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:

• 

  Pleasantly surprised - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By bigal11 - November 23 - 3:42 am

  This brand has come a long way. Great commuter. Not as refined in suspension as my 12 Jetta TDI but very good. MPG on 2 tanks: 38 and 41, better than the Jetta diesel. Easy 6sp to train newbies. Interior, Bluetooth, infotainment jacks, also surprises me. Nice to know my kid wont be tempted into texting at the wheel. I bought it for my daughter to finish High school and go to University. 100K waranty makes me feel much better about that. I simply cant think of a better choice for my purpose.

• 

  You will like this car, but might not love it - 2013 Hyundai Veloster
  By paul_c1 - November 22 - 5:08 am

  The Veloster is one of those cars that will turn heads like the Mini Cooper did when it is re-released in the early 2000s. Stylish and different with a next generation interior, this car is fun to own. You will like it, but will probably not love it. Compared to the Mini Cooper, its performance and handling is terrible. Even with the manual transmission, it is impossible to get enough torque out of the engine to make it fun. That being said, the panoramic sun roof, comfortable seats and great sound system help make this car enjoyable. An improvement in performance and handling is certainly doable. If Hyundai makes this happen, watch out.

• 

  2nd XG - 2003 Hyundai XG350
  By KD - November 22 - 4:00 am

  Had an 01 XG300 that I bought new. This is an improved model, however Gas mileage goes to "pot" over 72 "ish" mph. Other than that it is a sound commuter with luxuries found in much more expensive price tags. Reliable auto that I hope goes the 148K the last one did!

• 

  well worth the money - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By value buyer - November 21 - 12:56 am

  Sonata beats other cars in its class when it comes to the performance/price ratio.

• 

  Very good car...but not perfect - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Henry - November 19 - 2:43 am

  With one exception, this has been a great car. The drivers side seat (non-powered but adjustable)has a squeak that has not been "repairable" after the third visit. The seat is comfortable, but squeaks at stops and starts. It can get rather annoying. Otherwise the car has been all that I could ask for, especially at the price.

• 

  Seller Source - 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By nireesha - November 17 - 10:46 pm

  Buy from a proper dealer who cares for your business, and make sure it was not a smoking Vehicle

• 

  Ear-to-Ear Grin - 2002 Hyundai XG350
  By Epondo - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I rate vehicle ride quality for a living. Ive driven many different vehicles. The XG350L that I own is on par with cars that cost thousands of dollars more. In fact, the only vehicle that Ive driven that had better ride quality was a Lexus LS400, several years ago. So far, I am very happy with my purchase. The car is fun and very comfortable. It looks fantastic. The heated seats are perfect for the northern climate I live in (my wife loves the seats too. She can turn the heated seat on and the heater can be turned down, making me more comfortable). The sound system is fantastic. What a great car!

• 

  excellent vehicle - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By S Pasquale - November 13 - 10:00 am

  I owned a 2002 Santa Fe and then traded up to a 2004. I absolutely love it. Its great on gas and I love the design, not boxy like the other SUVs

• 

  Beats my Buick!! - 2001 Hyundai XG300
  By m. wolf - November 12 - 11:46 pm

  I purchased my 2001 XG300L used in Feb of 2005 with 26,419 miles. It only has 28,000 miles on it now and, as mentioned in another review, I have noticed a slight shudder when the auto transmission shifts. I took it to a local transmission shop for routine service (since the warranty didnt transfer) and they didnt seem too excited about it, so...well see. I was expecting better gas mileage. I am only getting 19-20 city (on good days!). Other than these concerns, I like it.

• 

  Couple of things to watch for before you buy - 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By snix51 - November 9 - 11:32 am

  The beige dashboard panels glares horribly off the windshield. Check this out before you buy. Maybe you can ignore it - I cant. I have put a black towel over the panel to the left of the steering wheel to knock out the glare. And awful blind spots, particuarly on the drivers side. I had to put a "blind spot mirror" on outside mirror. Hyundai should be put in those "blind spot warning lights" in the future. These are the only two things I have to say against this car. Otherwise, I love it.