Car Model History

First generation (J1) · J1 · 1992–1995

1992Hyundai Elantra

The original Elantra — a compact sedan that brought Hyundai into the class, initially using Mitsubishi-derived engineering. US sales began for the 1992 model year and the J1 ran through 1995.

First generation (J1) · J1

1992 Hyundai Elantra — 1.6 GLS sedan, front three-quarter view

Photo: “Hyundai Elantra 1.6 GLS 1992” by order_242 from Chile / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.

Start here

What do you need to know?

This page covers the whole 1992 Hyundai Elantra model year. Choose your task first; exact trims and engines are separated where the factory offered different versions.

Complete, source-verified lineup

Find your exact 1992 Elantra

Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.

4factory configurations
Verified complete for the U.S.-marketHow this lineup was verified

We checked this U.S.-market lineup against period sources for factory trim, body, engine, and transmission combinations represented by the cited exact-year lineup records. Every version shown below has its own detail page.

Verified 2026-09-01 from Hyundai Motor America — 1992 Elantra archived model specifications.

4versions shown
Four-door sedan

Elantra Elantra Manual

Body
Four-door sedan
Engine
1.6L DOHC inline-four
Gearbox
5-speed Manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door sedan

Elantra Elantra Automatic

Body
Four-door sedan
Engine
1.6L DOHC inline-four
Gearbox
4-speed Automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door sedan

Elantra Elantra GLS Manual

Body
Four-door sedan
Engine
1.6L DOHC inline-four
Gearbox
5-speed Manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door sedan

Elantra Elantra GLS Automatic

Body
Four-door sedan
Engine
1.6L DOHC inline-four
Gearbox
4-speed Automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version

The 1992 model year

Overview

Hyundai introduced the Elantra to the United States for the 1992 model year as a compact four-door sedan, slotting above the subcompact Excel. The first-generation (J1) car used Mitsubishi-derived engineering and gave Hyundai a more substantial entry in the competitive compact class.

Specifications

Body styles
Sedan

Year over year

What changed

  • US launch of the Elantra as a compact sedan.
  • First-generation (J1) car with Mitsubishi-derived engineering.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • Positioned the Elantra above the Excel in Hyundai's US range.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

  • An early-1990s Hyundai; survivors are rare, and the brand's reliability reputation was still developing in this era.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1992 Elantra on the road

Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1992 Hyundai Elantra. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
4
Factory intervals
2
Fitment-scoped
4
Exact references
3

Before orderingIdentify your engine, options and build date.Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

  • Engine oil and filter

    Exact reference available

    Baldwin catalog fitment is independent of the published service interval.

    Applies to: 1992 · 1.6L DOHC inline-four · United States · Cataloged engine application; confirm VIN and installed engine before ordering.

    Published interval: 7,500 mi / 12,000 km · Normal-service replacement interval.

    Source: Hyundai — 1992 Elantra L4-1595cc 1.6L DOHC factory normal-service schedule (preserved service-manual database) · Maintenance > Service Intervals > Normal Service — recurring 7,500-mile rows · checked

    Verified ordering references

  • Spark plugs

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1992 · 1.6L DOHC inline-four · United States · This recovered schedule is scoped to the cited engine/body configuration; other configurations are not claimed.

    Published interval: 30,000 mi / 48,000 km · Normal-service replacement interval.

    Source: Hyundai — 1992 Elantra L4-1595cc 1.6L DOHC factory normal-service schedule (preserved service-manual database) · Maintenance > Service Intervals > Normal Service — 30,000-mile replacement row · checked

  • Engine air-cleaner filter

    Exact reference available

    Baldwin catalog fitment only; it does not establish a service interval.

    Applies to: 1992 · 1.6L DOHC inline-four · United States · Cataloged engine application; confirm VIN and installed engine before ordering.

    Source: Baldwin Filters — 2017 Automotive Applications catalog · Printed catalog page 323, Hyundai 1992 Elantra row — Air — PA2194 · checked

    Verified ordering references

  • Fuel filter

    Exact reference available

    Baldwin catalog fitment only; it does not establish a service interval.

    Applies to: 1992 · 1.6L DOHC inline-four · United States · Cataloged engine application; confirm VIN and installed engine before ordering.

    Source: Baldwin Filters — 2017 Automotive Applications catalog · Printed catalog page 323, Hyundai 1992 Elantra row — Fuel — BF1100 · checked

    Verified ordering references

Collect

Bring this model year home

Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — "Hyundai Elantra"

Other First generation (J1) years

All First generation (J1) · J1 years →

Browse by tag

← All Hyundai Elantra years