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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  Excellent Buy - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By P Brantley - March 31 - 1:49 pm

  I purchased this car within an hour of my test drive and havent had a single regret so far. I just returned from a weekend trip to another state and have already put over 12oo miles on the car. I would rather drive this than my wifes Camry XLE. I am 6 ft and weigh 280 but the comfort and driveability are exceptional. Very smooth, not rough, tight steering, no power surge acceleration with cruise control even up steep hills. I have averaged 31-32 MPG. I am very pleased with this car and the service I received from the dealer who went the extra step and got my 4 points off my initial interest rate. I will look to Hyundai first for my next car.

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  Great Car - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By MrP - March 30 - 12:26 pm

  I run about 600 miles/week and I love it. Bought the 2.0 because I drive a manual. Its not a race car and it wont climb mountains but it sure drove well in the last two BIG snow storms. No need for 4 wheel drive. Quiet car. Lots of seating/cargo cominations and lots of really usefull, well placed/thought out features. Were getting a second one this month.

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  Hyundai Nirvanna! - 2007 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Tucson07Ltd - March 29 - 2:33 pm

  At 4,700 miles not only has the engine really livened up but the mpg is now 20.1 avg with a DC-area commute. This vehicle has more safety equipment than any in its class or price range and weighs 3,500 lbs so that considered, I am very happy with the mpg. Fit/finish is impeccable. Space utilization superb. Seat comfort/leg/headroom amazing even with sunroof front and rear. I am extremely proud of my Hyundai and when people look it over they are amazed. When they ride in it they remark how smooth and quiet it is. I am thrilled to have a vehicle thats ready for all 4 seasons, can carry more than a sedan, is easy to park and is a blast to drive.

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  An overall great car - 2004 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Great Car - March 27 - 9:33 pm

  This is a great car. Not perfect, but fun to drive and own. Im going to post this to help other fellow Hyundai Tiburon owners.. The clutches fail due to a simple part and the fix is simple provided your clut ALL Tiburons 2003 and on both 2.0L I4 and 2.7L V6 5 and 6spd manual models have a clutch slave delay valve. This valve, with a tiny spring, causes your clutch to SLIP. REMOVE IT. Ive done this mod myself.. just need a few tools, brake fluid, and ability to spin a wrench. There are posts online for additional details. This mod will save you HUGE money and restore proper clutch feel and reliability. Provided your clutch isnt already ruined. :( When you replace, remove the valve!

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  For ppl complaining about suspension - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Loyal owner - March 27 - 2:43 pm

  I own a 2007 Ltd and this 2009 GLS was purchased for my mom. I can tell you that based on my experiences, the suspension was meant to be soft. Its not a flaw, BUT its something that will not give joy to everyone who drives one. People used to tighter suspensions..shop elsewhere. What I do have an issue with is the tires. They do not absorb bumps very well. The 17" wheels are worse than the 16" on the GLS. This is not a problem with suspension or shocks. The Kuhmo tires are harsh and noisy. Invest in better tires if its that bad for you. Also check the tire pressure and make sure theyre set as they should. Over/under inflated tires can make a huge difference in ride.

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  Great Value and sharp looking - 2011 Hyundai TUCSON
  By tampa2012 - March 27 - 1:50 pm

  Traded in a ML 320 for a Tucson. Great styling and value on this vehicle. Layout of the dash is great too.

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  Love driving this car - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Yam55 - March 27 - 4:43 am

  The V6 engine on this vehicle is a blast to drive. Very responsive, smooth, and with a nice exhaust note. The transmission adapts to your driving style. The sport-tuned suspension is another big plus. The safety features cant be beat and with pretty much all options is still thousands less than Toyota or Honda. Long term reliability remains to be seen but build quality seems first rate and the car is very roomy both front and rear. The warranty was also a factor in the purchase just hoping I wont have to use it much. Mileage is excellent on the highway (30+) but city is not so great (19-21) but that might be due to my heavy foot.

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  Fantastic Sedan - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jack McCord - March 26 - 2:39 pm

  This has been a great experience. My previous vehicle was a 1995 Monte Carlo V6. The Sonata performs every bit as well. I have over 60,000 miles and have all recommended manufacturers maintenance done. So for $800 of maintenance (plus regular oil changes) this car handles like new. I just replaced 2 tires recently and will replace other 2 next month.

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  Had to buy one!!!! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By manofsteel2k6 - March 25 - 1:43 pm

  I traded in my 02 Sonata last night for an 06. This car is fantastic. It is soo quiet you cant hear the car running with the windows up at a stop sign. The exterior is a bit plain, but the shape of the car is very nice. There is soo much power and torque its almost hard not to chirp tires on start ups. The interior is the best Ive seen, and I mean for any make. Ours is a LX and if not for the Hyundai symbol on the steering wheel, you would swear you were in a Lexus. Great job Hyundai. I hope the reliabilty is as good as my 02. If it is, this may well be the new midsize leader in the US.

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  More Power, Style & Safety for the Money - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By JB - March 25 - 9:30 am

  After shopping 06 Volvo S40 and Toyota Camary/Avalon, my wife & I decided to view the Azera. We stopped at the dealer for a brochure & ended up testing one. By the end of the day we had traded in my wifes 2000 Sonata for the Azera. It has more horsepower than the S40 & Camary (as much as the Avalon) and more iterior/storage space than all three. With these features, the Azera was still $2K-$3K cheaper than the S40 & Avalon. Once we upgraded the bumper- to-bumper warranty to 10yr/100K mi, the others cant come close. These facts made choosing the Azera very easy. We look forward to driving the car for a long time. True, its not a sports sedan but well trade that for all we got! C 4 urslf!