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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  WHAT I THINK - 2004 Hyundai Accent
  By CHRISP - June 12 - 2:00 am

  THE CAR FITS PERFECT FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO BUYING MY FIRST CAR INSTEAD OF PURCHASING A USED CAR I GOT A NEW ONE WITH A GREAT WARRANTY.

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  Hyundai Accent - 2004 Hyundai Accent
  By Snsdairyqueen - June 12 - 2:00 am

  I havent had my Accent long but I LOVE it! Its just the perfect little car. It came equiped with power windows, CD, rear window defoggers..It was a reasonable price and my payments are very low. I had read that many do not like the steering and that it doesnt take bends well because of the small tires. I have not noticed any difference from my previous car. I would advise anyone looking for a nice, inexpensive vehicle to buy the Hyundai Accent!!!

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  Well satisfied - 2016 Hyundai Sonata
  By David Reese - June 11 - 2:05 pm

  We have been pleased with this vehicle. It is smooth riding, and the safety features are outstanding. The electronics are amazing, and the economy is great.

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  Denver Winter Vehicle - 2006 Hyundai TUCSON
  By susborg - June 10 - 11:23 pm

  After lengthy research I finally settled on a beautiful navy blue 06 Hyundai Tucson V6 4WD with sunroof package. I love it! I live at the top of a pretty steep hill which has always been something of a winter challenge for me in the past. Not any more. The Tucson is heavy enough and peppy enough to get me home every time without fail. It handles wonderfully on ski trips and is super easy to get our gear in and out with the quick release rear seats that fold to a flat deck. Its been on a road trip to AZ and zoomed right on through the mountain passes. Its still pretty new so Im hoing that it becomes less thirsty with a little more break in time.

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  Good - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Trymore - June 9 - 10:43 am

  Do not buy it until HD has parts to sell. I needed a bumper cover to repair front damage, my body shop ordered 2 weeks ago and still waiting. HD should learn that selling is not all. I would not buy HD in future and recommend anyone I know not to buy it.

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  Just bought one....boy am I glad! - 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
  By dancsontos - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Bought a rebuilt salvage GT V6 with 15,000 miles for super cheap, and it runs like a dream. AEM cold air intake and Moog oversized fuel injectors (Borla cat-back exhaust coming soon) have allowed me to beat a 5.0 Mustang at a stoplight. Needless to say he rolled his window down and said, "Wow, what the heck kinda car is that?" I have the car badged with Tuscani logos, so he didnt know what it was. I get so many looks from this thing that I almost get cocky about it. Its as if Im driving a much more expensive car. Thank you, Korea!

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  One of the Best!! - 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Brenda5204 - June 7 - 10:00 am

  One of the best Suvs out there. Everywhere I go people want to get up close and look. Very Impressed!!! Very comfortable and safe for my Kids.

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  Very Nice Car - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By joeveto - June 7 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. The size is deceptive, as its much larger on the inside than you would think. The car looks a lot like a Saab 9-3, but has more interior and cargo space. And its more efficient. We go on trips with our two kids and the dog, or with four grown adults. The car handles all our stuff and returns 34mpg. Weve had no mechanical issues with this car. No squeeks or rattles. Great car.

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  The Most Underrated Crossover in the Segment - 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By AMS332 - June 7 - 6:11 am

  I believe this car is the best value, most overlooked, and totally underrated in the three row segment. It is smooth, quiet, has a nice V6 engine, the interior ergonomics are well thought out, and it is pretty solid to drive. The cargo space is extremely usable. I have owned Hondas, Acuras, and Volvos. This is by far my favorite car I have ever owned. There are really only a few things that I do not love about the car. The headlights are not very good, even with the HIDs from the factory. I upgraded to a better bulb which helped but sideward visibility could be better. I think they may have fixed this for 2017. I wish the transmission shifted a little quicker and crisper. Its a little to laxed for my taste but its not so frustrating that I hate the car. I wish the engine was tuned for a little more low end torque rather than high end horsepower. This would help with everyday fuel economy which is about average. Lastly I think visibility around the side mirrors and A pillars is sub par. Having driven Acuras and Hondas forever they really have that down. Otherwise the car is an exceptional value for the money and the recent 2017 refresh makes it even stronger. This car will be overlooked by many because its a Hyundai. I took a lot of grief from people for going from an Acura to a Hyundai. Then they ride in it and are blown away. It is truly 95% of the car for about 75% of the cost if you shop around. It really has changed my whole impression of Hyundai.

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  Nice SUV - 2007 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Lone Eagle - June 6 - 5:16 pm

  This is a nice SUV, for those not needing a huge vehicle. The outside is very attractive - sleek. Not boxy like other SUVs. I chose Nordic White and had black pinstripes added. I love it. Special features that cost more on some SUVs come standard on the Tuscon.