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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  Buh Bye Hundai........ - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By No Thanks - June 13 - 12:22 am

  I bought this car to replace a 2003 Elantra GT 5 door, which was a good car. It was a pretty good car until I was in an accident 10 months after purchasing it. I was hit head on and the drivers airbag did not deploy when it should have. At least the seat belt worked. I contacted Hyundai about the airbags not deploying. Hyundai didnt seem to care. Since the Elantra depreciated quite a bit in 10 months, I got a disappointing check from the insurance company after my car was totaled. I went out and bought a Mazda 3. which was my 2nd choice. Hyundai has standard airbags in their cars, but I guess the deployment of the airbags is optional. Thanks Hyundai, but no thanks...

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  Air Bag Did Not Deploy - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By NJCommuter - June 10 - 1:13 pm

  I had a 2005 Hyundai Elantra and stupidly rear-ended someone. After the impact I sat there staring at the “AIR BAG DEPLOYED” flashing light and wondered where the bag was. Thank God I didn’t need it. Can you imagine if I had needed it what would have happened. Beware and get this equipment checked. I’ll never own another Hyundai. The Elantra was my second and had two bad experiences. Never again.

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  problems with Sonata - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By John Franklin - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Transmission problem right off the lot Recall from corporate about the side airbags being too sensitive Horsepower misrating 181 should be 170 Missing dome light in rear roof area Hyundai says it will cost $1200-$1300 to install one... My gripe? It should have been there to begin with!

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  Dont Buy - 2007 Hyundai Accent
  By karmangl - June 1 - 6:02 pm

  Ive had my car for just about a year and a half. It started since day 1 of bringing it into the dealer to have a check engine light looked at. A year and a half later they find out that they had to replace the intake manifold and 7 valves. Now after 3 weeks of getting my car back, I cannot drive it because they FORGOT or RUSHED to hook up the fuel line so gas is Running out of my car when its running. I have to wait to have it towed to the dealer tomorrow to have the FIX what they did. When I can trade this thing in and not be upside down on the car I will. DO NOT BUY!

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  Not Happy - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By very unhappy - May 29 - 9:49 am

  Thrilled to buy my first new car ever! Love the ride, never have achieved the 30 MPG on the sticker, closest is 27 MPG when the wind is at my back going 55. Climate control replaced in first month, armrest and window assembly in second month. Now it has rust spots on it which the dealership is calling industrial fallout. I pointed out that I have lived and worked in the same rural location for 22 years and have never had this happen to any other vehicle I have owned. They dont care. I have also had to replace burned out headlights 6 times. Wish I had stuck with buying used GMs. Now I am stuck with my nightmare "dream car". Good mind to drive about with a big lemon stuck on it.

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  LEMON! - 2001 Hyundai Elantra
  By Scrmonster90 - May 27 - 2:00 am

  If only I could go back & turn back time. What an AWFUL experience with this car. It took almost 3 months to get, because I wanted the ABS/traction control in a certain color. Then, after only 6 months the car started dying after being filled with gas. I finally said THATS IT & went to the BBB Autoline & took it to arbitration. The arbitrator decided in my favor & its being repurchased by Hyundai. I cant wait to see the look on the faces of the people at the dealership. They treated me as if I were crazy that the car died. Back at em & beware of purchasing one of these vehicles!!

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  Why? - 2001 Hyundai Accent
  By Mike - May 18 - 10:11 pm

  These cars arent meant for mountain driving, but more for city. Granted it is supposed to hold 5 adults, these adults must be pretty small. It can fit four adults decently and I would not recommend it long agonizing drives like when I would have to drive from Arizona to California. (Those were long trips!!) We bought the thing with 100K miles on it, but after putting 5K on it the tranny died and it was stuck that way. (No money for repairs.) We lived in a valley so... mountainous driving this car doesnt like! But anyways, if you live in L.A. or New York and put few miles on it daily and baby the thing, it is a decent automobile.

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  FRONT SEAT SO UNCOMFORTABLE..WONT DO A THING! - 2016 Hyundai TUCSON
  By NANCY WARNER - May 12 - 9:39 pm

  For such a new 2016 car the front seat is so uncomfortable and went to the dealer 3xs and they wouldnt do a thing except tell me to buy a cushion...That would get in the way of the heated and A/C seat that I paid for? And Hundai themselves only noted this and so far wont do a thing??? So I am to drive for years and be uncomfortable after paying so much?? That is not a good company if you ask me!

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  Sick Of It!!!!!!!! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Anita - May 12 - 9:28 pm

  I have had this car for two years. I absolutely loved it when I first got it but that soon changed. First, the power window motor went out which the dealership replaced. Second, the alternator had to be replaced. Third, the engine had to be replaced. Fourth, the flywheel had to be replaced. Im just waiting to see what goes out next. I called the dealership to try to trade this piece of junk and was told to come down and they would help me trade and give me the employee price. That was a joke. I purchased a lemon from them and I was stuck with it. I wouldnt recommend this car or the dealership.After reading the reviews, most people seem to be satisfied. Now I know I purchased a lemon.

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  Very Poor Reliability - 2007 Hyundai Entourage
  By Paul - May 12 - 12:59 pm

  DO NOT PURCHASE (2007 model) Problems to date 1) Power steering gasket blew (under 2 yrs old) 2) Reversing sensors are unreliable and do not work consistently.. Hyundai can not reproduce and therefore are not willing to replace under warranty (we have even sent a video of the problem to them). 3) Unable to start van.. power & battery OK.. had it towed to dealer... next day van started ok. 4) Brake calipers under sized for weight of van.. rotors wearing down fast and warping under heat. 5) Customer service a disgrace. If anybody else in Western canada has these problems with Hyundai please drop me a note.