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 car for the money. - 2014 Hyundai Elantra
  By schbullitt - June 25 - 11:08 am

  I have only driven the car for 500 miles but, for the money, this is an excellent car. I bought the Sport model because I wanted the extra power and the car is very responsive. The car is extremely tight no body or suspension noises. My only complaint is the tires. I would have liked more of a performance tire or at least an option for one. The Hankook is okay but I can see me getting a better tire when these are half worn. I have read about these tires and according to reviews, they do not perform well in the snow. That remains to be seen. My wife, who really isnt into cars, loves this car. So, overall, I would highly recommend this car, especially when you factor in the price.

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  Great value for money - 2011 Hyundai Genesis
  By bmwe32 - June 12 - 10:34 pm

  Purchased a CPO 2011 4.6 with all the options 6 months ago. Have put about 12K miles on it since then and love it to death. I can get 28 - 30 on the highway at speed if Im not obnoxious with it. You definitely dont want for power or luxury goodies in this one. I always said Id never buy anything that wasnt a BMW, but they arent made like they used to be and this one seems to be. If you detest the feel of most newer cars, check this one out. Steering that feels like your actually connected to something and isnt overly light. A ride that is communicative and design that is well thought out.

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  Excellent Customer Service - 2014 Hyundai Elantra
  By jcgarcia1 - June 9 - 5:20 pm

  I just buy my 2014 hyundai elantra sport my wife love this car. [non-permissible content removed]

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  2015 Genesis - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By jsinterested - May 30 - 1:58 pm

  I read the recent review posted by the "professional critic" and I must say that I completely disagree, and consider he is delusional when it comes to back seat leg room. I compared the new 2015 Genesis against each of the following cars the Audi A6, The Mercedes E350, the BMW 535i and the Lexus. After test driving the 2015 Genesis, hands down the new 2015 Genesis AWD 3.8 fully loaded, out performs, out classes in all areas all of these cars. I have personally been driving for the last 40 years Mercedes, BMW, Range Rover, and Lexus, and this new 2015 model is a game changer...period!

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  LOVE HER! - 2014 Hyundai Elantra
  By code1 - May 17 - 8:57 pm

  Just bought my new 2014 Elantra Limited and it may be to soon to get an accurate review on the reliability I can say I love this car! Its my first brand new car and im glad I made the purchase! Van Horn Hyundai was extremely helpful in making sure I got exactly what I wanted. I would recommend this car to anyone who is looking for a small or midsize car.

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  Loving my Azera! - 2013 Hyundai Azera
  By bluebird79 - May 13 - 6:58 am

  I absolutely love this car! I have the Smoke Grey Metallic w/ tech pkg. You rarely see it on the street unlike the Sonata which is everywhere. Its so much car for the money, perfect for business or a night out on the town. Loads of room and I am so glad that they included a 40/60 folding back seat as this does come in handy for those of us with kids. The leather is beautiful and the heated seats are great. Now for the critique: for a car of this price you should not have to subscribe to a service for remote start period Hyundai really dropped the ball with this one it should be standard period! Also at 2500 miles I am still not getting the advertised mileage but I am getting closer.

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  Is this thing really a HUNDAI? - 2013 Hyundai Genesis
  By sierrapoet - April 28 - 6:26 pm

  Having spent ample time in the seat of Mercedes SL 55 and an AMG 63, I had low expectations of the 5.0 R-Spec Hundai. Uhhhh...WOW, was I wrong. For about 1/3 the cost, the Genesis Sedan is a fantastic luxury muscle car that hangs with the big dollar Europeans. Oh yeah, and for under $40K total, it came with a bumper to bumper 100K mile warranty. The Genesis has so far averaged roughly twice the gas mileage of my two previous Mercedes. Really? a Korean 429 HP luxury sedan that gets 27 MPG? Whats not to like? Great price, fast, comfortable, reliable. The Germans had better up their game really soon, because I just bought two of these things, for less than my last European.

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  Nice Car for the Money - 2012 Hyundai Genesis
  By dowpwr - April 18 - 8:08 pm

  I can honestly say Im glad I stopped at the dealership to test drive this car. I test drove the Azera, but once youre in a Genesis, there is no going back. Besides being dead silent on the hwy, it has an amazing stereo (I have the tech package), and plenty of other features that make this car a joy to drive. The cooled seats are a must in the summer, and ride is very smooth and comfortable. The tech is a little behind, but if you plug in your iPod or put a CD in, you will not hear a better sound in any other vehicle on the road. I would stick with the 3.6. It is plenty fast, and the super smooth transmission doesnt shift quickly enough to significantly improve your 0-60 time.

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  Very Pleased - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By psjsms22 - April 16 - 1:36 pm

  I do not understand negative reviews about gas mileage! The LOWEST we have gotten is 32.5. We live in an extremely hilly area.....rural, lots of stops, starts, slow down for curves and accelerating on steep hills. On the hwy., we get over 38 mpg. We previously owned a Ford Focus and a Chevy Impala (which I hated!) and the Hyundai Elantra Limited is way above and beyond both vehicles. The ride is so much quieter and smoother. The features in the Limited surpass the Ford Focus by miles!

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  incredible buy - 2013 Hyundai Accent
  By beths2 - March 31 - 1:00 pm

  I had an idea of what kind of car I had wanted. I had been researching hatchbacks for 6-months already. A friend of mine bought the 2012 accent so I was already familiar with the car. The moment I walked on the lot a Hyundai of Escondido the sales man walked me to the selection they had. All I had to do was pick the color. Im a musician so I needed a car with plenty of trunk space that is easily accessible. The entire team at Esco Hyundai was above and beyond helpful with teaching me all the features and sat with me until I understood it all.