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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  Not just a great value, a great car. - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By Rallyred - January 19 - 10:00 am

  I visited dealerships every day over a full week and test drove almost a dozen competing vehicles. I still cant believe that exactly the right car for me was also the cheapest. Of course this car isnt for everybody. But if you care about driving enjoyment, comfort, and most of all utility, test drive this car immediately! Besides looking great, the interior is highly functional and the seats are very comfortable for long drives. For some people, the exterior of any hatchback takes getting used to. But it wont take long to appreciate all that cargo area! Just dont be surprised when everybody asks you about your new Saab (or Lexus).

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  GREAT - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By SMITH - January 19 - 10:00 am

  EXCELLENT VEHICLE IN AND OUT WITH GREAT PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING. THE CHANGES THEY MADE WERE EXCELLENT.

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  She is the one..... - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By Tylerjr - January 18 - 9:56 pm

  This is the best car that Ive ever driven. My family has cars such as the Toyota Camary and the Cadillac CTS. I have to say that the Azera handles better than both of those cars. The build quality is excellent and the standard features are to many to number. This car turns heads and is very beautiful in apperance. Kudos to Hyundai for making a car that can challenge the more expensive cars for less the price. Keep making cars like this affordable for those without a lot of money.

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  Gets Lots of Attention! - 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
  By Val - January 18 - 6:00 pm

  A beautiful car that gets lots of attention. Handles very well. Gas mileage isnt as good as advertised but not bad for a sports car. Poorly- designed front bumper as it catches on every parking curb - has been ripped off once and scrapes every time. Auto body shop says he sees this car for same problem frequently. Brake pad rumbles/vibrates when coming to hard stop. Blue Tooth Technology not so good - takes too long to engage the cell phone. Otherwise, Ive really enjoyed the car.

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  Great Car - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Nate - January 18 - 12:51 pm

  I love this car. The 4 cyl engine has plenty of power. It handles well and give a very comfortable ride (Im 6 2"). The incredible warranty also lets me budget for only tires and oil changes during the next three years. Before I bought the car I also looked at a Camry and an Accord but the bottom line is that the Sonata can stand toe-to-toe with those cars and you do not pay for the brand name.

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  Santa Fe...... Something Special! - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Amla - January 18 - 6:56 am

  It has silent engine, smooth going, stylish look, lovely interiors, competitive price and great warranty. All You need is zeal and quest to drive this vehicle. Ofcourse Auto Pundits are branded boys to rate the vehicles accordingly. So it didnt surprise me rating Santa Fe less than the poor performers & hard sellers.

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  So Far SO good - 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
  By MikeM - January 18 - 1:48 am

  Really enjoy it. My first hybrid, so Im still getting used to the braking feel. The hybrid system is seamless and the balance between power and economy is excellent. The car has a very premium feel. The ride is smooth and steering feels consistent. The vented seats work great, and the climate control is strong and flexible. Back seat comfort is high and plenty of room for two passengers with a car seat. Trunk is sizable. I opted not to get the Ultimate, but sometimes wish I had for a better touchscreen, the panoramic roof and some more safety bells and whistles. A few nits: my drivers side window will freeze half way up and head back down; sometimes it takes a few cycles of up and down to get it to close properly. The Limited (no Ultimate) touchscreen is SMALL and doesnt pack a lot of info. The clock and compass are far out of normal drivers sight lines. And I havent been able to get the drivers seat consistently comfortable. Overall very happy, and would definitely recommend. I chose this over a Mazda 6, which was a close second

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  Great Vehicle - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Muppit - January 17 - 12:10 pm

  I drive 1100 miles a week, to work and back, and this car has been faultless for the past 23K miles. And yes I do preventive maintenance, to assist this, such as 3K miles oil changes, tires, etc. And have only really incurred the cost of four Yokohama 520 tires which are superb on this vehicle. Get one youll be surprised at this good all round secret. PS 32-33 mpg (95% highway).

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  Not to be expected of Hyundai - 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
  By pcseely - January 16 - 3:36 pm

  Fantastic car to drive. I have had a few longer road trips and the car feels the road like you would expect from a european model of $20K more. I am a tall man 63" and sitting in the drivers seat feels extremely comfortable and has great visability. I fell in love with the look from the 2009 model and have received numerous compliments from people. Each one has been shocked this was a Hyundai. The car has aggressive lines and the two-tone interior really adds the extra sportiness to the black exterior. Very happy about my decision.

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  I Trusted the reviews - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By rRobert W. Grant - January 15 - 5:43 pm

  My 2009 Santa Fe had a major engine failure after 10 days (400K). The repair took 5 days. My request for a replacement vehicle was declined even though I was led to believe that this would be the case. In the meantime, one tail-light has water in it, the driver door vibrates and clicks, the fuel consumption is now 17 litres per 100K and the seats are terrible.