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, so far - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By gtrsrus - July 22 - 1:57 pm

  Bought this car new in late 2003. The only issue has been a failed rear window defroster. Hyundai installed a new rear window and everything has been fine since. I replaced the awful Michelin MXV4 tires with Kumho Solus KH16s which are light years better under all conditions. It still has the factory battery!

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  my tibby - 2004 Hyundai Tiburon
  By soccerplyr83 - July 22 - 12:46 pm

  This car is a dream car I havent owned it very long so I dont know how good it runs just yet but Im 6,1 and I fit very comfortably in it I like the infinity sound system and the feel of the acceleration could be better when you hit first gear but its fwd so I guess its what you should expect.

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  Stiff Ride - 2010 Hyundai Sonata
  By Dan P. - July 22 - 12:29 pm

  If you do much driving on rough roads be prepared for a hard ride. Otherwise I love this car. Roomy, easy to drive, great in the snow, handles corners beautifully. Would like it a little less road noise but not too bad.

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  Hyundai Accent = Lemon - 2005 Hyundai Accent
  By JoJoF8c - July 21 - 8:06 pm

  This was my 1st new car I bought in hopes it was a reliable car and wouldnt break down cuz its new. Since buying it, I have put in $5000 in just repairs. The dealer refuses to listen to me, cause Im a girl & car was in a cosmetic accident a yr after buying it. Exterior of car was damaged only, but a year later it just refused to start and continues to have the same problem. Plus the radiator, water reservoir, thermostat all went out and now it wont stop overheating and it gives no notice that it is overheating, it just shuts off. In the last 2 weeks I have spent $2000 on it & been to mechanic 4 x. Never buy a hyundai again, not a quality car.

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  shoot this car - 2008 Hyundai Azera
  By hundai azera - July 21 - 6:17 pm

  I loved this car for the first two months. Since then I have had nothing but problems. So many rattles and clicking noises. I hate this car now. I have had it in the shop so many times I have lost count. I am sick and tired of the dealership telling me the car is fixed and then driving it home, the same noise occurs. I am ready to shoot it and put it and me out of misery.

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  Amazing value! - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By John Nelms - July 21 - 5:39 pm

  Less expensive and more fun to drive than a Lexus GS-350. Eye-catching styling, great ride, and roomy interior, both front and rear. Shouts "quality!"

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  Not disappointed - 2009 Hyundai Elantra
  By MG41 - July 21 - 3:10 pm

  I purchased the top of the line Elantra (in Canada-limited edition) because of the ESC feature- but decided that the leather seats and sunroof and automatic climate control might be nice to have. I have thoroughly enjoyed the car so far- it drives beautifully and quietly and is responsive and roomy and very comfortable for driver and front seat passenger- no experience yet with someone in the back seat. The interior finish is first class and the layout of the dashboard and all features are consistent with a much higher priced vehicle. I checked out the competition- Corolla, Civic, Mazda3, Ford Focus and found the Elantra a better deal for the money and the 5 year/100,000 warranty is a plus.

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  Not bad for basic transportation - 2004 Hyundai Accent
  By Scott - July 21 - 2:56 pm

  I bought my 04 Accent last November. Its about as basic as a car gets - MT, no AC, power locks, power windows or cruise - but it gets great gas mileage - 30-35mpg in mixed driving and is surprisingly good in the snow. Purchased it for $4k, so for the daily commute, its a good deal. I miss the AC, but never travel long distances in it. I would definitely recommend the accent for anyone needing reliable transportation.

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  Great - 2004 Hyundai XG350
  By America - July 21 - 2:13 pm

  This car is a great car for everything, and everyday driving.

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  Happy with my Hyundai - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Steve C - July 21 - 11:40 am

  I got a great deal on a year old Santa Fe with 14K miles, and very glad I bought it. The ride is very quiet and comfortable, and theres ample room for 4-5 people. It handles well and the 3.3 liter V-6 gives it plenty of power. I get ~24 mpg highway, and overall average 22 mpg, with about 70% highway driving. My 02 Subaru Outback averaged about 23 mpg, and considering the Santa Fe is larger, roomier and much more powerful, Im happy with the mileage. The interior of the Hyundai feels fairly upscale, and it is SO much quieter than my Subie ever was. Considering the size, it has a remarkably tight turning circle. The Santa Fe is a great choice if youre looking for a mid-size crossover SUV!