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 Elantra
  By dhet - January 20 - 12:55 pm

  I purchased my 2008 Elantra GLS new. It now has over 62,000 miles on it. It has been a very good car for the money. I love mine. I plan on giving it to my grandson in a few years when he starts driving. Then I will buy a new one. But first the few cons: I would like just a bit better fuel economy. And the 30,000 and 60,000 mile service costs seemed to me a bit on the high side. I wish the trunk lid would pop just a little so that I could nudge it up with my hip when my hands are full. As it is, it is necessary for me to empty at least one arm to get the lid up. I can’t think of any more cons. -- I have not found engine noise on aggressive accelerations anything to complain about—it is there, but it’s not a big deal to me. I seldom accelerate hard. Now this is what I like most: The car has great road manners. It feels tight and solid even after 60,000 miles. Road noise is not excessive. The steering is perfect. The breaks are sure and smooth. Acceleration is good. Instruments are easy to read. Controls are easy to reach. In the cold the car heats up and clears the windshield quickly—unlike so many cars, it is the driver’s side that clears the fastest. A few other points: I have been driving cars for over 50 years and always apply good driving techniques: The original tires lasted 50,000 miles. The original breaks lasted 45,000 miles. I get the oil and filter changed every 3000 miles. I religiously follow the maintenance schedule to the letter. I have my tires rotated and balanced ever 5000 miles: I have never experienced a mechanical breakdown or anything in need of urgent car with this car. Of the many cars I have owned, this is the first one I can say this about.

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  Awesome company provided car - 2012 Hyundai Accent
  By mboughman - January 17 - 9:19 pm

  This car was bought as a company car by the company for me. MPG were a huge reason for the purchase and I am observing about 32 mpg (not the 42 Hyundai says you will get) however I do not drive with ECO on. Either way, this car is very comfortable for subcompact standards and is packed with features, again for subcompact standards. Personally I own a full size 07 GMC and 09 Maxima, so I know comfort. That considered, it drives very well and induces grins while driving. I recently took a trip from Raleigh NC to Balimore MD in this car and was very comfortable the entire way, keeping in mind that I am a 62" 290lb man. All in all, Hyundai hit the mark with this one.

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  Quality concerns the more miles we drive - 2011 Hyundai Elantra
  By matheson1977 - January 16 - 1:02 pm

  Car is OK at best, easy to like inside and out and a good value....but you sometimes get what you pay for. Weve had ours for a bit more than 9 months and find it has loosened up" quite a bit. We have noticed mostly in cooler wether several rattles from the inside and creeks and groans from the suspension. the engine also seem to be making much more noise than nomal, sounding very ticky at times. I have had it in to the dealer for that and they say its normal. Im also very dissapointed with the fuel economy, its nowhere near whats advertised no matter how or where i drive.

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  FAIL CAR and Dealerships - 2008 Hyundai Accent
  By bamagurl251 - January 12 - 8:38 pm

  This is the email I just finished writing Hyundai about their Accent and a dealership I am working with! My step-father Dale purchased an 2008, Nordic White, Hyundai Accent from Palmers Airport Hyundai as a gift for me back in late August early September 2008. I was in an accident in November 2008 where the seat belt snapped out of the safety position, the front end was shoved into the rear cradle suspension, all because the car failed to brake going 10 miles per hour and instead of hitting on coming traffic I swerved still hitting the brakes that did not work into an small median out in front of my place of business. My arm was shoved through the windshield as the air bag deployed late, and was sliced by the seat belt across my chest. I had the car repaired, and because it was new they would not total the car. After several thousand miles of travel to and from Florida on business, I began having transmission problems, the dealership replaced the transmission, and then the alternator went out and was replaced again. Following that 2008-2009 winter, the transmission went out again in the summer, I had the car taken into a different dealership (EASTERN SHORE HYUNDAI) in which the car was not purchased the first time for the the first transmission. Starting in 2008 problems began with the dealership (Palmers Airport Hyundai). I am writing this because not only did I have an issue with your Road side assistance that I have addressed in a previous E-mail, I have had several issues with the car and the dealership in which the car was purchased from. In 2009 when my transmission and alternator was replaced by the dealership, I lost my job because the dealership would not grant me a rental vehicle. In 2009 I also had issues with the radiator that was not damaged in the above stated crash and the dealership was to replace it. Instead the dealership replaced the hoses on the radiator as it was leaking profusely on to the ground. Again in 2010 following another problem with the car the ignition and belt I had another transmission failure and was replaced for a third time. This time it was taken to Palmers for the second time for a transmission from this dealership. When I received the car, my gas had been ran out, there was a food receipt that did not belong to me or anyone that I knew, and the AC unit had been re-wired to that when you turned it on hot was cold and cold was hot. Thinking that perhaps the car had no anti-freeze I placed some in the car, low and behold, it was not the anti-freeze, it was the doings of the mechanics at the shop at Palmers Airport Hyundai. Following the crisscrossed AC unit and transmission issue being taken up with Palmers Airport Hyundai, I began having brake troubles, even with new brakes where when I went over bumps my car would not stop I had to STAND in my drivers seat and put full weight on the breaks to make the car stop. I took the car into Palmers and they reported back to me that nothing was wrong with the car. Again the gas in my car was on FULL when it was taken in and when returned to me the GAS was below 3/4 of a tank. Fine, I took the car to FIRESTONE and had brakes and tires replaced and still the car was not grasping the full effect of STOP. At this point I noticed that I did not any longer need to push the release button on my Emergency break that it just all of the sudden comes up. I let it go seeing as how Palmers kept informing me nothing was wrong with the car. Also in 2010 there was an cylinder miss fire and the car was not firing on all cylinders only three, and a gasket had busted off in the vehicle that took Palmers nearly 4 weeks to repair, when they informed me it would take a week and they would be able to fix it within the week and release the car to me. Low and behold I waited nearly 4 weeks for my car to be returned to me. Between that time my mother and I both called for check-ups on the car, and nobody could give us a straight answer. 2011 - My step Father signed the car over to me in November and the car was taken back into Palmers due to a leak and the hoses where repaired and the car was returned to me fine no problems. Following this last visit to Palmers Airport Hyundai where the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT was on and there was a fluid leak in the vehicle coming from SOMEWHERE that I nor 2 other family members could find out where, TODAY the car was returned to me again with an There is no problems with the car. That was a total Lie. When I started the car in the parking lot of Palmers Airport Hyundai it began to rattle like a tin can full of marbles. I know this is not normal for my car at all!!!! I started my car down the road heading towards home, and I kept hearing this high pitched noise and it sounded like my car had an JET ENGINE placed inside of the driving compartment. This is not and NEVER was normal for my vehicle. Instead of Palmers FIXING my vehicle they have once again messed it up. The car was never ran which they stated they did, the gas tank was still on full just as I had left it. I was expecting like normal for the gas in my car to be GONE when I take it into Palmers. The car now sits in my driveway as we try to think of an alternative to the broken vehicle and I refuse to take it back into Palmers Airport Hyundai. I am very unsatisfied with the vehicle and I am very unsatisfied by the work that this DEALERSHIP has done. I have never in all my life ever seen so much failure in supposed certified technicians While the service providers are friendly, they continue to mess up my car. I would seriously like some compensation for this or some sort of alternative from you the company of Hyundai. Im really fed up. Im irritated with the car, I am irritated with the company that SOLD the car too me, and I am irritated with the problems I am having and the 118.00$ they want to charge me for junk they will just mess up again.

