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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  Great Value - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By Helen - April 21 - 10:33 pm

  I bought this car because I needed something cheap to get me through college. I am so pleased with my purchase. Its a basic car, but the warranty makes me feel comfortable having it for the next however many years. My only complaints are that the keyless entry does not come with a trunk release, and that a CD player is not standard. Also, sometimes I find that I have to absolutely slam the trunk before it will latch, so check that out when youre looking.

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  2009 GLS Sonata Great Bargain - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Mark Levitz - April 21 - 8:23 pm

  I bought the 2009 sonata because I was looking for a reliable car and a nice car to drive. I have had it for only a day and it is a fun car to drive and nice as well. I bought it for a great deal. I only paid 15,140 for the car and I got them to through in mud guards and mats as well. So it was a great buy.

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  Great car for the price - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Kathy - April 21 - 6:30 am

  We considered both Camrys and Altimas in addition to the Sonata. We are very pleased that we chose the Sonata. It is a great car for the money and is as appealling at the curbside or on the road as either of the others that we considered. It was the warranty that was the final selling point for our purchase. You just cant beat a Hyundai warranty.

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  the worst car I have - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By John - April 21 - 4:00 am

  The worst car I have. Lots of friends dont recommand me to buy Korean car, it is my bad because I dont listen to them. I drove Honda accord and toyota camry before. Those two japanese hehicles can perform a lot better than this stupid car.

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  Broke down on me a lot! - 1999 Hyundai Elantra
  By Lexas_p - April 21 - 2:00 am

  I can never trust this car. Every morning I get in it...I wonder if Im going to make it to work.

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  Keep away......here my warnings - 2015 Hyundai Sonata
  By E A Ford - April 20 - 1:23 pm

  This car is the MOST UNreliable car Ive owned in over 40 years!!! This thing has standed me hundreds of miles from home TWICE in two years!! First, Fayetteville NC...fuel injectors...gone! A twenty something kid b/sing me ..."oh yeah parts are on the way ..tomorrow ...NOT!! 5 lovely days ....hotel meals and lots of $$$$. Hyundai did reimbursed me $290.. Out of the $700+ it cost me to interrupt my trip......THIS time Im in Boston 1500 miles from home and the crank shaft seal goes...oil all over!!! I thought Fayetteville was bad! Boston IS very expensive to have to stay around! $$$$$. Parts to fix the car.?...Im 7 days into this...."MAYBE end of the week...MAYBE first of next week!!!! Im sure Hyundai will reimburse me their standard $300 for 3 days! Im into this problem over a grand now...and theyre fixing the car for free!! What a piece of JUNK!!!

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  LOVE My Hyundai!~~!~~ - 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Boobearzoo - April 20 - 10:00 am

  This car has been so reliable and so wonderful. It has not loosened up or turned into a rattle box. I have had very little go wrong with it and it is silly things like a switch light. It is the MOST incredible vehicle EVER in the snow. NOTHING got in its way!!!! I would buy another one without a doubt!

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  Shark by any other name - 2004 Hyundai Tiburon
  By ghostlion - April 20 - 10:00 am

  I knew when I first sat in a Tib at the autoshow that Hyundai had turned themselves around. I went with a friend a couple of months later for a test drive on a whim, more for fun than to purchase. We were both blown away. Fit and finish are great, quality of materials is above what the price would suggest. I ended up purchase my Tib in Nov 03. I cant tell you how many compliments i have gotten, and how many times ive been forced to open the door to let people get a look inside. Everyone that has gone anywhere with me has just ranted and raved about the car. If im feeling cranky I slip the trans into manual mode and drive some fun.

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  parents car - 2004 Hyundai XG350
  By cherriebaby136 - April 20 - 10:00 am

  I just got back from visting my parents and drove their 350. What a car! This car drives easy & has the feel of the older caddies & Lincolns. Quite smooth ride, lots of get-up & go. This car has all the buzzers & bells. User friendly interior. Great car for the money.

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  My New Elantra GT - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By Kandbsdad - April 20 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for exactly 2 weeks now and am pretty happy with it. I have logged over 500 miles and the car drove just as well fully loaded with my family on last weekends getaway as it does everyday getting me to and from work! The ride is solid and it handles well, although Im still getting used to it! The only problem I have had is with the stereo; it wont play CDs without pausing intermittantly. Fuel mileage varies greatly; the MPG meter shows 35-40 on flat highway stretches but dips into the low 20s during my 13 mile commute thru a rural canyon, but it seems to be improving. The buying experience at San Bernardino Hyundai was Excellent!