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:

• 

  Meet the CR-Z Killer - 2012 Hyundai Veloster
  By jeffdawgfan - September 5 - 11:08 pm

  I took delivery of a 2012 Veloster this past Saturday. I had been looking real hard at the Honda CR-Z but there were just some things that Honda cut corners on and left off that car that just did not sit well with me. The hybrid motor was also a big turn off as it just over complicated the car and did not really increase its fuel economy. Enter the Hyunda Veloster. The Veloster is everything that the CR-Z wanted to be. More features, better ride, just as much power and better fuel economy with out the hybrid cost/complication. Unless Honda does something quick the CR-Z is dead in two years I predict.

• 

  Great Make-Over!! - 2007 Hyundai Tiburon
  By parkone - September 5 - 11:03 pm

  Hyundai has stepped up to the plate once again, my Tiburon is awsome, the six speed trans. is so much fun to drive. cant wait till the summertime so i can show it off in style!!

• 

  Great Little Car for Everybody - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By nr1989 - September 5 - 9:58 pm

  Bought this car a few months ago from a lady who rarely drove it, only 9,000 miles in 5 years. Bought the car for my Grandmother, she likes the compact size because it is easier for her to drive and park. Have taken the car on small tips and 2000 mile trips, it is comfortable and will drive all day without a problem. Car has a lot of power, even my 20 something friends who have driven have commented on how quick it is. I never thought I would buy a foreign car, but this little Hyundai is great for everyone.

• 

  My first foreign car - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By ralfyb - September 5 - 4:13 pm

  I have been driving USA made trucks for the last 25 years now they call them SUVs. Sold my boat and pop up and tried a car so far I think I made the right choice smooth and comfortable sometimes I miss the truck but on long trips you cannot beat it after the test drive my wife and I got hooked

• 

  Best Value of many. - 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By lakeside4 - September 5 - 3:23 pm

  We searched for a replacement for our 2006 Toyota Sequoia, wanting to go down in size. We looked at Toyota first, not finding the Highlander very appealing to us and dealer selection was awful. We also looked at Buick, Ford, GM and Dodge. We were very surprised when we began comparing features, options, overall cost and warranties of all the above. We found the Hyundai to be the best overall value by wide margin. Love driving it and the features are great. We had to drive a long way to find the one we wanted but well worth it!

• 

  Great Car - Even Better Price - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By Pastor Ken - September 4 - 10:00 am

  My 2001 Elantra has performed beautifully as basic transportation and more. It has a solid build quality, decent performance, and has been reliable so far. After two years, it still looks and drives as well as my buddys Civic, purchased at the same time. He paid $3K more than I did!

• 

  2003 Elantra GT - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By Dujybug - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Elantra GT in February 2003. Having driven it for several months now, I love the way the car handles. It is wonderful to drive on the freeway or in city traffic.

• 

  magnificent - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By robert - September 2 - 11:03 pm

  My wife had a Toyota corolla with 110.000 miles and I told her, its time to get rid of this garbage, we had problem with the corolla since we bough it, battery death less than a year, window motor broken after 3 years, so 3/36.000 warranty is not good. I check for two month the new corolla, matrix, yaris, civic, sentra, versa, etc, etc and I decided elantra se full loaded. I did a good choice, I feel so good driving this car, wow, the seats feel better than my kia sedona, minivan. The instrument lights are beautiful. I know its not perfect, but with so many stupid expensive cars out there that just take our money, elantra is perfect choice. Im very, very happy, I almost forget, has leather seat,

• 

  anwsome car - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Daniel L. Moreno - September 2 - 8:24 pm

  Great vehicle has all the comforts for me. Roomy fast great looking chose it over Honda Accord.

• 

  25,000 and climbing - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By limee925 - September 2 - 7:50 pm

  Have had the vehicle 2 years. Absolutely no problems with anything. Put gas in the car and drive with oil changes every 5000 miles. Not a creak, groan or rattle. Very happy with everything that I use the car for. Its comfortable with great gas mileage consistently in the low 30s with mixed driving. Best so far has been 39.8mpg on a 700 mile drive to Washington state. Would certainly recommend to anyone who wants a solid, dependable, reliable, comfortable car who has an aversion to dealers workshops!