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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  18,000 miles and still great - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By fredtwenty2 - July 31 - 8:41 am

  Very happy with my $14,000 commuter car. excellent on gas, reliability, comfort and all around easy car to own. Im glad I didnt wait for the 2011 model, b/c it seems to be about $10,000 more.

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  I Traded My Lexus GS430 - Total Happy - 2012 Hyundai Genesis
  By wadebbi - July 26 - 7:25 pm

  I traded my Lexus GS430 for the 2012 Genesis with the premium package. I am 100% satisfied with my decision. Many asked me why I would part with my Lexus. All I can say is you have to drive it. Dollar for Dollar it cant be beat! Oh ya, I added the Genesis branded hood, trunk, and wheel emblems which really look great. I asked the dealer to install them at cost as part of my deal. 333 horses for a v6 is more than plenty of power. It moves deliberately, but its not a race car.

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  The Experts Are Right! - 2012 Hyundai Genesis
  By kenb7 - July 26 - 5:11 pm

  The 2012 Genesis is a wonderful car for the money. The extra 30 hp and the 8 speed transmission this year avoid the need the for V8. It is the equivalent of getting a fully loaded E350 MBZ with more rear leg room and a stronger engine for a price in the mid $30s. All you have to do is change the badging and wheel centers to "Genesis" (available on ebay) and your friends will swear youre driving a MBZ. The interior is very plush and confortable.

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  Very good to excellent in every way. - 2011 Hyundai Genesis
  By billsj - July 23 - 5:20 pm

  Having owned some of the competitors to the Genesis such as BMW 5 series and Audi A6, I can honestly say this vehicle is very, very comparable in almost every aspect, with the exceptions being the price and badge. The ride feels like a combination of cushion provided by clouds and solidity offered by my previous BMW 535. Right in the middle and smooth as silk.I initially wanted to wait for the 5.0 R-Spec which looks even more impressive by the way, but after my first test drive of the 4.6, I was sold. Funny thing is, I consider myself to be a savvy shopper who conducts diligent research, but the Genesis happened to be my first test drive and I never test drove any other brand!

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  Impress yourself. - 2012 Hyundai Genesis
  By mcandc - July 19 - 8:08 am

  I researched the 30-35k sedan landscape, ending up right where I thought I would, with a base 2012 Genesis 3.8 sedan. The Genesis joins our trouble-free 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe and replaces a V6 Honda Accord. Prior to the CPO Accord, acquired as a “quick need”, destined to be replaced in 12-18 months, I drove a Volvo S60 2.5 AWD and 2 Toyota Avalons, each for 3 years. Two Oldsmobile Auroras preceded those. Those around you are not likely to be impressed by the “H” on the trunk lid, so this is a car you drive solely for yourself and your passengers. When doing so, you will be rewarded with a strong sense of having chosen well.

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  So Far I Love This Car!!! - 2012 Hyundai Elantra
  By gendam - July 15 - 4:54 pm

  We just purchased a 2012 Elantra GLS with pref pkg. I down sized from my favorite vehicle, which was a Chevy Traverse, which I loved but needed better fuel mileage. I love the way this car drives and the seats are extremely comfortable. My 60 husband can sit in the back with no problem at all. My only complaint so far are that the headlights are not auto so I have to remind myself to turn them on, I am not use to that. I only have around 300 miles on the car so far and I am averaging 34 mpg with mixed driving. I am very happy with that and hope it stays or gets better.

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  Great compact car - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By fmcpherson - July 12 - 9:15 pm

  Test drove the Honda Civic, Accord, and Scions. None could compete with the Elantras price, equipment, style, warranty, and mileage. It is a very comfortable and fun car to drive. Back seat leg room in very impressive for its class. The only feature I dont like is the flat repair kit in place of a spare tire. Local dealerships were trying to add an additional $3,000 over MSRP, but I found a customer oriented dealership that didnt feel like taking advantage of customers on the popular models and sold me the car at a very good price.

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  2011 Genesis 4.6 - 2011 Hyundai Genesis
  By joefrank46 - July 10 - 10:27 am

  Ive had this car for 7 months, 8000 miles of both local and highway driving. Replaced an 06 Acura TL...no comparison! Performance and ride are great. Averaging 27 mpg hwy, 22 in town. The ride is comparable to the 525 I had prior to the TL. For the money, this car cant be beat! Maintenance costs (oil chgs) to date average $40! Biggest flaw I can find is the trunk interior is not the most lavish...better (trunk) carpeting would be an improvement. This car makes you want to take the long way!

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  Update - 2012 Hyundai Elantra
  By thfrazer - July 8 - 7:14 pm

  Sorry about the last review. The editors at Edmunds didnt quite get it right. I admit it was long. Exterior: Unique, eye catching, not mundane. Interior: Well appointed, well laid out. Very nice fit and finish. Excellent leg room in back. Relatively quiet. Motor: Powerful and responsive for a 4 cylinder. Somewhat noisy when pushed, but provides the power you need. Does well passing on the interstate. Other Mechanical Items: The brakes are good, the steering is responsive, and the knobs and buttons do not feel or look cheap. AC works great here in Florida. Radio w/ XM is nice, but I wish it had more power to push the speakers.

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  Very pleased - 2012 Hyundai Accent
  By t_lecuyer - July 7 - 2:27 pm

  Ive now owned my Accent for 2 weeks and I have nothing but good things to say about my purchase. The styling is impressive and they have definitely stepped up in terms of overall quality and features for this model. I love the Eco and the MPG feature that helps me with gas mileage and all of this without affecting the torque. They added the features that are available on the higher end models in their smaller model and it makes for a great little car. The engine has the same power as my 2006 Elantra had and it drives smoothly all around. The only issue I would pass on is the comfort of the headrests, which I got used to quickly. My wife not as much, but all in all the comfort is there