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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  so far so good - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By MAZZ1 - January 18 - 2:10 pm

  Bought my 09 Santa Fe new. The ride is comfortable and smooth. Handling is secure. Fit and finish is very Nice. Only thing I dont like is that acceleration is sluggish.

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  Love It - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By LanceB - January 18 - 9:56 am

  I am a big man to the tune of 63" over 300 lbs. I have plenty of room in this car. It is fun to drive and the controls are very handy and laid out very well. This is the first vehicle that I have had in 15 years that was not a truck or SUV. Other than it sits lower than what I am used too it has been a great car so far.

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  What a surprise for the price - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Chris - January 18 - 8:50 am

  Personally, I would not have considered purchasing a Hyundai until the current generation Sonata was released in 2006. The rave reviews it received persuaded me to give the car a chance. My, how my opinion has changed... What a wonderful vehicle! It has the silky smoothness of drivetrain of a Camry, yet is much more involving and sporty to drive. For a young family starting out, this is a perfect vehicle. Interior space is fantastic, as is the touch and feel of materials. The 4 cylinder engine provided adequate performance - the V6 was magnificent and ended up being my choice. Throw in the 10 year/ 100,000 mile warranty and its a no-brainer - nothing else can compete in this segment!

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  3200 miles and engine light on. - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By James A Haskin - January 17 - 8:36 pm

  I have 3200 miles on my Elantra. I check all systems and fluids on a very regular basis. Yesterday, the engine warning light came on. No reason found in preliminary check. Having it towed in tomorrow to dealership. Very disappointed

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  Great Car - 2004 Hyundai XG350
  By Fred - January 17 - 11:46 am

  This is one of the very best cars I have owned .( I am 81 & had about every kind if car made) Great driving, comfort, performance. have had no problems with the car. I just couldnt be better satisfied with a car.

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  fun and young - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By leahsphotography - January 17 - 10:00 am

  So far so good my csar is running well road trip to florida here we come

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  awesome - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Bldgoddess - January 17 - 10:00 am

  This car had been such a joy to drive. It has fantasic pick up and a gorgeous exterior. I get people asking me all the time... Is that a Jag? The car inside has a very comfortable feel and I feel very safe knowing that there are front as will as side curtain airbags. And you cant beat the 10,000 mile 10 year warrenty. The Roadside assistance is a fabulous feature although my car will (hopefully) never have to use it. It is so reliable and safe that I am proud to be the owner my Hyundai Sonata!

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  PLEASED - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By BEJAAY - January 17 - 10:00 am

  had car about two months. Ride is excellent. Very quiet and comfortable. BSJ

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  great car for the money - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By mamamia - January 17 - 5:36 am

  The 4 cylinder, 2.4 Sonata is a good performer, powerful enough to get me from home to work, driving on city streets or on the highway. The car is stable and quiet driving 80 mph, the brakes are superb, and in general, the many SAFETY features, like the extra air bags and curtains, ABS, Traction Control, and especially ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) make it an EXCELLENT buy. The gas mileage is very good on the highway (well over 30 mpg). Its a SEXY car. I first saw the new Sonata from behind, and fell in love with the design.... Id say the Sonata gives you the SAME CAR as the Accord (we own one) and Camry -- and yet it has MORE SAFETY FEATURES than both -- for $3,000-$4,000 less.

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  Nothing Special - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Doug - January 17 - 3:33 am

  A decent ride thats comfortable but rather hum-drum. You dont get many second looks from other folks on the road regardless of age or gender (relatively first looks for that matter). Its more of a Buick from the Korean peninsula and less of an import with a tight, road-hugging feel. The handling is very subpar compared to the Subarus I have driven for the last 15 years. But for overall comfort with an ample number of conveniences its still a great buy.