilizer bar. That rear stabilizer bar does exactly what it sounds like it should do. So naturally it was on my must have list for new car purchase. It's being on a car is actually listed on the window sticker and on some makes it was even considered an upgrade option lol. I was informed by Chevy, Nissan, and Dodge that it has become quite common specially in smaller cars to not put one in to save on costs as well fuel efficiency. Yep I am a firm believer in the stabilizer bar! That is not to say that a newer driver driving something without a stabilizer bar would think that the whole floaty, jumping to either side issue was anything other than normal.

luck123 posted: "Face it...Elantra, like many other cars in this class, are economy cars. You want more and better technology, then get out your pocket book." WoW ! I traded in a 2012 Cruiz that had no handling issues in rain or snow,with the factory all season tires. It ran circles around the Elantra and as a added bonus got about 4-5 mpg more then the Elantra. The good feature of the Elantra is as follows: Elantra four-door earns the IIHS' Top Safety Pick designation and now, the NHTSA's coveted five-star rating for crash safety. Hope nobody here ever has to prove this.

Pontiac J2000 was my first vehicle...front wheel drive, new tires, drove just fine in the snow....Literally I have not had to buy snow tires if my cars were front wheel drive with decent tires. My elantra definitely crossed the line when we had 2 inches on a flat driveway and it wouldn't budge no matter what technique we tried. Luck 123 please do not let an unexperienced driver drive the elantra in the snow. That is one of my biggest concerns with this car, someone is going to buy this for their son or daughter and they are going to regret it. My daughter refused to take the elantra up north, she preferred to drive the 2005 chevy cobalt and she was right. I now have a 2012 toyota camry with decent tires...that should be enough.

Just wanted to thank everyone for this post. It is super helpful. I had a 2000 Elantra that was great in the snow. I recently purchased a 2011 Elantra Touring, and it is just horrible in the snow. like terrifying. I thought it was me. I grew up driving in snow. Throwing a set of good snow tires on it and turning off the Traction Control! The dealer did suggest turning off Traction Control before I bought it. Thanks again!

I have a 2012 Elantra and its horrible driving here in Pittsburgh weather. I just put Michilin tires on and hoping it is going to help with this car. I have never felt so unsafe as I do in this car.

Kelley,did you put Michelin winter tires on or all season?

I live in iowa and my 2012 elantra has nearly killed me countless times in the winter, if your a parent don't buy this car for your kids unless you want them 6 feet under

Something to look in to is called tire siping. Its a machine used to cut small grooves across the tire without any damage. Claims of better handling in rain & snow,better tire wear and a more quiet ride a just a few of the improvements. I was going to give it a try but the only place I was aware that did this was Discount Tire. They recently have taken all their machines off line due to some faulty part that could injure the operator. PO'd I didn't do this a few months ago. So I mention this as there are many on here that may be able to locate a tire shop that does this. The price was $12.00 a tire. For $48.00 I certainly would have given it a shot.

@Andrew...Is this with the stock Hankook all season tires or with winter tires?

Just drove my 2011 in the snow for the first time after purchasing a set of Blizzak snow tires and turning off the ESC. What a difference! It's like a different car. Thanks again everyone!

And yet another person who has realized that proper tires for the conditions makes a world of difference. From what I have read on numerous forums, the OEM stock tires are crappy all around tires to begin with. Adding a good quality all-season will likely help a bit, but if you want proper traction in snow and on ice, winter rated tires are the only way to go. Sipes are common in winter tires to provide better traction on ice. BUT that does not get you the proper rubber compound. All season tires are harder compound and when the temperature gets low enough (magic number being below 7 degrees celcius), they perform worse than a true winter tire. Do a google search on this and you will find it all over the web. Here's excerpt from 1010tires.ca: "There are some common myths about winter tires. They are now called “winter tires”, and not “snow tires” for good reason. They are designed to work in climates based on temperature… Not based on precipitation. The magic number used in the industry is 7*C (or 45*F). Check out our Winter Tire Guide for a visual chart. This is the temperature in which the rubber compound in a winter tire starts to work much better than an all season compound. The compound in the winter tire is engineered to remain soft and supple, even in very cold temperatures. Regardless of weather conditions, all things being equal, a winter tire will provide better grip levels than an all season tire in temperatures under 7*. The all season compound tends to become more stiff and hard in the cold, and therefore does not grip the road as well, even in dry conditions. The colder it gets, the more evident this becomes." Moral of the story, as others on this thread have learned, if you have cold winter temps and encounter snow, regardless of what car you drive, then get proper winter tires. In fact, if you live in such climates, any car purchase decision should include a budget for winter tires.

