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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  Gas Mileage Off by 1/3, total misrepresentation - 2013 Hyundai Sonata
  By willyt007 - January 16 - 1:38 pm

  When I was shopping for a new car, I was only shopping because I was taking a new position, and mileage was a huge factor. Bottom line, Hyundai advertised 35 mpg on 2013 Sonata, driving like a granny with almost 100% highway miles, the best I ever got was 26 mpg, but usually 25 mpg or less. At almost 14,000 miles on it, Im looking to trade it even though I have a wrap around 100,000 mile warranty with zero deductible. I cannot drive a car for 100,000 when I was flat out lied to about mileage, for which theyve already settle one lawsuit, and they still do it.

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  2000 tiburon the real review - 2000 Hyundai Tiburon
  By brads3111 - January 14 - 11:36 pm

  Ok little car. It will be the last hyundai i buy. Problems with it. every 60,000 you must replace the altenator. It causes powersurges and blows headlights. ive had three wheel bearings go out. I baby my car and have nothing but problems. it over heats even though i have changed my radiator, thermostat and water pump, and i change my fluid every year. It rattles like crazy.. Dont get one. i do have 160,00 on it

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  NO POWER - 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By BIGBUM - January 13 - 10:00 am

  ALL WHEEL DRIVE 2.7 TO SLOW POOR SHIFTING

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  smooth driving must cost more - 2016 Hyundai Elantra
  By joe c - January 3 - 5:20 am

  If you are looking for quick take off and power with four in the car forget it. Noise in cabin from suspension is poor. terrible in snow. the traction and anti-lock brakes make it hard to drive. the car wont move if you get stuck. shifts gears terribly. great gas millage. nice sound system. great controls for everything. very well equipped. lots of space. nice color choices. looks good.

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  Santa fe - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Jumping bean - December 26 - 10:00 am

  My santa fe has major transmission problems! I have already had the transmission replaced and will probably have to have it done again. Whenever it shifts, it bucks and isnt happy. When going from reverse to drive it has a very lengthy delay. My vehicle also makes a thump noise in the rear when backing up sound like a brake letting loose. While I like the look of the vehicle, I am not happy. The factory as well as the dealer says this if normal, I say this is crap.

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  have loved this car, but have fallen out of love - 2016 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Janice - December 26 - 5:23 am

  mostly i am enjoying this vehicle. but the front seat has become more and more uncomfortable. specifically the headrest. it makes not sense to me that it needs to be jutting out so far as to push my head and neck out of alignment. i tried a cushion, but nope. 2 weeks ago i found out i have 2 ruptured discs in my neck after 2 weeks or so of neck pain. now im in physical therapy to treat this problem, which involves proper alignment of my shoulders and neck. this headrest is messing with all of it and there is no way for me to get comfortable or sit correctly in this seat with this headrest in place. did the headrest contribute to my neck problem. i cant say it didnt. had i known all this, i would not have bought this vehicle. i am 51.5" and very petit, so my this may be conflicting with the design of this seat. but no matter what my height and build, i should still be able to get a comfortable position.

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  so so - 2003 Hyundai XG350
  By henny - December 12 - 2:00 am

  hard seats front and back....power adequate....wind and road noise...great warranty (if they stand behind it).....but suggest paying a bit more for a more refined car.

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  Hyundai Review - 2001 Hyundai Accent
  By T.J. Kahler - December 7 - 12:26 pm

  It has no power. It has like 105 horses and you also can find hardly any racing parts for it if you go to a part store.

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  Never again - 2001 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Angel - November 30 - 7:53 am

  it looked nice. it ran like junk . When it rained the lights blew out. The tranny was bad and the color was awful. The paint job on them was bad and honestly i will never ever buy another one ever again . We let them know the paint was peeling and they said its under warranty . Well yeah if i wanted to pay 500- and whats more it was only 6 months off the line. Thxs and sorry never again

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  By REGINALD T H WONG Vehicle: 2016 Hyundai Tucson - 2016 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Reginald T H Wong - November 18 - 5:09 pm

  On July 3 and 15 almost within a 2 week span, I was driving slowly uphill on a slight incline hill for about 1 1/2 miles and through 2 different tunnels. I was caught in 2 traffic jams. A vehicle stalled in the tunnels that caused only one lane to be useable and caused the traffic jams. The traffic was merging from 2/3 lanes to 1 lane, and moving slowly, bumper to bumper. I had the warning messages and sounds that the transmission was overheated and to stop my car. Since it was unsafe to stop in the tunnel, I forced my vehicle move out of the tunnel. I was only allowed to drive very slowly. Even by pressing the accelerator pedal, I could barely get the car to move. I could only stop at a safe location outside of the tunnel. Although there were numerous cars that got stuck in the traffic jams, they did not have problem like me and were able to drive faster once they passed the stalled vehicle and the other lanes opened up. I was lucky for not being stalled in the tunnel that could have caused a hazard condition and a safety problem.