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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  Great family and work suv - 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Mike Conroy - July 2 - 9:00 pm

  The SantaFe is a great reliable SUV to have. Its a great SUV for families and for work. It not the greatest for fuel economy, but it isnt bad compared to most other SUVs. The SantaFe is amazing for storage for vacation, tools, and supplies that you need to move because of the back seat that folds down to the ground. Buy this SUV and you will love it so much.

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  Great Rental - might consider buying - 2008 Hyundai Azera
  By Vacationeer - July 2 - 3:54 pm

  An excellent car. We rented the Azera for a trip around the Northwest. I was initially skeptical about having a Hyundai (even with only 7 miles on it), but that wore off immediately. We could fit 5 suitcases, a full size stroller (folded) in the trunk and two kids in the back seat comfortably. Our round trip was from Portland, around the Olympic Peninsula, to Seattle and back to Portland. Whether cruising on 101 or climbing mountain roads to over 5000 feet, the Azera gave a smooth, comfortable, and powerful ride. MPG was quite reasonable for a full size car.

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  Hyundais Sports Sedan - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By jimpimms - July 2 - 10:50 am

  A bona fide sports sedan, and all for a paltry $13,999 MSRP. The included equipment for that price is phenomenal. Even with the moonroof-ABS-traction control package, its barely over 15Gs (plus delivery, fees, and taxes). Fit and finish is superb, inside and out. With the traction control option, the car refuses to plough in the corners, and holds the road like its on rails, even in the wet. The gutsy 2.0 litre 140hp engine accelerates spiritedly, ride and handling are well-balanced, and NVH is minimal. Add the impressive warranty and 5 year unlimited mileage roadside assistance, and its a deal you cant refuse.

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  After 1 year - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By Hueydriver - July 2 - 4:46 am

  Have had the Veracruz for 1 year and am still very pleased. No issues other than one minor recall. Very comfortable, very peppy. Nice fit and finish. Hyundai has come a long way.

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  Favorite SUV - 2017 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Melanie - July 1 - 6:05 pm

  I test drove the Rav4, CX-5, Escape, and Santa Fe before deciding finally on the Tucson. My previous vehicle was a VW GTI, so it was important to me to get something that still looked and felt sporty while driving it and this Tucson qualifies for all of that. While I felt the CX-5 handled slightly better around curves, the Tucson gave a smooth and quiet ride. The acceleration is there when I need it, without the bumps of a sporty suspension. Unfortunately, in Hyundai, in order to get a sunroof one must purchase the highest model (Limited-Ultimate) that also comes with navigation and leather seats (with rear passenger heated seats)! Also, the cargo cover and all weather mats do not come standard and can carry a hefty price tag. For me, the bonuses that came with the panoramic sunroof were worth the extra price! I will say I have noticed that this 7-speed transmission can take some getting used to. Much like my GTI DSG transmission, even though its an automatic, it FEELS like a manual at times. On inclines, and some coasting to acceleration scenarios the transmission has lagged to shift into the correct gear. Im currently researching this to see if there is something wrong or just something to get used to.

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  Great Deal on a 2007 Sonata - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Bryan Wood - July 1 - 12:47 pm

  We recently purchased this vehicle as a one year old vehicle. Has compared it with the 2008 Accord, Camry, Corolla, and Malibu. The price was great, and we saved $6- 7000 over the 2008 Accord or Camry. We are impressed. The car is roomy, comfortable, quiet, and has great trunk space. It feels like a much larger and higher priced car. Safety Features and Warranty are great and better than other comparables. MPG has been 24-25 average, high twenties on the highway. The fit and finish is very good to excellent. It does not feel or sound like a 4 cylinder at all. Very easy to park, and fits in the garage well due to short trunk lid. Great headroom and glass area. I would recommend to friends.

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  On 2nd thought..... - 2008 Hyundai Accent
  By mrmll37 - July 1 - 11:52 am

  I rated this car first of all after being very frustrated. The rattle is not fixed yet, but after having to take a 2600 mile trip, thank goodness for XM. The gas mileage was awesome, I, at one point, got over 400 miles on one tank, of course, filled to the brim. Comfort was awesome, even without cruise, but it hung with the big boys on the highway and in the mountains. I retract my first review.

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  Suprisingly fun and a great buy! - 2008 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Importguy84 - July 1 - 10:23 am

  I purchased this vehicle just a couple months ago to replace my 2001 Accord 5- speed. To my surprise this car drives better than most reviews I have read and is far better on gas. Power is not breath taking but I will say it is more peppy than its specs would suggest. I drive about 50% of the time on the highway and the other in the city. I average about 28 MPG, not bad at all. The very slight lack of power of this vehicle is made up for in the corners. This car can really hold its own in the corners. People are amazed by the look of this car and I always turn heads at the traffic light. Interior is bright and really makes a statement. Overall great car, if you havent driven one, try it out!

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  Good 1st Car - 2005 Hyundai Sonata
  By Mike - July 1 - 3:52 am

  I bought this car for my wife, whom is also an import, for a first car to learn with. I was pleasantly surprised with the handling. The car feels very nimble even in the mountains. The 4 cyl engine is smooth, but noisy. Not bad after getting moving at a moderate pace. Everything is built cheap and lightly, which probably explains the nimbleness. It has standard cloth seats which are not very comfortable. Good gas mileage.

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  Great car, expensive to maintain - 2005 Hyundai XG350
  By tracyr1 - June 30 - 6:47 am

  I agree with Aaron. The parts are foreign and arent always in stock. No problem with the transmission for me though. There is a glitch with the heating and a/c blower, it wont shut off. The problem has been noted and all you have to do is replace a blower motor resistor (located above and behind the glove compartment). The timing belt is a bit costly, $900, but its cheaper than buying a new car. The tires are a bit fancy and expensive to replace as you only get to choose from a couple options. Its a great car, ride is smooth and quiet. Love all of the options that come with the car, too. It is rich.