Absolutely dangerous!!!! I have never felt such a lack of control in any vehicle in winter conditions in my life. I drive 18 wheelers, pickup trucks, cube vans, small cars ect all day every day. The elantra in snow or on ice seems to take over as soon as there is anything on the road. The back end sways back and forth like a rear wheel drive vehicle. It's as if the computer is adjusting everything for me but in turn, pulls me into oncoming traffic and sways back and forth. My cobalt never did anything like this. I was confident and could drive it in the worst of weather. How they are even allowed to sell the elantra in any winter climate is beyond me. Also over some bumps or drop offs to be precise, the death trap seems to shimmy itself to the left. Absolutely horrible car, shame on Hyundai and whoever is responsible for allowing this P.O.S on our roads. I am incredibly scared for my girlfriends safety and in no way would I ever recommend the elantra or any Hyundai product to anyone. PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS HEAP!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and before racer McGee there puts in his 1 cent, she has brand name winters and shuts off the traction control. So don't tell me that it should be fine if we do that. Never had any winter tires on the cobalt or any vehicle ever.... Period!!!! So please shut your Hyundai paid hillbilly ass up. Thanks!

@ hyundaidangerous. Have yet to pull the trigger on winter tires as still undecided on what my plans are on this vehicle. Am I reading correctly that she has winter tires and vehicle still handles like crap?

exautomgr most people are reporting at least some improvement with the addition of snow tires for winter driving. But lets face it...this car handles like crap on dry roads too.

Yes she has brand new winters on. Traction control is off. It has nothing to do with those. It's scary and Hyundai Canada said it's an unknown problem. If you can get rid of that death trap!!!!!

Do it!!!!

This car is so bad, I wouldn't even feel right selling it to some other unfortunate person. But I guess that's the difference between everyday people and Hyundai head office.

And for @luck123, it is pure luck that she hasn't crashed yet. She HAS winter tires! HAS HAS HAS!!!!!!! They make very little difference and it has nothing to do with the tires. And no not every at purchase should have winter tires. I've never HAD to use them!!!! Ever!!! Try a cobalt or fusion or Camry or civic.... The list of vehicles fine in the snow goes on and on and on! Anything else you would like to add????

Good for you. And speak to most sane drivers in Canada and they will tell you that any vehicle that has all-season in the winter is asking for trouble in the snow and ice. Geez, do I really have to list the multitude of website links that say the same thing? It's simple physics. All season have a harder rubber which gets hard with cold weather, thus reducing traction. The tires that come with the Elantra are know to be absolute cr@p. So yes, if you want to criticize, criticizing the tires seems justified. But, you can't completely ignore those posters that said this vehicle handled like crap but then saw a dramatic improvement when they put winters on. They must be insane, right? GOOD winter tires have softer rubber and proper tread to improve traction in the snow. I live in Ontario, and would not dare use all-season in the winter. Do you use the same coat in the spring as you do in the middle of winter? Unlikely. Same idea. Adapt to the conditions. Go on other forums and see how many people complain about what you seem to refer as a death wish....VERY FEW!!! Even on Hyundai dedicated forums! And just because you say that you drive 18 wheelers, pickup trucks, cube vans, small cars ect all day every day, that makes you an expert? Yeah right...puuuulleeez. You could be the worst driver on the road for all I know...same for your girlfriend. Just because someone has a license doesn't necessarily mean they SHOULD have one or doesn't make them an physicist. At least what I am proposing regarding the importance of choosing the appropriate tires for the conditions is based on fact, not a bunch of mumbo jumbo. And please, for God sakes, don't use a company such as GM, a company that has had flaws in their vehicles that have actually KILLED people, as a comparison....your credibility = 0.

