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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  Wonderful Car & fun to drive - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By KPlove - June 4 - 10:00 am

  The V6 engine is great and has wonderful acceleration. Its smooth and quiet.The front and rear seats are very comfortable for long and short trips.This Hyundai is very beautiful. I always get comments and questions like: "Is that a Mercedes " or "That car must have cost you an arm and a leg" If you can find a car at this price with these features, buy it!!!!

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  I LOVE IT! - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By jason alvis - June 4 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS MY SECOND SONOTA IVE PURCHASED, AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT IT. I COMMUTE ABOUT 2 HOURS A DAY, BACK AND FORTH TO WORK, AND I ACTUALY ENJOY TAKING THE DRIVE INTO WORK, AND BACK HOME AGAIN. MY WIFE ALSO DRIVES IT, ALONG WITH MY TWO CHILDREN. IM A BIT OF A WORRY WART, BUT IM NEVER WORRIED ABOUT THEM BREAKING DOWN IN SOME DANGEROUS OR ISOLATED AREA. IF THEY WERE TO BREAK DOWN, I CAN RELY ON THE FREE ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THEY OFFER AT HYUNDAI. ITS A NICE FEELING, NOT HAVING TO WORRY ANYMORE.

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  A saavy consumer - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By brbyu - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I had tried Civics, Corollas, Proteges etc. Finally, I tried the Elantra and was surprised, especially with how it drove. More responsive than the Civic, more solid than the Camry. My friends know that my car didnt cost as much as theirs did. But when they are complaining about taking their car into the shop and about their huge monthly loan bills I only smile. Many of them have remarked how nice it is when I give them a ride. The support after I bought the car has been incredible. Hyundai is really catering to the consumer, which I like. A happy Hyundai owner.

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  Best car in its class!!! - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By loveELANTRA!!!!!!!! - June 4 - 10:00 am

  So far I have this car for 1 year and it has 35k miles. I havent had one problem yet. i love this car!! When i see a civic or Corolla I just smile and push the gas pedal!You cant get a better deal at this price. Its a great car all around!

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  great car - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Cobalt99 - June 4 - 7:20 am

  I have been very pleased with the ride and perfrmance of this car. Its our third Hyundai, and the warranty keeps us coming back. The funny thing is that we have only had one repair under the warranties of any of the three cars, and it was a very minor problem (not with the Sonata). I love the smooth ride, and the interior is roomy and comfortable. The instrument panel is easy to read, and I like having controls for the sound system and cruise control on the steering wheel. Its a great car, at a great price. And it will be paid off while I still have a bumper-to-bumper warranty. You just cant beat that!

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  What a wonderful car!! - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jorge P - June 4 - 12:33 am

  Very comfortable, nice acceleration, quiet and smooth drive, good handling and cornering, it has all the security features, good mileage. Overall, a joy to drive!. Not enough good things to say about this car. Its an amazing compact car. Im very impressed how Hyundai has managed to improve its quality so much, to a level where it can compete easily against more traditional brands. Way to go Hyundai.

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  07 Accent SE - 2007 Hyundai Accent
  By hatchbackfreak - June 3 - 9:49 pm

  Economical with a little touch of class with Sunroof, leather steering, fog lamps, 16" alloys and low profile tires. Sport economy would be called if there is. Perfect for everyday use as well as going to outdoor sport. Fantastic warranty. unmatched savings on maintenance. Perfect choice for the budget car enthusiast.

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  Not what Id hoped - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By GuyG - June 2 - 6:36 am

  Bought vehicle on $ & Hype also liked idea of not buying used and getting someone elses problems. It worked, I got my own. 5 years 3... oops now to be 4 sets of brakes. Bumper to Bumper warranty? They looked at 1 wheel, 10 minutes say its not covered asked 1400 to fix, refused and they charged me 85 as a diagnostic. Suggested I am hard on brakes, my last vehicle had 185,000 with only 1 set of pads. Body dings and scratches very easily, window molding is actually black tape, which peels and bubbles. Body rusting.. guess what,not covered. Cant trade in only can get 2500 market is flooded with these

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  Great sporty car! - 2007 Hyundai Elantra
  By Jennifer - June 2 - 3:50 am

  I do miss the V6 that my Santa Fe had, but the Elantra has some great get up and go! I have only had it about about a week now and so far its awesome! I have a little over a 100 miles on it and the gas tank is still showing 3/4 full! Im going to really benefit from the gas mileage. The Santa Fe was a real gas guzzler...

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  like a go-cart for adults - 2007 Hyundai Accent
  By ultimate - June 1 - 8:57 pm

  The car is slow slow slow. Its actually average for its class, but if youre moving from any recent midsize sedan to this, be prepared to step hard on the accelerator. Having said that, this car is a blast to drive around town. You feel like Mario Andretti as you are weaving in and out of traffic. You can pull a U- turn almost anywhere, and sightlines are excellent. The brakes are also top notch, stopping fast and with good pedal feel. I didnt get great gas mileage on my first tank, but Im on my second tank and am expecting 30 mpg in entirely city driving. The only complaint I have is with the hard plastic doors. They arent comfortable and scratch easily.