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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  Happy With the Mom Mobile - 2007 Hyundai Entourage
  By moo momma - January 24 - 12:52 pm

  Purchased this car after finding out that I was having twins. We travel a lot and I needed a car that I could hop in the back easily. This was the van for us. The interior is very classy with woodgrain and leather. It has lots of cup holders. Sound system is pretty good. Heated seats get HOT! No troubles so far except a couple minor recalls. Happy with our purchase and would recommend.

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  Value and Dependability - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By msailyork - January 24 - 10:06 am

  I bought this car new for my wife who uses it to commute 80 miles to work every day. Well, after 7 years and 122K miles I can say this car was a bargain. Weve performed all the scheduled maintenance and havent had any problems. Beware the cost to change the plugs, labor was $234, however Ive only had to do it twice. Great little car with all the LX amenities. Liked it so much bought a Hyundai XG-350 for myself.

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  Attention Grabber, Substance & Style - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By Attention Grabber - January 23 - 8:00 pm

  I bought my Black Genesis 3.8 V6 premium pkg 7 months ago, and honestly I still have people (ok, all have been guys) ask me WHAT it is Im driving -- at gas stations, grocery store lots, at traffic lights, you name it. It truly does look like a 7-series BMW, or a S-series Mercedes, but many mistake it for a Maybach or even Rolls because I opted for the "Genesis Wings" logo vs. the Hyundai "H". I love the lines of the car, especially in profile, and the performance matches the sweet, unique looks and all the hype you hear! Tremendous value for a truly luxurious sedan.

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  Favorite Car - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Theo - January 23 - 12:01 am

  This car is super smooth at any speed. In my fifth year of driving it and would be glad to drive it another five. If it were totaled tomorrow and I had to buy another car, I would look for another 04 (maybe an 05) Sonata. Most problems were covered by the extended warranty. Im pushing 120k, so Im on own now. Drivers side air bag doesnt work. Service tech at the Hyundai dealer said its caused by all the trash pushed up under the seat, thats my fault. I get a little over 20mpg. Could be better but I admit I have a heavy foot.

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  3.8 Genesis Sedan - 2010 Hyundai Genesis
  By Stretch - January 20 - 2:41 pm

  Excellent ride, adaptive cruise control is nice practical feature. Disappointed with no partial woodgrain steering wheel that comes standard on 4.6 cylinder engine sedan, should be included in 3.8 technology package. Good value for the money.

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  Love my Genesis - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By Nidal bouchedid - January 19 - 12:46 pm

  I only have 2000 miles on my Genesis, however this car is so much fun to drive. The ride is comfortable and quiet, acceleration is superb for a big car, and the price is right. I also own a Benz E 350,a BMW 525I and a Hyundai GX350. Everyone in my household wants to take the Genesis. No regrets..

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  Thanks for the Sonata - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By JS - January 16 - 11:36 pm

  After owning a few nice but questionably built US cars, this Sonata model has restored my faith in car manufacture. Its just beautifully designed and built. It has a strong and confident engine. The details are just so nicely thought out. This is an unparalleled highway car. Improvement I feel could be the ride as its is a bit bouncy on city bumps and the gas mileage drops too much in the city. Otherwise excellent excellent car. Gorgeous refined looking exterior.

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  Love my Genesis V8 - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By Genman - January 16 - 10:28 pm

  I own a BMW 525i and a Mercedes E350, I have more fun and get more looks when I am in my Genesis. The ride is smooth and quiet, power is plentiful, comfort outstanding, all kinds of bells and whistles, done very tastefully. I recommend this car to anyone who is looking for German performance at a beer budget.

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  Nice, no regrets - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By Nick P. - January 16 - 1:22 pm

  I have had mine for 3 1/2 years and love it. So far the only problem is a crack in the dashboard,which the dealer is replacing under the warranty. My brother bought the 2007 and his dashboard also cracked in the same place, on the passenger side where the airbag is located. Many owners complain about gas mileage but for its size 22mpg combined is not bad. I would highly recommend a Hyundai to anyone, its a good car and the company stands behind all of the models.

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  Great Experience - 2010 Hyundai Genesis
  By From Texas - January 13 - 9:44 pm

  In the short time we have had the car, we are very impressed with the quality, ride, & features. We have the 2010 3.8 with the Technology & Premium Packages. The value for the money can not be equaled. We are looking forward to many years with the car