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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  Good car - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By ckoolkat - June 5 - 10:26 pm

  I had an elantra before the sonata and have to say great cars for the money, no problems.

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  Experiance it to believe it - 2005 Hyundai Sonata
  By Mir - June 5 - 5:37 pm

  When my older son asked if I have looked at Hyundais I gave him a long stare. My 20 year olds need for a daily driver while in college got me to research vehicles. Went to test drive a Sonata and came home with it. Unbelievably smooth take off and stopping and everything in between. Handles like an expensive luxury sedan. Effortless steering, smooth cornering. The auto-manual puts you instantly in a sports rush. Superbly crisp sound. Oh and such distinctive exterior, jaguar like, without the Jaguar tag or nag. If I hadnt experienced it I would be still holding my long stare at the name Hyundai, continuing to hold my Mercedes, BMWs and lexus close to heart. But now Im a believer.

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  Great Ride - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By SGM - June 4 - 8:25 pm

  I reviewed road tests of several vehicles of this size and went on to drive a few. The Elantra came out on top. I believe it fills all the requirements for a vehicle in this price range. For the customers complaining of a bumpy ride, you should have test driven it more. You are not getting a Rolls Royce at this price. What you are getting is good basic transportation with all the safety items included. It will get you where you need to go. It is a great buy!

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  Satisfied Buyer - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By lululea217 - June 3 - 9:46 pm

  I love this car! It rides very smoothly and the XM radio is a must have that I didnt know I needed until now!

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  Five Years Without a Problem - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By James - June 3 - 6:01 pm

  We have put 70,000 miles on this car in five years and our only expenses have been gas, oil changes and a new set of tires. It still has its original breaks. I drove it hard on a 1,500 mile interstate highway trip and averaged 33.1 mpg. When ethanol is added to the gas the mileage is not as good. I thought it was odd that a four cylinder car would have a 150 MPH speedometer. After I had the car three years a friend asked me how fast it would go. I was on a country road and when it reached 122 mph I backed off, so I dont know what it will really do. Also, this was with ethanol in the tank.

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  2002 Hyundai Elantra GLS 4dr Sedan - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By dhw - June 3 - 4:17 am

  I have owned my 2002 Hyundai Elantra for over 8 years. I have over 230,000 miles. Best little car I have owned. I liked it so much I purchased another Hyundai Elantra this past year. This will make 3 Hyundais in the past 20 years. My first (excel) I passed the 200k mark and then donated it to charity. I enjoy the ride and have had very limited problems. I average 29-35 mpg on the highway and around 25 around town.

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  The First 6000 mi - 2010 Hyundai Genesis
  By Steve W - June 2 - 5:15 pm

  Traded my 2006 Infiniti for the 2010 Genesis 4.6 Sedan. The Genesis has exceeded my expectations and requirements in every way. The fit and finish, the comfort, the level of equipment. The vehicle is not lacking in any area. Although the EPA rating is 17/25, my experience has been 20/29. This car absolutely provides the most bang for the buck. You must drive this car before purchasing a Lexus, Infiniti, or Acura! It will very pleasantly surprise you.

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  Very Satisfied - 2010 Hyundai Elantra
  By SGM - May 23 - 7:28 pm

  Quiet ride at all speeds. Comfortable seating front & rear. The trunk is quite large and the rear seat backs fold easily for maximum space. A great value!

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  I love this car - 2002 Hyundai Elantra
  By kd1985 - May 22 - 11:38 pm

  I bought this car brand new in 2002. I dont know what the other people are talking about but I believe theyve had 1 recall since then. I never had any problems with this car until I moved to a place that had crazy humidity and drastic weather change. Then I had a few problems here or there due to the drastic change, but thats it. I would absolutely buy another Elantra in a heartbeat.

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  Sorry Senior - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By marty - May 21 - 1:26 pm

  Transmission still clunks and jerks. No cure available. Hyundai buy back plan worthless. Dealer has been very very cooperative. Sunlight blocks out nav screen and back up camera. Both front seats need more thigh support. No light under hood. Bad blind area when drivers seat is all the way back. Drives like a truck rides like a brick. Fist year deprecation more than 35%.