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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  2013 Elantra is Fantastic - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By tjpavlik - April 25 - 7:05 pm

  Our 2013 Elantra GLS is now a week old and has 400 miles on the odometer. After dealer problems (I dont want a blue one!!!). We finally bought our silver one literally right off the truck from a different dealer. The styling both interior and exterior is fantastic. Inside it seems to be about the same size as our 2002 Sonata. It has a lot of cubby holes and places to stow stuff. The sound system sounds great: XM, IPOD, AUX & CD. (It even has AM/FM!) Air conditioning is cold and on the 4th fan setting is downright breezy. Heated seats are the only difference between the 2012 and the 2013. THE GAS MILEAGE IS AWESOME! Averaged 40.2 mpg on the highway on a short trip. (Loaded, no a/c)

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  Worth every penny! - 2011 Hyundai Accent
  By ddembinska - April 25 - 5:13 pm

  I bought this car new last year. It has been worth every penny that we spent on it. It is great on gas, reliable, cheap to maintain, and of course the warranty is great. I drive it to work everyday. That car is my baby. I plan to keep it until the wheels fall off in 20 years or so. I feel safe in it and my son rides in it almost everyday. We got the basic model (manual windows, locks) and it still had pretty nice features such as the USB hookup.

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  WOW, What a GREAT car! - 2013 Hyundai Elantra
  By himpg1 - April 25 - 11:00 am

  After 4 weeks, and 1500+ miles, we are very happy! We bought from Earnhardt Hyundai in Scottsdale, AZ. Carl gave us a super deal, and we didnt have any of the normal games that dealers like to play. It was FUN buying the Elantra. We bought at the end of the month!!We get the 29/40 mpg and more! It takes common sense, and a conservative driving style. We bought a steel wheel and full size tire for a spare from Discount Tire for less than $150. A jack, lug wrench, and spare tie down at a salvage yard for $12. There is plenty of room for the full size spare! We drive up steep mountain grades at freeway speeds with no problem.

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  Excellent gas mileage, But no spare is Crazy - 2012 Hyundai Accent
  By mdelano - April 25 - 1:49 am

  Made a trip from Tacoma Wa to Reno Nevada last weekend for 3 days 720 miles 1 way averaged on trip about 38 mpg in lots of mountain terrain, got as much as 44.1 miles per gallon doing 65 in the flatlands, very impressive fuel economy and not lacking any power either. First thing I did after finding out the hard way, Side Wall Puncture" on right rear tire, was get rid of the junk Kumho tires and replacing with some decent Dunlops with more rigid sidewalls. d Then found a 4x100 pattern 16 inch wheel and put one of the stock Kumho tires on it for a spare. P.S it does fit in tire space in rear. Car does not come with a spare (Very Poor Idea Hyundai) Pump and fix a flat does not repair a sidewall

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  POOR GAS MILAGE! - 2012 Hyundai Elantra
  By utahandjazz - April 22 - 6:38 pm

  This car does not live up to the 29/40 mpg it says it is ssuppose to get. We have been getting more like 22/32 mpg. Buyer beware!

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  2004 Hyundai Accent GT - 2004 Hyundai Accent
  By makojakopako - April 22 - 12:28 pm

  Our GT (bought new in 2004 and 75k miles now) is no thrill ride, but no shame, either. With better gas we do zero to 60 mph under 10sec (with automatic tranny.) and still averaging 29mpg. I love this GT version. Its much better than the regular Accent. Handling is better and steering is more precise. Acceleration is better too. Changed first set of tires at 55k. No prob with tranny or engine. The stock breaks and rotors are bit on weak side. But for the price nobody can complain. We used warranty only once when muffler got noisy and that was all. This is the BEST VALUE transp you can get. And also, this model has front seat-mounted side airbags which no others cars in the same class offer!

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  A Great Ride - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By drecor - April 21 - 6:07 pm

  I bought this car in 2004 with 34,000 miles on it. Since that time it has gone everywhere and through every type of road and hazard imaginable. I have replaced, I don"t know how many tires and about four or five sets of brakes and two timing belts. Ive given very little engine care other than two tune-ups and oil changes every so often. The car has stopped on me twice. Once when a timing belt broke (my fault new it was time)and once when a crank sensor failed. It is an Awsome vehicle that is still in good shape. Yesterday it turned 320,000 miles!

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  Not such a good car - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By colin_88 - April 15 - 7:08 pm

  This wasnt my car, it was my moms and I hated driving it. Parts would wear out constantly. At about 80k miles driving to work, the timing belt snapped and destroyed some critical engine parts. The engine had to be torn apart and rebuilt, along with a new water pump costing almost $1200. Later on that year, the water pump had to be replaced again, the CV joints had to be replaced, new alternator, and new spark plugs all before 90K miles. Once it passes 100K miles, we got all sorts of weird noises such as a shrieking engine that is the worst when driving in the rain. The ride was very uncomfortable with almost no padding in the seats.

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  Great car after 3+ years - 2009 Hyundai Elantra
  By sreston - April 15 - 11:14 am

  I bought this new for under $15k, and am delighted with the features, low cost of ownership, and overall quality of the car. I love the problem-free driving, nicely peppy engine, comfort and interior space (I am 65"). The car still looks new inside and out. I have had a few small issues as follows: *Drivers seat makes a clicking sound in the lowest position *Rear window sometimes made a crackling/popping sound when going over laterally uneven ground, but this went away last year after I put some product on the weatherstripping *Drivers side window made a popping sound when rolled down--it was sticking to the stripping. Silicon lube fixed it Otherwise the car has required zero repairs.

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  Best car Ive ever had - 1997 Hyundai Elantra
  By elalove - April 14 - 5:48 pm

  Ive owned my 1997 hyundai for 5 years-- I bought it with 116, 000kms on it and its at 270, 000 kms right now I originally paid 2500$ for it. This car is manual and I replaced the clutch in the first year because I was a new driver and I burnt it out and it only cost me 600$. In the winter I get through heavy snow that trucks cant even get through. Everyone who calls this car the little tug that could or a trooper is RIGHT! This is the most reliable, sweetest little car of all time. Im SO SO SO depressed that my baby is at the end of its life. in 5 years Ive had ZERO engine repairs (its a 15 year old car). I adore this thing!