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 Little Car - 2013 Hyundai Accent
  By dcoo - February 3 - 7:45 pm

  Great car for price. I have a 2013 Accent SE. Gas mileage is great. Way better then the VW Beetle I had. Very roomy and truck is a good size.

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  Great Value - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By srn63 - February 2 - 1:21 pm

  I test drove several cars over the course of 6 months and narrowed my choices to the BMW 5 series and Audi A6. Hands down the Genesis offers the best value for the buck. Considering all the features you will pay at least $15,000 more for a BMW and Audi. The Genesis ride beats the BMW 5 series and is very comparable to the A6. The car is whisper quiet, great acceleration, sporty but comfortable ride. BMW and Audi should be on watch...Genesis hits them right between the eyes. I am shocked this is only a B rated car on Edmunds

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  Good if theres no rust - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By pmak1 - January 30 - 10:34 pm

  Had this car only a short time due to an unfortunate accident but put 15000km in that short time and the car was very reliable only problems were the the radio/cd player died and the rust ate through the left lower control arm. So if your looking at getting one just look for rust around the suspension.

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  Average Car - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By beardude92 - January 24 - 10:09 pm

  I purchased my Elantra early November and was genuinely excited as it was my first vehicle bought from a dealership. However, that excitement quickly dissipated the more I drove the car. While the acceleration is adequate, it does leave much to be desired, especially when the vehicle returns a mild 26 MPG on average with a 5-speed. The 5-speed on my Hyundai is also in need of repair with only 100k miles on the vehicle. The handling responds, but without a sense of urgency, leaving a very dull engagement, even on curvy roads. When thrown into a turn, the car listens, but in such a way that it seems lethargic. All-in-all, not a bad car. Just an incredibly lackluster experience.

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  Used to be a BMW-only guy - 2011 Hyundai Genesis
  By uncgq - January 24 - 9:28 pm

  I used to say that I would only ever buy a BMW but when I drove this car, I was convinced otherwise. Ill never sell my manual trans 735, its a classic, but this thing has it. If you dont care about snob appeal, this is the car to buy, hands down. Plenty of power, interior comfort, a great long drive car. For me the build quality surpasses current model BMWs and feels much better made. Purchased a CPO with 45K miles and have put 40K miles this year and have yet to be disappointed.

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  its a good basic car - 2005 Hyundai Sonata
  By sal96 - January 23 - 9:27 pm

  05 sonata purchased at 166k miles (mostly highway), previous owner serviced it at the dealership, car is very reliable if maintained well, people who complain didnt service their cars. Overall the ride is comfortable, acceleration, braking is good. The interior feels a little cheap, but comfortable. (That is how older hyundais and kia are so dont be surprised). Trunk is very spacious. The engine does have plenty of power. Many 6 cylinders Sonatas out there (they are actually cheaper than 4 cylinder cause they have worse gas mileage) I strongly recommend the 4 cylinder, easier to service, maintain, better gas mileage. I even towed a small U haul Box with a washer using the sonata

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  Excellent workhorse for the price - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By 4356pats - January 19 - 1:00 am

  Ive had this car since 2008, and have put it to the test. It has 112,000 miles on it, including a 6-day drive from the east coast to the west coast, back to Denver, and back to the west coast. Never driven a car that is this reliable. Its not fast, its not flashy, but it goes and keeps going. It has literally never left me on the side of the road except once, for a punctured tire. Practical, perfect for a young person, perfect for a small family. Its likable, it has character, and its surprisingly comfortable and sharp.

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  A Former BMW Loyalist - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By kbdoc - January 13 - 5:28 pm

  A vastly superior ride to my 5 series with equivalent handling and features. Although it doesnt match the sportiness of an Audi A6 or a Cadillac CTS, it is a fantastic cruiser and should strongly be considered by anyone thinking about the Mercedes E class, Jaguar XF, or Maserati Ghibli.

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  junk - 2011 Hyundai Accent
  By done9 - January 12 - 2:12 pm

  I bought this car new in 2011 so I wouldnt have to worry if it would work. Should of bought a used car. New starter motor aasy in 2012 just over 10,000 miles, new sensor-fuel tank pressure 2013 just over 26,000 miles, another starter motor assy 2014 just over 30,000 miles, and just had replaced a cowl cover 2015 today 38,000 miles. This car is a piece of junk would not buy or recommended to anyone a hyundai.

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  Amazing - 2015 Hyundai Genesis
  By a33 - January 12 - 12:02 pm

  Car is absolutely amazing and a great value. Test drive a Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, and Acura and this is a sure winner. It has way more trunk space, way more interior space and the features are more than the same level luxury brand, for 20,000 less.