Lmao again, here you are talking about the tires. If you read any of what I said, she HAS new winters on! What I'm trying to tell you is it's not to do with the tires. Wether it's a lack of a sway bar or something to do with the computer, there is something wrong with the design. And if we use your way of thinking well then no one anywhere has any say in anything, because we don't know them at all. The fact of the matter is there are way more people on here with the same problem then there are people complimenting the car. Which brings me to ask you, why are you on this forum? Are you here to protect the elantras name? Why are you here trying to tell everyone it's their driving skills and tires when most of the people say the winter tires barely changed a thing? How did you come to a forum about elantras in the snow? But there is one thing I agree with you upon.... Chevrolet has been involved in accidents resulting in death! That is fact! And that Chevrolet cobalt cheap ass car I owned handled ice snow rain and sleet 1000 times better then a 2013 elantra. Or at least my girlfriends. I will admit, haven't tried any others due to the fact that it's a known problem amongst consumers. Why waste my time and risk crashing in a test drive??? As for my girlfriend not being a great driver.... Well again I will admit, when she was calling crying everyday it definitely ran through my mind, "is she just a terrified winter driver?". I even told her to relax several times and that she was just scared of ruining her nice new car! Then I drove it..... On slightly Icy roads at speeds as low as 10 kms the back end kept on swaying, on or off the gas! It was an unnatural feeling and yes, I am scared for her life and others around her.... Could be you, or your mom, your significant other! So before I end this I would like to say to you a couple more times..... She HAS winter tires! She HAS WINTER TIRES!!!!!!!!! Stop talking about the tires. If you read everything you would also see there are more people saying the tires barely changed a thing! I will not argue with you about the tires anymore because that's not what this is about!!!!! Also for anyone who's interested check out car complaints 2013 elantra miscellaneous problems. It said it all right there!!! The elantra has an overwhelming amount of issues and is dubbed "a clunker"! But this lucky guy loves it and is here to tell us! Lmao

I have no idea if there are forums about F150's in the snow (the truck I drive), solely because I know it's amazing in the snow. Therefor I have no reason to research it! So again, why are you here lucky123???

LMAO! You are trashing the car so much, you sound like a troll!! Really! My focus on tires in my previous post was in response to your idiotic comment "And no not every at purchase should have winter tires. I've never HAD to use them!!!! Ever!!! Try a cobalt or fusion or Camry or civic.... The list of vehicles fine in the snow goes on and on and on!" What a joke....you seem sooooo concerned about people around your wife driving "I am scared for her life and others around her.... Could be you, or your mom, your significant other!" and yet you seem completely fine driving in winter conditions with all season tires? Yeah right....its drivers like you that put the rest of us at risk. I have seen too many vehicles with no winter tires do 360s or fly through traffic into a ditch because they cheaped out and drove with "compromise" tires...yeah, all-seasons. That, I have a real beef with because your are making comments that could lead to readers making what they think are informed, but in reality, very dangerous decisions about whether or not to use the proper tire in winter conditions. Forget about all the experts and websites and professional reviews that show winter tires make a massive difference in winter conditions. And lets not forget that a Canadian province now mandates winter tires...something I think more should do. Nope...your cobalt handled well, so that must be it then. But, let's put tires aside for a second. Why I am here? Perhaps take some time to read. As I said in an earlier post, I am here because I was doing research on the Elantra because it is one of several compacts I am considering as a 2nd family vehicle. I have no ties to the Elantra, and frankly, it is currently #3 on my list behind an Impreza (#1) and a Civic (#2). And you claim the Elantra is a clunker. Links/proof please? Because I have done quite a bit of research, and even though the Elantra has some issues, just like EVERY OTHER CAR OUT THERE, it has pretty good ratings and folks in forums generally speak highly of the Elantra. I have also spoken to neighbours that have them and all speak highly of them. AGAIN, as I said, my brother also has an Elantra and it drives just fine. Just the fact that you say you have no idea if there F150 forums speaks volumes about how much research you have actually done. I know I have, so I have an issue when someone, who perhaps valid concerns with THEIR vehicle, generalizes and trashes a car as much as you have. Again, smells of troll. Also, I don't know who you are nor that what you're saying about having winter tires is the truth...perhaps you're simply bitter for whatever reason and taking this opportunity to trash. Don't know, but I have done my research and your comments are so out of whack...they are akin to that odd blip in an otherwise linear trend line. And yeah, a few posts on this, one of hundreds of threads, suggests it handles poorly in the snow. Perhaps your car is legitimately flawed, and you need to have it rectified. But read forums on any vehicle (yes, I read alot and do a great deal of research) and you will see complaints just about every vehicle (Geez, read what owners say about Audi or BMW!) but that does not make every one of that model a piece of garbage! This is why everything I read on the internet is taken with a grain of salt.

What I'm trying to say to you is winter tires do not fix the lack of driver control I believe to be due to the esc. On ice it over compensates or something of the sort. YES absolutely winter tires ARE designed for winter, I'm aware of that. However they have nothing to do with the swaying and lack of control. Watch the YouTube video. Hyundai elantra electronic stability control. And you're right, I did miss something you said. You said you're looking into buying an elantra... So you don't actually drive one now? Oh god, enough said! Peace bud good luck!

You yourself said you have not driven another elantra so you're basing your judgment on ONE, and yet you criticize me because I don't have one? Man, you make me laugh. You also seemed to have missed that my I have driven my brother's many times, and I have tried several at the local dealers. Anyway I am open to new info. Do tell where I can find this video, because I have been unable to locate based on elantra stability control.