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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  mulligan - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By mulligan - September 9 - 7:06 pm

  I just bought a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. Got a great deal on the limited model. This is by far the best car I have ever owned. The V-6 is very powerful. The interior is of the quality of a Lexus or BMW costing at least 10K more.

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  Still happy after 3 years - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Vittseek - September 9 - 12:12 pm

  Very attractive and reliable car. Have put 36K miles on it in 3 years and have been very please with overall performance. Only issues have been minor. Has excellent power for a 4- banger and gets great mileage (esp on the open road). Switch on power seat and a brake light switch have had to be replaced other than that - nothing. Only complaint is that the car sits so low to ground that it makes changing own oil a challenge.

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  Titillating Tiburon - 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
  By mykarenina - September 9 - 10:00 am

  Of all the cars I test drove, the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon was by far the most solid, impressive, stylish, fun-to- drive ride. Since purchasing the car I have had one surprise after another in performance and convenience. I have been averaging 27 mpg and have impressed everyone I know with the heart-pounding sound system. The car features an incredibly roomy trunk, convenient controls, and intermittent windshield wipers that automatically speed up when the rain intensifies. I have never before had such a fantastic driving experience and would happily recommend this car above all others as the best value for your money.

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  great suv - 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By john lawrence - September 9 - 10:00 am

  This is the firsr suv that I have owned and I love it.It rides nice drives nice and its a very nice looking vehicle.

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  Humming Noise at Highway Speed - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By johnsbk2 - September 9 - 10:00 am

  We experienced a humming noise that occurred at about 60mph. Sounded like someone blowing into the top of a empty pop-bottle. Took it to the Dealer yesterday and they had just got a memo to replace the front door seals! Good timing :) The problem was fixed and the mechanic was extremely personable. We love our Elantra GLS. It does well on the highway with pickup & go. A problem that my wife was worried about with a smaller engine. Not a problem with passing or getting up to speed quickly.

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  VERY RELIABLE, A GREAT VALUE - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Roger - September 9 - 8:43 am

  I purchase this car for my wifes birthday a couple of years ago. She has been the primary driver. I have maintained the vehicle since new, and the only things I have done are routine maintenance. The tires will need to be replaced soon, but they are OEM and have give good service. The fit and finish rival the best SUVs out there. It has NO squeaks or rattles and the paint looks like new. The last time I had the tires rotated and balanced the brakes showed only 50% wear. My wifes cars always eat pads, so I am really impressed. Everything works just like it was new. Absolutely no problems. The warranty is the best in the industry. Cant beat it.

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  Typical Hyundai, Genius - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By Eddyer - September 8 - 7:54 pm

  No complaints whatsoever. Im kind of a person that likes to buy based on Value. Of course, Hyundai was the ticket. though, I was a bit skeptical about the Hyundai brand, the Genesis shattered my perceptions about the brand. I can not say how classy the car remains even after a few months of ownership. put a Genesis badge and the car is not that much different from a Bentley IMO.

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  Good subcompact - 2009 Hyundai Accent
  By JD - September 8 - 11:37 am

  Bought under cash for clunkers. Was looking for inexpensive car with good fuel economy. Got a surprisingly comfortable little car. I dont think anyone could beat the bang for the buck.

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  Great car! - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By R Pippin - September 6 - 2:58 pm

  Bought this car used from the previous owner at a great price. My husband found the bargain and I was not so sure at first, but after a complete detailing and some personal touches Im in love! This car looks like a little jag and handles like a dream. She has looks and kick. The headlights were cloudy and yellowing when I bought her but I found a plastic polish from Meguires that made them look almost new again. Since purchase, she has needed new tires w/ alignment and a new spark plug (tune-up soon). The washer fluid pump does not work, will have to look into for repair. Rear view mirror functions not working either.

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  Nothing Like It On The Planet For Price - 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
  By Spica - September 6 - 2:40 am

  I knew this was the car for me after about 30 seconds into my test drive. I was bent on my next car being a V6 but no need to even think about that now. This I4 Turbo will shock your senses. Its 223lbs of torque @2000Rpm tells you why. Handling is Jordanesque,the breaking characteristics superb and the ride unusually comfortable for a sports car. And how can you beat the warranty?