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 car for the price - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Al - May 15 - 1:16 pm

  Handles great on interstate as well as secondary roads. Good acceleration even with the 2.4 (4 cyl). Love the body styling, first foreign car I have purchased. It will not be the last.

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  HAPPY HYUNDAI - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
  By me & my car - May 15 - 1:00 pm

  My first elantra was bought in 2000. Had an accident in 2006 and bought another one... Wouldnt purchase another car. For the price, waranty, comfort, reliablity, style, etc. What other kind of transportation is there? n-o-n-e. Keep up the great job in manufacturing such a tremedous car for the $$$$$... You can keep your Benz, beemer, Lexus, vet, etc. Give my a Hyundai anytime (and you still have money left for gas!)

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  Cool for a family car! - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Gabe - May 15 - 5:00 am

  So far the car has amazed us with all the standard features. I really like the ac controls and the air bags that surround you and all the passengers. It looks make it seem like the car cost more than it really does. I was able to get my car at $500 back of invoice so the car came out under $20,000. Which is amazing for all the feature you get. I would guess for a Honda Accord with the same feature would cost around $26,000.

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  Great Car - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Al - May 15 - 4:03 am

  I have had this car a little bit more than a year (28000 miles), and have only good things to say about it. Fun to drive, very reliable (only visits to the dealership are for scheduled services), very comfortable. Finding the right position on the drivers seat took me a while, but since then, absolutely no back pain or leg cramps. Sound system is very good. Gas mileage about 30 mpg highway @65 mph. Average runs about 24-25 mpg. Powerful engine. Quiet, smooth drive. In summary, you cant beat this deal. Plenty of car for the money.

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  Outstanding Car!! - 2007 Hyundai Azera
  By Ken - May 15 - 12:53 am

  I researched a bunch of cars, came close to buying a Toyota Camry vs. Nissan Altima until I read about the Hyundai. I went to the local dealer to look at a 2009 Sonata and ended up falling in love with a used 2007 Azera. This is by far the best car Ive ever owned for a fraction of the price I paid for Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, and Audi. Congratulations to the South Koreans for producing an outstanding car! In contrast to other reviews I get about 20 mpg around town and 28-33 on the road.

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  Great car - 2008 Hyundai Accent
  By Maury - May 14 - 9:56 pm

  This is my second Hyundai and I am very pleased with the Accent as much as I was with the Sonata. The car has lots of power with the a/c on and it is a fun car to drive.

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  Love My Tucson - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Rebekah M - May 14 - 5:10 pm

  This has to be my favorite vehicle. The only thing has ever been an issue was the noise the ABS system made when doing its self check and that stopped after about 13000 miles. I will definately keep this car for awhile.

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  Nice car but.. - 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By solarfried - May 13 - 10:34 pm

  Drove the car for 3 weeks. Noisy you hear every bump on the road and feel most of them. The 4 cylinder cannot decide which gear to accelerate in. When you press accelerator a bit (not floor it) or floor it it it takes a second or two to decide to go. The handling at speed is a bit less than precise and the car can be all over the lane if its windy. Had the previous model with a v6 and it was much better. If you want one, I higly recommend, take in on the xpressway with radio off and listen to the noise. No two Santa Fes ride the same. You might find one that is actually quiet. This one was one noisy car. The tire noise was obtrusive. The road noise got transmitted into the vehi

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  Brand New CAr - 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring
  By scottygirl - May 13 - 10:03 am

  Just bought the new Hyundai Touring brand new to this country. So far it has been fun to drive. I like the way it handles in the city.It was between this car and a Honda Accord. The touring sits up a little higher then the Honda. Also got more for my money and a trip odometer.

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  American Dream in Korea? - 2006 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Zodnoyeb - May 13 - 9:50 am

  I love this vehicle! It reminds me of the way American made cars were before the 1970s. The body and suspension are solid. Unlike an American made auto, I can lean against my Tucson without fear of denting the side or fender! This is not recycled a recycled coke or beer can vehicle! As for the ride, reminds me of a 1963 Caddy. Quick wheel response, comfortable seats, smooth ride. For the money the Hyundai Tucson is an exceptional value. And the standard safety features beats anything produced in America! The down side is that if Hyundai continues producing this quality vehicle they will no doubt sell less with each passing year. I look forward to driving my Tucson for many years to come.