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 car for the money - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Kristen - June 11 - 3:43 pm

  I think this car is one of the best cars Ive driven in quite a while. It has great pick up for a SUV. I also like the warranty. It is definitely a car I would buy again.

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  Why buy Honda or Toyota? - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By Mark C. - June 10 - 10:49 pm

  Short and simple... This car is outstanding. I may not have scored it very high in comparison to other reviews, but Im rating it on a scale in comparison to other cars Ive owned. I have highly recommended this car to others! I purchased it new for 6k less than a 4 cylinder accord ex-l. It is quieter than our acura tl and rides much more comfortable - especially on long trips. No rattles or issues whatsoever. The 4 cylinder is fairly slow but I bought it for the gas mileage. I can get right at 30 mpg if I keep it under 70 mph. I drive mostly interstate commute. (I check it at the pump and not just by the computer.)

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  Happy, but not ecstatic about Tucson - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Lynda - June 8 - 9:33 am

  Pretty little SUV - looks like a new Lexus, except I have dual exhaust and they dont! Gas mileage is fair - I was disappointed (same as my big 8 cyl Mercury Grand Marquis) Buzzy stereo system - Ill probably have it replaced. Need power seats! No need for the automatic/manual shift. Did have engine light come on once- defective "speed sensor."

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  I am disapointed - 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Jim - June 5 - 6:33 am

  After spending nearly $30,000 for a Hyundai with a 4 cylinder engine I thought I would get the mileage posted on the sticker 20/28. Instead I am getting 16/ 22. The vehicle occasionally lunges forward when driving in stop and go traffic. The zone service Mgr rode with me but the vehicle did not lunge during that half hour. I have a case filed with Hyundai. I hope this isnt something like the Toyota problem with gas pedals. It makes me feel uneasy.

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  Great VALUE - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Jodo17 - June 2 - 11:16 pm

  Just took delivery of my GLS V6 (paid $17,500 with no extra options but rebates just went up another $500 so I missed out on that). Nice so far. Just an incredible value compared to Honda & Toyota. Although I love the deal, I cant believe Hyundai has to offer such high rebates. That does not bode well for their future. More people need to get on the Hyundai bandwagon because you save so much $ (even without rebates) and get more for your money. I guess it is harder to overcome past quality stigma than expected, but Hyundai has arrived. Like everything I read, a comparable Accord or Camry might be slightly better but at way higher cost. Sonata wont depreciate as well but costs less.

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  Two Years and 19K miles later - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By Mike - June 2 - 10:00 am

  Going on two years now the Veracruz has been decent, but Ive had the rear DVD player replaced and now the rear heat and A/C doesnt work. It started with a squeak in the right rear compartment. It was a part on the rear blower system. The dealer has been great but should I have had these problems so soon? Let me answer my own question NO! I hope this is not the beginning of a lemon car. I gave Hyundai a chance I hope I dont regret it. This is their top of the line SUV, right? Ive taken it on two decent size trips. It has performed flawlessly. I gotten as high as 24 mpg. Enough of the silly problems already. If I had the ging I would have bought an RX Lexus. Good luck to us Veracruz owners.

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  Too many recalls - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By cjunbug - June 2 - 4:00 am

  The first couple of months it was fun to drive; we enjoyed the comfort, quietness and styling, until the recall notifications start to come. In the two year span that we owned it we have about 4 recalls. Then the last incident is the one that really prompt me to dump the vehicle, it wont drive faster than 5 miles per hour, turn it off and then re-start it and it will drive normal. then you drive it again and while it is moving at various speeds, it will just quit on you and will not go no more than 5 MPH. They fixed it for free, and finally traded it in for TOYOTA VENZA. I dont think I will buy another Hyundai, even if they guarantee it for 200,000 miles

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  Hyundai messed this one up!!! - 2007 Hyundai Entourage
  By Mark N. - June 1 - 10:25 pm

  Bought used in Dec. 06 with 11000 miles. It was Factory Reps vehicle. Was sold on Hyundai because of previous experience with Elantra and Sonata. This van has had 22 warranty claims since bought. The van is very competitive with Toyota and Honda in design and function just not in the owner satisfaction category. I feel that the biggest issue with this van in the dealerships service. Hyundai dealers remind me of the Domestic dealers from the past big on selling just not on service. You should not have to continuously take a vehicle in for the same issue and be told we dont know whats wrong with it sorry about your luck. They have fixed everything except the whine in right rear speaker.

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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 2002 Hyundai Accent
  By Jim in Wisconsin - June 1 - 9:24 pm

  Have had my Accent L for over 6 years now & am about to turn over 39K for mileage. Aside of general maintenance @ specified intervals, I have stuck no additional money into this car. The only problems Ive ever had mechanically were a leaky valve cover gasket, & going down hills on colder mornings will occasionally set a P0200 code for a misfire, which quickly corrects itself. Interior wise, Ive gone through 3 shifter boots, & the fresh air / recirculating air level cable has binded on me twice. Its started in -27 degrees without a hitch & has idled in near 100 degree heat with the gauge never leaving the centerpoint. I have hit 48-50 MPG on long highway trips.

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  OK, not great - 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring
  By Ray - May 30 - 1:30 pm

  Good fuel economy. Comfortable seating. Plenty of back seat room. Poor ride. Feel every bump with the Sports package tires. I wanted a small hatchback type vehicle to take the place of my mid sized SUV. My other car is a Toyota Camry and the ride in the Touring is nowhere near that. I should of spent the extra money and gotten the Rav 4