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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  EASY MOD - 2013 Hyundai Veloster
  By Robert Carra - April 10 - 7:13 am

  Remove the intake resonator, and install a good CAI. Swap the throttle body for an Elantra 60MM PN# 5151002E100. If you swap Exhaust no bigger then 2" or add a good axle back.

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  Great - 2017 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jason Hakes - April 10 - 4:38 am

  Edmunds helped us feel confident with our purchase and gave us some help when dealing with the dealership.

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  Excellent car for the price!!! - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By alainbock - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I am really impressed by what is offered in this car for such a low price.

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  A lot of bang for your buck - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By alfarocat - April 9 - 6:20 pm

  There are a lot of features that are standard here (example: ABS) that are extra on similar cars, like the Toyota Corolla. Its got great safety features--6 airbags! The interior is roomy and comfortable. The dash instrumentation is nice. Acceleration, while not great, is good enough. Its got XM radio, free for 3 months.

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  Great! - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By Kelly Collier - April 9 - 11:46 am

  We love this vehicle. We have owned Subarus and Chryslers previously, and there is no comparison. It is very well put together and the interior ergonomics are very user friendly. We have 5 children and have plenty room for daily commutes. On longer trips if it were not for the luggage rack on top you would be in trouble. No additional storage with rear seats up.

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  Not Honda, Hyundai - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By Critic - April 9 - 10:00 am

  I have been a loyal Honda owner - until now. Hyundai has done a very good job in the Elantra GT. I was looking for a reasonbly priced sedan and found the GT! It is pleasure to drive and the performance is ample for a car in the economy class. Kudos to Hyundai. The dealer was attentive and responsive to a few minor details that needed to be fixed. I have only 1600 miles on it so far and am continually impressed. I paid just over $15,000, as the car has every option. Averaging 30 - 35 mpg with mix of city/hwy. Quiet at 75 or so and stable.

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  Very Good Value - 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
  By swiler - April 9 - 7:50 am

  Genesis coupe may not win any awards for practicality, but its a thrill to drive. Steers like a race car. On snow, this car handles better with rear wheel drive than some cars with front wheel drive. Must be because front tires are narrower than rear tires, and light weight engine causes center of gravity to be closer to rear traction wheels.

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  Terrible headlights - 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Charles Skip Ferguson - April 9 - 6:08 am

  Everything is except the head lights

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  Trouble child - 2004 Hyundai Accent
  By kenosmom - April 8 - 7:18 pm

  Bought my Accent GT new and regretted that purchase! Transmission troubles plagued it (my neighbor also has an 04 Accent and had to have tranny replaced at 30,000 miles). Blew out valves upon traveling over Blue Ridge mountains. Traded it in after owning for a troublesome 8 months for a Jeep. Never looked back! My first and last Hyundai!

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  Not the fuel mileage you would expect! - 2006 Hyundai Accent
  By kgirl - April 8 - 6:33 pm

  I bought this car specifically to get better gas mileage as my old car, a 99 Buick Century, was getting up there and losing its MPGs (about 20- 21). As the gas prices soared, I thought I could and should do better, it was time for a new car. With all the Hyundai spots advertising 30/39, I thought the Accent would save me so much money in the future. Wrong! The car only gave me 21MPGs out of the gate. I bought one of those air flow jobbies and only got it up to 23- 24MPGs. I could have stayed in my Buick for this and it was already paid off! The look and the reliability are great, but Im so disappointed overall. What was the point if the MPGs arent nearly what theyre claiming them to be?!