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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  Value for money - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Sundar - November 1 - 11:26 am

  Bought new and driving for almost 4 years - no breakdowns till date - running smooth. Poor mileage (19-20 mpg)- time to replace the stock tires (39,000 - guess not bad). Car used to pull towards right - aligned the wheels twice (almost everytime during the scheduled service) - they cant figure out why its pulling like that - now theyre saying it could be due to worn out tires - but the problem started after 20k miles.. I am going to put Michelin on it next week and balance the wheels once again - will see if the problem still persists. Otherwise a great car - my first car was a sonata which also did great for 5 years.. I hope Tuscon also does well in the coming years!

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  Yes, still happy.. - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By LS - October 30 - 8:59 am

  54000 miles and still happy. Cruise control button sometimes sticks.. Brakes are a bit catchy when cold but have good feel within minutes of driving. Great acceleration, lovely 6 speed gearbox, love the paddle shifts, nav, heater, a/c etc.. all work great. Overall I am happy with the car. Recalls are a bummer especially the last one but I am hoping that Hyundai come through as they have up to now.. Update from my last report: 65000 miles and all is well. My Sonata is performing as expected.., no problems to report. Update: 69000 miles, cold weather is here and I am reminded how well the heater/climate control works. Heats quickly, windows defrost quickly too.. still enjoying the car, no surprises, good car!

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  What - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By Fitzgerald - October 27 - 8:03 pm

  Performance, ride, quality, design, warranty and features are all good reasons to own this vehicle. While we have only had it a short time the warranty alone is a good reason to buy this car.

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  Economical & Reliable - 1999 Hyundai Elantra
  By Smhromeo - October 26 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new. Engine has been great and with over 100,000 miles, still runs like it is new. Never broke down. Recently replaced spark plug wires and battery, but no other problems with engine. Always kept up with scheduled maintenance. Came with Michelin tires and lasted 55,000 miles. Replaced brakes for the first time at 80,000. Spent very little out of pocket. Did get extended warranty to 100,000 and did use it to replace the retractors on the windows. GOOD CAR FOR THE PRICE!

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  New Santa Fe Owner - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By jpsphr - October 23 - 1:53 am

  Just let go of an Acura MDX at the end of a four year lease. Loved the MDX. So far, I have to say that the Santa Fe is a much cheaper but almost as satisfying vehicle. Its more the size of an RDX, but the features are similar to the MDX, the Santa Fe is QUIETER and the fuel economy is better. The Acura is quicker, handles a bit better and has a legitimate third row. When I showed the Hyundai off to some friends, they couldnt believe the quality of the fit and finish. Now, lets see if it is as satisfying after 4 years.

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  will miss ya baby - 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By macbratt68 - October 21 - 9:23 pm

  I will be trading in my 02 Santa fe to purchase a 06 Honda Element. This car has been so great I actually feel bad about trading it in. I had planned on driving it into the ground but decided to trade it in before it lost all value. Had a few bumps in begining with dealership- they never lubed on front wheel/brake and it wore out instantly. Dealer always fought over what was covered under warranty.After the first year things were great. So much room my friends were envious. At least they would have been if it didnt say HYUNDAI on the back. Cant shake that cheap stigma even though its a 22k car. Not sure I would ever buy another.

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  Great Value for the Price - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By JohnnyV - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I would like readers of my review to keep in mind that I think very highly of this car because it has a lot of features and refinement for the money. However there are some negatives. The styling is rather bland both inside and out. The fuel economy is not as good as it could be compared to other commuter cars like the Civic and Corolla. The leather seats are not as comfortable as they could be. The cars value comes in when talking about the powertrain and build quality which are both very smooth, tight, powerful, and quiet. The car gives the driver the feeling that it will last for a very long time. I would recommend this car to anybody who values quality and price.

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  Catchy Title - 2017 Hyundai Elantra
  By Rocky DaBoxer - October 20 - 10:06 pm

  It is a Hyundai and if you have Acura or Lexus expectations, you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a competent, well equipped vehicle that is suited for long and short drives then you wont be disappointed. I drive 1,000 miles a week and love the Elantra. It handles the highway with ease, greats great fuel economy, and is very comfortable for me. Cons: OEM Nexen tires on my limited edition Elantra SUCK. They are the worst tires I have ever ridden on and are ok in dry weather but dangerous in rain or snow. Power is a little anemic especially at 7000 feet where I live (we lose 20% horsepower at our altitude). Vehicle easily cruises at 85-90 mph once it attains speed. Engine is VERY quiet and so quiet that my wife has forgotten to shut it off a couple of times. Seats are comfortable for me so no complaints there. It could use a little more power but when Im feeling the need for speed, I hop into my Santa Fe Sport 2.0turbo which is a sleeper. Great vehicle and I really like it and think the average buyer will be impressed.

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  2002 Sonata - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By Cleme - October 20 - 2:00 am

  Great car ! I have enjoyed the ride, style and everything. Could improve the interior light range of flexibility.

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  Pleased with the Sonata - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By ajsolorio - October 19 - 2:00 am

  We have loved our Sonata. The service we recieve from our Hyundai dealership is second to none. The car has been reliable and very fuel efficient. It is a comfortable ride and a great family vehicle with a great amount of trunk space as well as cabin space. It does not have a strong engine with a quick response but the shift-tronic is a wonderful added benefit for quick response.