Overview & Reviews

A relative newcomer to the American marketplace, Hyundai is a Korean automaker with a product line that has improved greatly over the past decade. Hyundai cars and SUVs provide a high level of content for an affordable price, and are currently backed by one of the industry's longest warranties.

In 1947, Chung Ju Yung founded the Hyundai Civil Engineering Company. Mere months later, the outfit was bombed in the Korean War. However, the company regained its footing to distinguish itself as one of Korea's leading construction enterprises during the 1950s.

By the late 1960s, Chung had turned his attention to the automobile industry. The Korean government at that time believed that it made more sense to import vehicles than produce them domestically, and had made its opinion known. Still, Chung opted to follow his own convictions, and in 1967, he founded the Hyundai Motor Company.

The company quickly established an alliance with one of the industry's oldest automakers, signing a two-year contract with Ford in 1968 to share assembly technology. Hyundai's first car, the Cortina, was created from that partnership. The manufacturer's first car to be designed and built in Korea was the compact Pony (although the car was based on Japanese technology courtesy of Mitsubishi). The vehicle made its debut in 1974, and the following year Hyundai began exporting it to overseas markets.

Hyundai entered the U.S. market in 1986 with the introduction of its subcompact Excel. The car was an immediate hit, with its supreme affordability being a primary selling point. More than 100,000 Excels were sold stateside in the first seven months. By 1988, Hyundai had begun to produce cars using its own technology. The midsize Sonata was the first fruit borne of this endeavor.

Unfortunately, Hyundai's nascent image was soon tarnished by the poor durability and reliability of its vehicles. Sales tanked. However, rather than abandon the American market in the '90s, Hyundai chose to invest heavily in new product designs and improvements in overall quality and reliability. In 1998, Hyundai also purchased Kia, another Korean automaker, to expand its business and economies of scale.

It all started to pay off by the start of the new millennium, with the 2001 Elantra in particular showing massive improvements in overall quality, reliability and performance. Other models followed suit and the desirability of Hyundai cars increased sharply. Providing an extraordinarily long warranty period didn't hurt either.

Today's lineup is indicative of Hyundai's complete turnaround. Hyundai has a vehicle for nearly every segment, including the economical Accent subcompact, the popular Elantra compact, the midsize Sonata sedan (also available as a hybrid), sporty Genesis and Veloster coupes and a couple of stylish SUVs. Hyundai has also expanded into the entry-level and premium-level luxury sedan markets with its Genesis and Equus sedans. Having gone from being the butt of late-night TV jokes in the 1980s to a well-respected manufacturer of quality vehicles, Hyundai has created a very inspiring rags-to-riches story.

User Reviews:

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  Inteligent choice for a emotional decision - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By Brook - September 10 - 1:27 pm

  Anyone purchasing a car in this category doesnt really need everything that comes with it - lets be serious! That being said, if you are in the frame of mind where you either feel you deserve or want to reward yourself with this class of vehicle - look no further than here. I purchased the AWD Signature/Tech package and could not be happier, but more importantly, could not be more impressed with the value/quality of the vehicle and the purchasing experience. I have owned several Lexus, driven BMWs and Mercs (on regular basis/not owned), and I have to say the bang for the buck and quality is clearly here. If you a purist and need that ultimate driving experience, then go buy BMW. But ask yourself this? How often to you truly get to exercise the limits of performance of a mid/full size sedan? Do you really need to? Some key highlights for me are: The adaptive cruise control, intuitive instrumentation (never been a fan of i-drive), and interior comfort. I am 67" and never felt like I fit in a car before this. Performance mode is more than apt for this size/class vehicle. It may not be the fastest, but I come back to the point does it really need to be? I typically drive in normal or eco mode and have been getting 23/24 mpg and in eco have not noticed a big difference in performance. Purchasing experience was one of the best (internet sales) - was in and in out under 2 hours, including trade in. Great customer service. Keep in mind this is not a luxury dealership so dont expect the leather couches and espresso machine, etc. However, the time, effort and care was equal to if not more so (to make for the fact they didnt have the lux dealership amenities?) than what i have experienced at the Lexus dealership. If you are looking for that lux feel and ride and would rather keep $10k-$20k in your bank account, then go test drive one of these cars and see for yourself.

