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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  First Hyundai and its been great - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By fearnewine66 - June 17 - 5:24 pm

  I must say I am very impressed with the sonata, my first brand-new car. I drive over 51k hard miles per year and I have had no mechanical problems. The vehicle is reasonably quick, the XM and all of the safety features are great and it is an excellent highway cruiser. Fuel economy is between 21- 29, Ive never cracked 30. Build quality is generally good but I dont think the paint should chip so easily nor should the plastic protectors at the bottom flake off. Still this vehicle is an absolute bargain, I considered a Camry and accord and the Hyundai drives just as well them---at a lower price and a with a better warranty:)

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  ok for the money - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By jeff - June 17 - 4:22 pm

  Daily driver, the first year the car seemed pretty solid. After that you started hearing more noise. Too much maintance for such a small car. If you dont follow the schedule it will void the so called 100,000 mile warranty!

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  Good car for the money - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By patriot44 - June 17 - 3:04 pm

  Car handles very well. Gas mileage is GREAT!! Head room in front is not very good. Cup holder in the front is not very secure. Lots of room for a mid- size car. I test drove a Honda Accord and a Toyota Camry and this car drives as well or better than both of them. Not as nice inside, but for the money its a very good car.

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  Quality, Reliable Luxury with Tiny Price - 2005 Hyundai Sonata
  By Christina - June 17 - 12:45 pm

  My 2005 Sonata has all the bells that you would expect to find on a car that costs $10K more. Its zippy - great for driving to work - and in the 3+ years Ive owned it, I have NOT ONCE had any issues. It is the most maintenance-free vehicle I have ever owned. (Had a Ford Explorer and Mits. Eclipse before - both were ALWAYS in the shop.) In fact, 3 other family members have since bought Hyundais (new and used) and no one has had any mechanical problems, which leads me to believe that the negative reviews are fairly isolated. I am now looking to buy the Veracruz - sticking with Hyundai because of the value & quality of its product. I trust Hyundai and definitely would buy another.

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  Never thought I go from a S550 Benz to a Hyundai! - 2016 Hyundai Genesis
  By Chris G. - June 17 - 10:16 am

  Im not bragging but Ive owned Porsches, an Audi A8, 2 Benz S Classes and 4 BMWs. The thought of driving a Hyundai was the furthest thing from my mind until I started reading reviews. This car out-handles my S550 in AMG trim with 19" Pilot Sports! The technology package wows me. Filling up the 18 gal. tank with regular costs $30 compared to double+ that for premium blend in all previous vehicles. I suspect the Genesis engineers reverse engineered the car to mirror image the features of an S class or 7 series Bimmer. Would I do it again -you bet! Pros: ~ Costs half what a new S class would run me. ~ Debadged with the Genesis "wings" front & rear, looks like an Aston Martin. ~ Crazy good sound system that handles all medias including songs on my phone. ~ Handles like a dream - take that ultimate driving machine! ~ Excellent fit & finish. ~ "Command" center very intuitive - better than most other high end vehicles. ~ Just feels, looks and drives like a fine automobile! Cons: ~ Less storage room than Im used to. ~ No active bolsters or massage in seats. ~ Fuel economy around town 16-18 mpg. (but regular gas) ~ Motor lacks the ooomph and sound of the MB 8 cylinder More to come as the miles rack up.

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  Look before you buy a Toyota or Honda! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Frank - June 17 - 9:46 am

  I was looking for a reliable, fuel efficient car to replace my SUV. I drove cars from Honda, Toyota and Nissan. On a whim, I drove the Sonata. What a surprise! Its as smooth and quiet as a Lexus and sips gas like a Civic. Outstanding warranty, huge trunk, great looks, and thousands less than the competition. Only have 10,000 miles so I cant speak to reliability, but so far so good.

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  Okay car, but I found better - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By Patrick - June 16 - 4:24 pm

  OK car overall. Nice interior - instrument panel and blue lighting were nice, but pleather was cheap. POOR GAS MILEAGE! About 18 MPG - Lower than sticker. Brake pads had to be replaced constantly. The auto trans was not that good, never had any probs with it, but it coulda shifted smoother. Engine had a rattle to it when accelerating up hills - had it checked out, but was told that the noise was normal and didnt seem to effect performance. Also when turning steering wheel, it made a scratching noise. Overall, the car had a few rattles and noises that were minor which didnt effect the performance of the car, but were annoying since they were constant.

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  gas guzzler where is the promised m.p.g? - 2007 Hyundai Accent
  By accent hatch back - June 16 - 2:07 pm

  Your advertised m. P. G on sales sticker and email of 33 mpg is wrong. My wife averages 20.5 mpg around town at average speed of 45 mph shopping locally round trip 10 miles 3 or 4 times per week. Have car tested.

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  great used car! - 2005 Hyundai Sonata
  By BIG DADDY - June 16 - 2:06 pm

  This car has never broke down and been to the dealer for unnecessary service. This has been the most dependable car I have ever owned. Great mileage! 34 mpg highway. I have put on more than 75,000 mile. When I trade in someone will have a great car.

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  Update on my 5/something/2010 review - 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring
  By babaaus - June 16 - 5:18 am

  Now at 58K and STILL loving this fun little car! Its so much fun to drive with the 5-speed manual and it cruises right along. Plenty of get-up and go! Id buy another one in a heartbeat!