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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  Flagship of cars under $30K - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By Gidz - September 19 - 11:16 pm

  I love this car. It has so many standard features that you wont imagine in any car under $30K. I highly recommened this car.

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  Exceeded all of my expectations - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By mchoi - September 19 - 4:26 pm

  Ive had this car for a couple of months now and I love it to bits. When I was making the decision to buy a car, it was between the Accord & the Sonata. I test drove the Sonata first and loved how it felt the moment my foot depressed the accelerator. When I test drove the Accord, I was somewhat disappointed. Granted, the Accord is a very solid, reliable car but that was it (I was also looking at the V4 engine so Im not speaking for the V6). I test drove the Sonata again and fell in love all over again, 198 ponies and all. The GDI is great and makes the driving experience a lot of fun. All in all, very solid, reliable car, fun to drive, looks great, and a great price!

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  Day two! - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By ejg - September 19 - 1:20 pm

  The ride is very smooth and quiet. The engine has good pick-up but is quiet. Front view is open and unobstructed. The interior is very roomy, especially in the back seat. Leather seating is very soft and comfortable compared to other vehicles. The 6-disc stereo system is very nice. The warranty coverage and excellent pricing convinced me to purchase this car. Not to mention the 5 years roadside assistance. A lot of the saftey features in this car that was standard, but optional in other vehicles played a huge role in my decsion to purchase as well. I would highly recommend to anyone whos looking for a car that is comfortabe, stylish and reasonably price to purchase this vehicale.

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  This is not a Hyndai! - 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Shark - September 18 - 10:00 am

  The car acceleration is terrific. I never spected this much from a Hyundai and the interior is better that the previous Tib. I had a 99 Tib and i can not believe how this car had change in 3 years. Although the car is not perfect, it is better than the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the Tib. quality have improved. But, the best thing is the warranty and the exterior.

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  SWEET CAR - 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
  By CC - September 18 - 10:00 am

  We have owned a SS camaro and SVT Cobrs, OF COURSE it does not have the same power, but is fun to drive. I got mine with leather, v-6, sunroof and saved 6 grand over the same eclipse GT.

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  Best Bang for the Buck in a Midsize - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By Sonata - September 18 - 10:00 am

  The whole Hyundai experience from walk- in to drive home was superb at Tom OBrien Hyundai in Danvers. The 2002 Sonata is commonly mistaken for a Jaguar so the new styling is definately a winner. The V6 power is super and the ameneties seem endless. The heat is exceptional and the AC is incredible. I test drove Camry, Galant and Accord. The Accord was great but I couldnt force myslef to go an extra 5 grand for a comparably equipped vehicle.

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  Think about it. Drive it. Do the math. - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By ppirf - September 18 - 4:00 am

  Bought my Hyundai 4.6 last week. My first impressions are this is a great car for the price. If you are reading this and are thinking of buying a BMW, Lexus or MB you need to drive this car. Traded our Volvo s60 R for this car and I couldnt be happier. The steering is not as tight as a BMW or MB and the ride is softer but thats okay for my driving habits. I had a deal for a nicely optioned 2008 BMW 535I that fell through.When all was said and done we financed $17k less for a fully loaded Genesis 4.6. More reviews to come as I get more acquainted with car, but at first impression this car is great value for the money.

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  Excellent Economy Hatch - 2017 Hyundai Accent
  By Lucas S - September 18 - 12:14 am

  Very enjoyable ride, holds tight in the corners and has plenty of power for emergencies, though high reving is needed for such, cargo space is great, huge space with the back seats folded. I would suggest adding an upgraded entertainment/infotainment system (Im putting in a 6.2 inch screen with Bluetooth, GPS, DVD player, backup camera, OBD2, etc), K&N 33-2472 High Performance Air Filter, as well as cruise control as the SE doesnt have it. The car is very responsive in handling, though if you like a sportier feeling like I do, Id suggest adding Storm Lowering Springs and a short throw shifter. For an even better driving experience, a front strut tower bar (upper strut brace), rear torsion bar, 2 or 4 point (I prefer 4) lower tiebar brace, can be found at piercemotorsport.

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  good car for the money - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By steve - September 17 - 11:00 pm

  my wife and i purchased our sonata last fall. it was the most car we could find for the money. we are very happy with it. it has a smooth ride and great comfort. it is an extremely quiet ride. the pick up is adequate, although there seems to be a little drag shifting from 1st to 2nd if you are easy on the gas. the gas mileage is average, about 24 city and 28 highway. if you stay at the speed limit or lower, it improves. i did get 33 mpg on one such trip! the cd system is great.the abs and 4 disc brakes work extremely well.

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  Highly Recomend - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By H TURNER - September 17 - 9:15 pm

  Almost 104,000 miles. I drive this car. If I do 55 -60 mph I can get 32mpg Everything has held up well and hyundi dealer has been great. I do not use them for service but when i need them they have been there. I compared it to civic,coralla,focus etc. I can buy a new 2005 for less then my 2002.