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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  Dont Hesitate! - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Claudia - December 24 - 9:40 am

  Never thought Id buy a Hyundai but after considering the Cadillac CTS - it just wasnt as comfortable as I expected it to be for the money, nor did it have all the options I wanted. After looking around on the internet for something comparable I came across the Sonata. My husband and I test drove it & fell in love with it. Its loaded with options, has the 60/40 split rear seat, drives & rides like a dream for 1/2 the price of the CTS! Its a beautiful car. Got the camel/pearl. Im looking for excuses to go places so I can drive it! You cant go wrong with the warranty, the price and the exceptional value you will get with this beauty!Its everything & more than Id hoped for.

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  Nice car, but has flaws - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Ahabgjb - December 23 - 7:13 pm

  When I bought this car, I found very few flaws in it to start out with. I enjoyed the great MPG that the car had, as well as the good design and comfort. However, as time went on, I soon found myself to be an enemy with one thing: the trunk. If you do make the decision to buy this car, NEVER open it on a rainy day, at the risk of waterlogging everything inside your trunk. The design of the trunk pushes all the water on top of the trunk straight down into your carpeted trunk, making it incredibly difficult to deal with. Not only that, but it frequently unlatches itself, making it a safety hazard if you leave valuables in your trunk. Overall Id say good buy, just be weary of the risks.

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  Superb Choice - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By JIM - December 23 - 4:03 pm

  I had been evaluating several new sport sedans over a period of 11 months prior to selecting my Genesis. Specifically, I tested the BMW 535, Audi A6, Cadillac CTS and Mercedes E350. I have also owned Lexus vehicles. I was leaning toward the BMW but had not tested the Genesis during this time span. I had established a price range and didnt want to go north of $70k. After ten minutes in the Genesis there was no doubt in my mind that this car was the best of the group. The handling, spaciousness, quietness and overall good feeling left me with the impression that the other brands were over priced. The difference in the overall savings gives me free fuel and insurance over the 36 month lease.

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  Great for the money. - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By Dianes - December 23 - 2:36 pm

  What has been done to this car that is not a wear item: 1) Clutch interlock switch (so it starts). 2) Clutch Slave Cylinder (recently) Maintenance Items: 1) Timing Belt. 2) Front Brake Pads. 3) Tires. 4) Oil changes. 5) Antifreeze change. Super reliable.... I am in the rust belt, so I expect an exhaust pipe in the future.

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  Azera - Great Value! - 2007 Hyundai Azera
  By tlworth - December 23 - 12:35 pm

  I needed a car that was not too pretentious, and wanted a car that felt pretentious. This one solved both items. Its a fun car to drive and I feel very safe in it. It doesnt like to go just 35 mph and loves to travel on the open highway. It comes well equipped and the fit and finish is very good. Ive had to have several minor things fixed under warranty, but that was another major selling point of the Hyundai. The warranty is the best in the industry, and Ive had great service from the dealership.

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  Beats Corolla or Civic - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By John Shaffer - December 23 - 12:21 pm

  would suggest a light in the compartment under the heating control buttons..great location but need small light for night driving...

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  Very impressive - 2010 Hyundai Genesis
  By iownsf - December 23 - 11:55 am

  I was looking to buy a sporty 4 door car that had a good amount of interior space. I researched and had the list narrowed down to an Audi A6 or BMW 535i. I test drove the A6, but didnt come away that impressed with the car in light of its pricetag. I was about to check out the 535i in person when I decided to give the Genesis some consideration. I went to the SF Auto Show at the end of November and was shocked at the features and looks of this car. I kept coming back to the car a few times even after looking at other makes such as MB, BMW and Audi. I purchased the car a week later and couldnt be happier. This is a lot of car for the money - a home run for Hyundai.

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  Great Car !! - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By Freddie - December 23 - 10:21 am

  Well I just rolled over 200K with mine. Bought this thing in 2001 with just a few thousand on it ( demo car) and have never had any trouble with this car. Never put me on the side of the road ( besides a broken belt twice) and has given me great MPG even though i tend to drive fast. It has been wrecked 4 times and even with hard hits in the back all that was replaced was a trunk and back bumper. If your looking for a used car with great MPG ( almost 30 )and reliability then I highly suggest this model.

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  airbag problem - 2010 Hyundai Accent
  By sherwood brubaker - December 22 - 5:31 pm

  I have a GS with 2500 miles on it. I have the ABS/power package. It is a fun little car to drive, peppier than I thought it would be. I avg 31 mi/gal. The only problem is that the passenger air bag intermittently does not recognize the passenger. The dealership does not seem to be able to find the problem.

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  Reliable Car - 2005 Hyundai Accent
  By Jim - December 22 - 3:32 pm

  A great basic reliable commuter. Not very attractive inside or out, but it does it job at a very low cost. I drive it 104 miles to and from work every day and after 125,000 miles have only replaced light bulbs and tires (amazingly, it still has the original brake pads!) This is a well built, rugged and inexpensive little car. It is not comfortable nor fun to drive. Acceleration is adequate and handling on dry rods is OK. Wet/slick road handling is very poor, however. Also, gas mileage is not quite as good as I would like from such a small car, but is in the high 20s. I do not recommend as a first car because of its poor wet/slick road handling, however.