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  A Big Car for Not So Big Money! - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By J.P. - September 10 - 10:13 am

  Bought mine in 2013 used with 31,000 miles on it. I like its simple in design, but seems to be sturdy built and reliable. Now have over 65,000 miles on it and no trouble except for wear / tear items. Front seats are very roomy, firm, and it has a lot of room compared to most cars at this "compact" class. The EPA actually considers it mid sized due to interior room. Only things I dont like about it are the steering is a bit heavy, tight, and the gas pedal is stiff as well. It will get out of its own way, but not like our 2013 Accent that is a very light gas pedal. Hoping to get to 150,000 plus!

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  small people - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By carolyn coffey - September 9 - 1:50 pm

  review really isnt for shoppers, but for the manufacturer. Please bring back my station wagon. Mine has a little over 100k miles on it and is still the best car Ive ever owned. The body gave up the ghost and is held together with duck tape and flex steel but who cares. It takes me wherever I need to go and has never failed to amaze me on how much cargo it carries. Please, return it to the assembly line!

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  I thought I would buy a Lexus - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By Bob Ham - September 7 - 11:34 pm

  My wife and I decided to buy a new car, and a nice car, which we have never done. I really thought we would end up with a Lexus, as I have been buying Toyotas for many years. We drove several cars but it came down to the Lexus ES 350 and the Genesis. It was no contest. The Genesis had a much more sophisticated and pampered feel. The cabin is very quiet and the car is very sure around corners and curves, even at higher speeds. Its not a sports car, but it is confident. With as much tech as there is on cars these days you want the controls to be intuitive and easy to use, I mean, youre driving, theres no time for fumbling. The Genesis has the perfect balance of touchscreen selections, buttons and knobs where they should be. Overall, my favorite option is the 360 degree radar - all used for different tasks - parking, backing up, emergency braking, adaptive cruise, etc.. My wifes favorite option are the ventilated seats (We live in Houston - usually hot). For us, the Lexus was a dated vehicle compared to the Genesis. Driving the car was pleasant but boring and the "mouse" was frustrating to use for an interface and the audio system sound was disappointing for such an elite vehicle. Make no mistake - the Lexus customer experience is entirely another level, but the Genesis, for us, was the superior car - by far - and our ultimate purchase. Its been about 2 months of ownership and we continue to be impressed. The only issue I have with the car is the mileage - 1st tank was 15.0 mpg in mixed driving. Well see what the future holds. Overall, though, great job, Hyundai!! Ill post future reviews as it goes....

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  Nice concept but still a Hyundai - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By crmoraes@hotmail.com - September 5 - 11:20 am

  I bought a 2015 Genesis 3.8 after thinking for a long time. I never had a Hyundai before and honestly did not trust it as a reliable car. Initially the car performed well in all aspects but at 1k miles the driver seat started to vibrate and few more miles the steering wheel also started to vibrate. - First Service The vibration just got worst and at the first service and some internet research I was asked to replace the tires due a Hyundai recall, which I did. Well, that did not fix the vibration issue but just made worst. I also opened a complain with Hyundai about the vibration. - Second visit I went back to the dealer and explained in details what was happening. They inspect and said that had to perform a tire balance as they were off. - Third visit Vibration was still as before, specially around 50-60 miles. So, took it back to the dealer and again inspection more adjusts and nothing. - Fourth visit At this point I was upset and did not want the car anymore. Went back to the dealer and asked them to trade in for another car or helped me fixed, even talked to the owner. He asked the service manager to ride my car which he did and even with the vibration he said it was normal. I told him that the loaner Genesis they gave did not have it and he should drive the loaner to compare it. He said the owner would take care of my issue. After almost 3 hrs seated at the dealer waiting for someone to talk to me I went to search for the owner again and ask what would happen. At that point the owner was busy and nobody could help me. So, I decided Hyundai never more and left to trade it for another trusted and reliable brand.

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  Worst warranty in the industry - 2011 Hyundai Genesis
  By Stanford Aryan - September 2 - 9:33 pm

  Hyundai emphasizes its warranty at every opportunity to get you to buy their car. I was one of these victims. I recommend that before you buy any car from Hyundai, you spend about an hour at the Service department of the dealership. Just sit down and listen. You will come to find what I found out the hard way. Hyundai had absolutely no intention of ever honoring its warranty. What ever the problem is with the car, it was your fault and therefore it is not covered. If they cannot prove it was your fault, then they will make you spend thousands of dollars one tests to prove that the problem is not the part. The company has perfected the "it is not our part/product/workmanship/fault" philosophy.

