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 Bargin SUV Available - 2006 Hyundai TUCSON
  By A. J. - December 25 - 5:43 pm

  I am a Grandfather, and have purchased many vehicles, I checked out the Honda, Toyota, and Lexus small SUVs prior to looking at the Tucson. The Tucson was equal or better than the others I had test driven and......the price....I saved a bundle. Fantastic SUV....I would highly recommend with no reservations.

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  Overall Great Purchase "But". - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By John of Columbus NC - December 24 - 9:06 pm

  Purchased this vehicle after trading in a 2009 Honda CRV EX-L. Loved the Honda but tired of the SUV. The Hyundai is everything I expected except I have a noise under the dash that drives me crazy whenever I go over a speed bump or drive on a secondary road, I read about this noise in other owner reviews but was hoping it would not happen to me. My Honda never had a noise like this. It sounds like something is loose and it is a "plastic" like noise. I will ask my dealer to fix it during my first service. If he cant, I will really regret my purchase regardless of price.

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  so far so good - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Eric - December 24 - 6:13 am

  I have had my new Tucson for about 2 weeks as of this writing. I drive an average of 55 miles a day mixed city and highway. I have been on a 900 mile round trip(to Gettysburg) with tucson. All of the "professional" reviews I read didnt seem to feel the tucson V-6 has enough power. I disagree. Even with both rear seats down and the cargo space full, with two adults up front and the A/C on- I never felt that I didnt have enough power to get on the highway safely. Its no sports car by any means but it is zippy enough to be a fun drive. My only complaint would be that I wish the steering wheel had a little bigger range of tilt and would telescope as I just cant get 100% comfortable

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  Just lost mine..... - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By Crazyboy13 - December 24 - 2:00 am

  To a telephone pole. The safety features worked great, we walked away with minor bruses. I had 96000 miles on it and never had any problems, Cant find one to replace it and I would. looking at an 03. It was a 5spd, with spoiler.

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  My first Hyundai - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Tim from Cleveland - December 23 - 7:33 pm

  I never thought I would own a Hyundai until I test drove a Santa Fe. My wife and I drove the Mercury Mariner, Ford Escape, and checked out the Chevrolet Equinox. By the time we priced the Mariner and Escape with the equipment on my Santa Fe, they became too pricey.

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  My 03 Tibby is wonderfull - 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Darwin - December 23 - 10:00 am

  I had a 2001 tiburon and it was great but this one is so much better. Very quick and great on gas. Its a fun car and i get alot of looks from others.

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  Great Car - 1993 Hyundai Elantra
  By Don2000 - December 22 - 2:00 am

  Reliable, Comfortable, Good Mileage, Drove to work 250 Miles a week for the last 5 years.

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  Greatly improved - 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
  By stalyn59 - December 21 - 11:25 am

  As a previous 2010 coupe owner all I can say is that Hyundai has improved this car inside and out. I think Hyundai has done and outstanding job of responding to the earlier owner surveys, its no wonder how they have become so competetive in todays market.

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  I love it! - 2015 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By Del Scott - December 21 - 6:52 am

  I bought this car and even though I was hesitant because its a hatchback, I still love it!

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  # 1 Car 2000 Hyundai Elantra GLS - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By Ingridjoe - December 21 - 2:00 am

  I just had this car for three months and I love it,would not get rid of it for nothing.I plan on staying with Hyundai cars.The ride is smooth and i love the sunroof. I think a rear spoiler would make it look as good as other vehicles. We got a good deal with low mileage.