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  2012 Elantra " Diesel" engine - 2012 Hyundai Elantra
  By maleoskop - January 10 - 10:31 am

  I bought a 2012 GLS on 12/20/2012. After two days I thought it was a diesel as it "rattled" that much. Took it to the dealer and they found metal shavings in the oil of my car with 26 miles on the clock.They replaced it for a 2012 Limited and this one has a worse grinding "diesel" like sound. I drove a Jetta TDI which is half as quiet as my Elantra. This is not just at startup, but when you accelerate. Am I crazy or is this just how the motor sounds? My friends 2012 doesn`t sound half as bad.

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  I beat [violative content deleted] out of this car everyday! - 2008 Hyundai Accent
  By 2canchew - January 10 - 1:55 am

  I bought it new in 2008 and I beat [violative content deleted] out of this car everytime i drive it. It has bounced off the rev limiter thousands of times. Its screams @ 4500-5000rpm driving down the hwy everyday. I have over 110,000 miles on it now and it runs as good as new. doesnt burn oil or coolant. I still have the original brakes on it and its four years old and it gets smothered in Canadian salty roads 7 months of the year. Bottom line best car ever made nothing fancy but im going to drive this one into the ground and buy a new one no questions asked. Im a Hyundai owner for life.

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  Awesome Car - 2012 Hyundai Elantra
  By butterflyblu - January 9 - 7:28 am

  I got a new lease on the 2012 Elantra Limited a few days ago. I test drove so many cars before deciding on the Elantra. It has everything you can imagine and more as standard features. I put 110 miles on it over the last couple days and the gas gauge barely moved off full. My husband is 62 and there is more than enough leg room for him. I know I made the right decision getting this car its much better than I imagined.

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  Great car and great warranty!!! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By dwhitie - January 7 - 9:13 pm

  I have owned my Hyundai Sonata for 4 years. It has been a great car ever since. The only issue I had was the visor broke, but they replaced it under warranty no questions asked. I love the way it drives and its reliability. I would definately recommend it. I currently have 98,000 miles on it and trust it will go many more miles.

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  Great car so far! - 2012 Hyundai Genesis
  By papaaj1 - January 4 - 11:03 pm

  I got rid of my 2009 Merc E-350 that I liked but did not love. This car leaves that one in the dust! Im not used to having this much horsepower, and I love it. Its nimble, quiet, and fast. No tickets yet - but Im going to have to invest in a radar detector. For me buying this car meant disregarding the fact that its a Hyundai. Ive always owned luxury cars and quite honestly I think there is nothing better than this for the money. I almost think Hyundai could sell a lot more of these cars if they just spun the Genesis line off. I could rebadge this as a Merc/BMW/Audi/Acura and people would fall over themselves wanting to get one.

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  Pretty Impressive - 2011 Hyundai Genesis
  By thetexastom - January 4 - 4:51 pm

  My previous cars were Audi, BMW and Infiniti. The Genesis is easily in the same class. The ride is very nice. Not so soft that it floats, but is stiff enough to handle well. Is quiet and has the features that you would want.