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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  best value on the market - 2002 Hyundai XG350
  By Stan B - August 16 - 6:46 am

  This our second Hyundai with about 15 years and several new cars between Hyundai purchases. We have had her for more than 4 years, I still feel that our Hyundai XG350L is the best value on the market. We presently have 51,000 miles and will seriously consider buying another Hyundai because of our experience with our dealer, the cars reliabilty, comfort and safety features.

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  Excellent Car! - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By Happy Elantra Owner - August 16 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for just over 3 years (bought in July 200) and have had no problems at all. There are a few quirks. The location of the cup holders is annoying, as is the fact that if you open the passenger door, there is no way to open any other locks. That said, I really enjoy driving my car. I find it more comfortable and MUCH faster than my wifes 98 Altima SE. However, while the Elantra is smaller and has a smaller engine than the Altima, the Altima gets the same or slightly better gas mileage. Go figure. Overall I say that Hyundai has built a great car, especially if you consider the cost.

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  A lot of car for the buck - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Frank - August 15 - 3:56 pm

  Ive only been in this car about 2 weeks, but, I love it. I just got out of an Infiniti G35X and it is just as fun to drive. This is my first Hyundai and Im very impressed. I have the mid- level SE version and it is a lot of SUV for the buck. My wife has a Jeep Liberty and the ride is harsh. This SUV rides like a dream. It is also roomier. You cant beat the warranty either. The earlier version has weaker lines and the redesign fits right in with what I wanted. The deepwater ocean blue is glittery in the sun and looks hot with the beige interior. Back deck, without the 3rd row seat, has small storage compartments and comes with a thick rubber mat to protect the back. Visibility is excellent.

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  Just in LOVE with it - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By newhyundai - August 15 - 12:23 am

  My husband and I just purchased this vehicle a week ago. I drive it mostly and I love it! The ride is smooth and quiet. It is our first Hyundai and I wouldnt go back and buy a different vehicle if I could!

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  The best bang for the buck to date - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Jack W - August 14 - 4:46 am

  First, thank you Edmunds.com for your awesome video review on this vehicle. I watched it and went directly to the nearest dealer and test drove it. I was so impressed with the look and overall quality of the car, that I bought it on the spot. We got an 07 Ltd with just a sun roof, white pearl paint, and floor mats as options. The list of standard features is so long and impressive that I was blown away. This vehicle is built very well too. It feels as tight and handles as well as my old ML 430. Its got a wonderful solid feel on the road. The turning radius is amazing. The creature comforts are beyond good. I am still in shock that a vehicle this nice can be sold for this price. AWESOME!!!

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  Great vehicle - 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By keef - August 13 - 10:00 am

  I was skeptical when going to test drive about a newer SUV and its quality and sturdiness. It is a solid, tightly constructed vehicle. The Shiftronic trans is great and the 2.7 V6 is very economic, when you are talking about SUVs. It feels safe and has a great rating for safety. How many cars have side air bags standard? A lot of storage compartments and nice features. Drives like a car and has a small turning ratio to get in and out of tight spots.

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  Cool Car, Cool Price - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By gabe3210 - August 13 - 10:00 am

  I have had my car for over a year and I am pretty happy with it. I have honestly been thinking about upgrading to a Jetta, but every time I think about it, I have to remind myself that I get more bells and whistles for a fraction of the cost. I have a fully equipped GT and love the idea of leather, fog lights, traction control/ ABS, moon roof, alloy wheels, etc. for about $7K less than the Jetta. I also love the hatchback styling and versatility. Of course, this is kind of like comparing apples to oranges, however.

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  So far............so good - 2003 Hyundai Accent
  By FastJohn - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Only 300 miles on it so far, but for a $12,000 car it seems like you definately get what you pay for. Its no BMW, but for a compact has a decent ride, pretty quiet, excellent CD stereo system, and all the basic power features (windows, door locks, mirrors, AC, etc.)

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  Very pleased with our decision - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By nlknight2005@yahoo.c - August 12 - 3:10 am

  I read everything in sight and did a lot of research. After driving both the 4cyl and the V6 we decided on the 4cyl. Our dealer was very cooperative and let us check the cars out and get in some realistic drive time. It is very responsive and has plenty of get up and go. We have not experienced any of the few negatives that I came across in our research. My daughter has had a Hyundai for 4 years and highly recommended this brand to us.

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  Overall a VERY pleasant surprise! - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By gwydionoak - August 12 - 2:00 am

  I have been very pleasantly surprised with my Hyundai Elantra. For a small, economy car it is sensibly designed, roomier and more comfortable (by far) than any other car in its class that I test drove. It has very peppy acceleration for its size (a good size engine, but of course you sacrifice some fuel economy) and handles very well. It is also very quiet for a small car and has great visibility. Combine that with a killer warranty (Ive still got two years worth of bumper to bumper) and what more can I say? The only negative Ive discovered about my car is that the power door locks are really weird, and more than a little annoying. But overall I am very pleasantly surprised by this car!