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  One of the best entry luxury car Ive ever owned - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By Sangshin - September 1 - 2:44 pm

  Its not as luxurious as Audi, BMW, Mercedes or Lexus, but man does it compete...and considering the price...it wins. I owned a 2012 and thought that was a great car, but the 2015 model steps up again to take a swipe at the big boys. I love that the maintenance on these is a pittance compared to the luxury brands. I love that I just out sped a Tesla. I love that it has a sharp look, a quiet ride, a stereo that sounds like sitting in the middle of a symphony, and all for less than its competition. Go test drive one and enjoy.

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  Great MPG, luxury for less, awesome stereo - 2013 Hyundai Azera
  By Adam - August 31 - 11:43 am

  I buy new cars about every 2 to 3 years, i get bored with them, i have had Lexus, BMW, Infiniti, Honda and Toyotas all good cars but nothing more, but the 2013 Azera had the look, paint color, nice looking wheels, plenty of leg room and back seat has a lot of room for adults not just kids, consistent mpg 21 city and 30 to 32 on interstate i normally set my cruise 5 above limit and leave it, a V6 with great passing power and merging is a breeze always has plenty of get up and go power very smooth six speed auto transmission never wanders looking for gears like my last Lexus did, the heated and cooled seats are great and work awesome also has rear heated seats that my kids love, what sold me on car was the Infinity car stereo plenty of bass and clear crisp music 550 watts sounds are amazing that come from this stereo satellite radio is works great unlike some past cars, and the quiet interior and great ride also surprised me, only thing that really bugged me is the fact that remote start is not on a $40,000 car, and have to pay over $300 a year for bluelink if i want remote start from a phone. The panoramic moon roof is very nice i never liked moon roofs before always thought they were to small but on this Azera its huge. The Navigation is a clear crisp picture not grainy like most, easy to use and read, the bluetooth for phone is very easy to use and setup. The trunk has enough room for 2 full size suit cases, 2 kids suit cases and a full size cooler and still have room in trunk. I have not noticed any difference in fuel octanes 87 or 91 engine always runs smooth and same mpg, unlike other cars i have had that say 87 octane is ok to use but run better and smoother on 91, I never thought i would ever drive or buy a Hyundai but dont knock it till you at least drive it, before i bought the Azera i test drove 2013 Lincoln MKZ and MKS, 2014 Lexus ES350, Infiniti m series, 2012 and 2013 Toyota Avalon, 2012 Nissan Maxima, 2012 Acura TL, 2013 Accord V6, 2014 Impala LTZ, and fell in love with a Azera features and comforts.

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  Bought new, donated it to charity at 205000 miles - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By Joe S. - August 30 - 9:44 pm

  I bought this as needed, reliable transportation in October of 1999. It has been there through thick and thin through cross country road trips and raising 2 of 4 kids. It was a great car for a long time. I lost my timing belt at 205K, and it ruined my head assembly. Too expensive to fix, given the worth of the car. It was starting to show its age, although it still looked mighty fine. So, I hope I made another great decision with my purchase of a used 2013 Elantra sedan.

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  Get more for less - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By Brian - August 24 - 7:42 am

  I recently sold my 2009 Audi S5 as we have a baby on the way and it just wasnt practical. I decided to go the sedan route and looked at Audi, Lexus, BMW and a few others but just couldnt get past the fact that the Genesis offered more features for way less money and did not sacrifice style and design. Once you put all the features on an Audi A6 (and fully equipped, it still doesnt match up to the Genesiss offerings), it was easily 15 grand more than the Genesis 5.0. I like fast cars and this one is fast! While the old S5 was probably a better driving car in the turns, the Genesis is quicker from a standstill. So far I have really enjoyed driving it and it has all the luxuries of a car youd expect to cost quite a bit more. Style is important too and this one does not dissappoint. I watched a guy driving down my street stop in the middle of the road, get out and do a walk around the car. I replaced the Hyundai "H" logo on the trunk with the Genesis wings and I think he was trying to figure out what it was. You really dont see too many on the road, especially the 5.0 with the quad tailpipes. Since I got virtually the same color (Monticeito Blue) as my Audi, most people at work didnt even realize I got a new car. They thought it was the Audi. While I have not had any experience with service at the dealership yet, I am very happy with the purchase so far and would encourage anyone shopping in this market to give the Genesis a look. Youll be pleasantly surprised.