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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  MY SANTA FE - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By RADIOANNOUNCR - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I OWN A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LX 3.5L ALL WHEEL DRIVE WITH A SUNROOF. ITS HARD TO BELEIVE THAT HYUNDAI CAN PUT SO MANY OPTIONS IN A VEHICLE AT SUCH A GOOD PRICE. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT A WOOSIE TRUCK. ITS GOT GOOD LOOKS AND PLENTY OF TINTED GLASS. HIT THE GAS AND YOU ARE AIR BORNE. WITH THE MOONSOON SOUND SYSTEM CRANKING 218 WATTS YOU CAN HEAR AND FEEL AND ENJOY EVERY BEAT. SOFT LEATHER SEATS. "DRIVING IS BELIEVING."

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  Sweet Ride - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By GS - March 30 - 1:30 am

  This is my 5th Hyundai purchase and I have to say this car really is a great vehicle. It is SO MUCH car for money!!

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  SWEEEEEEET!!!!!!! - 2006 Hyundai Tiburon
  By King - March 30 - 12:06 am

  I love this car and everyone should to. This car is excellent and respondes well to intake exaust and all the other upgrades you can think off

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  2007 Hyundai Sonata review - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By WAYNE - March 29 - 7:06 pm

  I love his car. I feel like I got Toyata/Honda quality at .85% of the price. Tight, smooth ride. Great controls. I suspect that, like Toyata and Honda, Hyundai is heading upwards in price in the upcoming years. Buy now! The older HYundais, like the 2000 Sonata I also own, are.lets face it, pieces of expendable junk. I get the 2000 repaired and, two weeks later, some "check engine" light comes on and Im in for another $500. But starting in 2006 Hyundai seriously Uped their game. Now this is a car I can live with. Remember how we thought Toyota was a piece of Japanese junk back in 1980? Thats the path Hyundai is taking. Before 2006...junk. After that 90% Honda quality at 80% the

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  I love my hyundai - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jerry - March 28 - 3:23 pm

  Ilove the way it handles and holds the road. The brakes are awsome on this vehicle. The transmission is perfect it shifts up and down, like a standard shift.

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  $15K Great Car - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By la gt owner - March 28 - 10:00 am

  Handles well and quality seems pretty good.

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  5000 miles with a wonderful car - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By walt - March 28 - 5:56 am

  Compared to M45 and 535i. The Genesis won before considering the 18-26k savings. quiet reserved car until 5k rpm at which point this becomes a drivers car. I still dont know the corner limits of this car. After 5k sometimes hard miles no rattles or other issues have come up. If your looking for high end content without the high end badge this is the car for you!

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  Thank Goodnesss for Hyundai - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Anna - March 27 - 3:43 pm

  I went from a 05Silverado C.Cab to something more economical and easier to drive. Tired of American vehicle unreliabiliy. Finally a foriegn car that is affordable! The car has everything I could ask for at$18K. I seem to feel a little rough shift from first to second gear but otherwise no problems.My husband is 64" and my kids are also tall, so we needed a car that would fit us all with the seat all the way back. Very comfortable,quiet and smooth ride. highly recommend this vehicle, it is impressive.

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  the first 2000 miles - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By chilidog - March 27 - 1:46 pm

  After 3 weeks I think this vehicle is terrific. Not a single complaint - it has plenty of pep, good looking, quality touches (small body gaps, plastics look good, refined dash panel, smooth lines), very quiet, high safety ratings, unbeatable value. The new design caught my eye. I approached skeptically as previous version was rough and noisy, but I was completely turned around after a test and research. Hwy mileage 25-27mpg (driving 75mph vs 55), and 17 in city traffic of Washington DC. About what I expected. This car is a keeper. Very comfortable city-hauler. My other car, which I bought new and still own after 16 years is a Lexus LS 400. Lexus, Hyundai is coming. No joke.

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  The car of my dreams! - 2016 Hyundai Sonata
  By Lisa Crumpton - March 27 - 11:42 am

  The Sonata is comfortable ,fun to drive and a great value!