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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  Quality confirms decision to buy Hyundai - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By jsimecka - May 18 - 10:55 pm

  I bought the car new in Sept 2008 and it has been a delight. Very quiet while running, fun to drive, very tidy controls and interior, and more leg room in back seat than most small sedans. I can take my wife and two boys (13 and 15) and we dont feel cramped. Bought in Ft. Worth and drove to Topeka and it got 37 MPG. This was with no air and careful driving. Currently averages 32 MPG with a lot of stop and go driving. Now has 9,000 miles on it and I have not had any problems at all. Thanks to Consumer Reports for pointing out this Diamond in the Rough. You can not go wrong with this car.

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  Best Bang for the buck - 2004 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Rick in PA - May 18 - 10:00 am

  Great looks and great handling. Couple this with a great warranty and you have a car that rivals the RSX and Eclipse. The Tib has sleeker lines and a smoother ride than either the RSX, Eclipse, and even the Celica GT. I have about 800 miles on it and am averaging between 25-27 mpg, combined highway/city, not bad. Im trying to find reasons to drive it! Dollar for dollar, you cant beat it.

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  Love my Hyundai ! - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By Tuc41 - May 18 - 10:00 am

  I traded my 2002 Dodge Stratus SE in for this car. The trade in value on it was so low after only 2yrs. I couldnt stand it! I have only had this car for less than a month...but so far I just absolutely love it! Excellant options and price. I am still driving on the same gas as when I bought it. Also it has just as much room in it as my Stratus did. Very cosy car.

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  Hyundai Elantra GT - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By familyguy - May 18 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Elantra GT for the extra features. I have no complaints so far. Its built really solid, has good acceleration, and a very smooth ride for a small 4 cylinder. The engine is relatively quiet, and responsive. I would say that my Elantra can compete with nearly any compact in its class.

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  I love my Sonata - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By jannyr - May 18 - 10:00 am

  If you really want a great moderate sized car...check out the Hyundai Sonata. I surfed the web for months trying to locate a car I might like to buy. I ended up with the Sonata as my first choice and took the step and purchased it. It truly is a wonderful car. It has the feel of luxury rides like a dream, and the mileage is great. If you are looking for a beautiful a medium sized car with lots of class. Go for it! Take a test drive. It also included a rebate, 10 yr. 100,000 mile & 6 yr. bumper to bumper warranty. Even the paint has a 5 yr warranty. dont delay Sonata is the #2 rated car in America!

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  a real buy - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By zigzags - May 18 - 10:00 am

  we got good gas mileage over 20 per gal city driving .Did not hear any engine noise others were talking about.the car is a real bargain right now with the 2000 rebate

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  Hungry at the Pump - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Watchungman - May 18 - 12:20 am

  I have put my first 3000 miles on this truck. So far no problems. Comfortable for me and enough room for those Home depot trips. Rides quiet and smooth. Good handling with nice turn radius.

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  Thank you Hyundai! - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By candice - May 17 - 10:10 pm

  I have owned three Hyundai’s and I recently purchased an 07 Santa Fe Limited. On February 4, 2007 I wrote a negative review on this website and I am writing this as an update and amendment. Hyundai truly cares about their customers! After some determination I found a way to contact the right people within Hyundai corporate. They have rectified the situation to my satisfaction. They have also gone above and beyond the call of duty to make me fill like part of the Hyundai family. I went from being a very unhappy costumer to a loyal customer for life. Hyundai’s are very reliable and they rarely have problems but it is good to know that if something does arise, with a little determinat

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  Best Value - 2008 Hyundai Azera
  By Doug - May 17 - 9:05 pm

  Purchased used (rental) with 13,500 miles at more than $8,000 less than a new 09. I looked at all options in the mid-size/full size (new & used) and settled on the Azera when several became available from the rental fleets. Traded a 2005 Maxima. I use for business (sales) and needed something that was safe and comfortable. The Azera wins hands down! I have averaged around 25 mpg (75 highway/ 25 city) and find the freeway drive exceptional. Trunk & rear seat offer plenty of room. Ride in the city is a little sloppy compared to the Maxima.

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  My 6 months of research paid off! - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By dani24 - May 17 - 8:54 pm

  Best car Ive ever owned, by far. I dont put many miles on it, so I expect to have this car for a long time. Gas mileage = 20-23 MPG -- wish it were better. Drives very nicely and quiet. The only problems have been the side mirror motors sticking (they "release" after I work the switch for a minute), and the power antenna not always going down all the way (one or two soft starts of the car usually fixes this). And, paint chips a bit too easily (from door dings). Otherwise, fit & finish are great. The upgraded cloth seats are plush and comfy. Leather dash/steering has held up beautifully. And the car looks like a hybrid Mercedes C Class and a Jaguar. Ive received many compliments!