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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  Some Quirky problems - 2000 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Dawn766 - June 27 - 10:13 pm

  I loved my Tiburon. Well, aside from a few quirky problems. There are some electrical issues, I have blown many head lights. I also have problems with Oxygen sensors in the exhaust system.I have had to have 4 sensors replaced in the last couple of years. My emergency brake cable broke this year with 61,000 miles on the car. (Its 6 years old)It still looks sharp though. As much as Ive really enjoyed owning this car, the O2 sensor problem is making me consider unloading it now, for fear of another $210 repair bill, now that I am off of warranty.

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  falling apart quickly - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Sherri - June 7 - 12:43 am

  At 814 miles, 17th day of ownership, the fuel pump went out and left me stranded. Hyundais roadside said they would tow me to closest dealership and leave me there even though it was closed and would be for the next 2 days. On 21st day of ownership the drivers rear window wouldnt work and had to be repaired. The car didnt even have tags yet and is already falling apart. This particular car is a lemon and neither the manufacturer or dealership wants the responsibility for it, so as of now Im stuck with an unreliable poor quality vehicle still searching for some help.

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  Nice, but definitely doesnt compare - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By bbrown - June 5 - 6:10 pm

  I recently purchased a 4.6 Genesis for my wife, and Im not too impressed. An impulse buy really, but Im beginning to see why the car is so much cheaper than my BMW. The engine is pretty nice, but in no way compares with my 550is V8 (torque curve, etc). Im pretty particular about my cars, and its the little details with the Genesis that turn me off. The materials just feel inferior, and it just seems like Hyundai stole design features from all of their so- called "competitors", down to the fake iDrive and 5-series exterior styling cues. I think the buyers of this car will realize over time that this car is just a flashy attempt at producing a true luxury car w/o any substance.

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  Nothing but problems - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By Kat - June 3 - 8:26 am

  I have owned my Hyundai for two years (this month), and I have had nothign but problems. The car is in the shop at least every 3 months. I have already had to get 2 igintion coils replaces, the transmittions replaced (and its going bad again), the catalitic converter replaced, the driver window fell off, the blower motor replaced. I got better gas milage in my 79 Ford LTD than this car after the first 3,000 miles. I WILL be getting a new car before the warrenty is up. Thank goodness for the warrenty!

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  Warranty issues - 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By H Leal - May 25 - 10:03 am

  Nothing but warranty problems. The 1st was rust spots all over. It took over 6 months and 2 dealerships, warranty dept, regional DPSM, BBB. Now body side moulding fell off, they said not covered because it is 3/36000, but its 5/60000. Conference calls with dealer, warranty dept and DPSM still nothing done. Service and warranty mean nothing. I bought because of warranty and it is all a lie. Never buy another again.

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  LOUD chattering, ticking, and groaning engine - 2017 Hyundai Sonata
  By Melanie - May 23 - 12:09 am

  I purchased the 2017 Sonata in February; the car had 5 miles on it when I drove off the lot. At 150 miles, the engine became loud, especially upon starting up when cold. The engine chatters and vibrates and seemed extremely loud for a new car. The engine block also had corrosion spots on it. I took the car into the dealer and the service reps kept it overnight, told me they checked it out and there was nothing wrong, and they cleaned off the corrosion nad told me that was nothing to be concerned with. At around 300 miles, I discovered a defect in the passenger window and took the car back into the dealer. I again told them about the loud noise and that is did not sound normal; the engine knocks and certainly does not sound like a brand new car. They checked it out again and told me the noises are "normal" and that there is nothing wrong with the car. And of course they told me not to worry because if there is anything wrong, its covered by the warranty. My car now has just now reached 3000 miles and I will be taking it in the for oil change. The engine seems to be louder; I was standing near another Sonata that was idling and one could not even hear it. My car is LOUD chattering, tinny sound, and when accelerating there is a groaning sound. It sounds like a a very old car. I drive very conservatively and at the speed limit, mostly in town, and the gas mileage I have gotten is not as advertised; the current "fuel economy" listed on the dash is 17.9. I got the car for its great gas mileage. Has anyone else had similar issues? I would like the dealer to replace the entire car. I dont want them to "repair" or replace the engine because it is a brand new car and should not have such issues, and if they start "repairing" it so early, it will certainly not be a new car.

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  motor tremor or vibration - 2005 Hyundai XG350
  By charles walker - May 21 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my new X350 from a local dealer ( Wilmington Hyundai )maket street Wimington N C in the spring of 2004. The vehicle was a loaner, with 2,300 miles. Shortly after purchase, we experienced a motor tremor. We repeatedly took the car back to the dealership to correct this problem, and they told me and my wife that this is the way this car is supposed to run. The service manager, shop manager, or general manager was not concerned with correcting the problem. This attitude went on for months. We finally took the vehicle to another dealership in Jacksonville, NC and they replaced the motor. There is still a little tremor.They were very helpful

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  VERY DISAPPOINTED - 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
  By jscars - April 29 - 1:36 am

  I have 1600 miles on 2011 Sonata Hybrid and have averaged 31 mpg over mostly highway driving to and from work 90 mile round trip which is 80% highway with light traffic and very few traffic lights. Performance between 20-35 mph is sluggish, and engine clearly overrevs in that range. Bluetooth connection with my Samsung Galaxy Edge Droid does not work. You can establish a temporary connection which I did when I test drove the vehicle, but it does not hold. Streaming audio almost never works due to bluetooth phone issues. Sunroof rattles at highway speed. Front windshield fogs up on outside all the time from bottom to about 12". I prefer my 2004 Prius with 189K miles & 45mpg.

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  Paint Peels - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By stewpop - April 23 - 11:21 pm

  We bought this 2009 Santa Fe based on consumer Reports ratings and the fact that we got over 200,000 miles on the last Hyundai Sonata. We have over 90,000 miles on this one and it has been a good value except for 2 major points. One, the accelerator stuck in the idle position, which is the default instead of unintended acceleration. The other is the paint peeled off the hood and the roof right above the windshield. Even though it was only 2.5 years old, since it had 50,000 miles on it warranty did not cover it. $1600 paint job. The money we saved by buying Hyundai we really did not save. You get what you pay for...

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  Transmission Issues Not Worth It - 2016 Hyundai TUCSON
  By BPJ - April 19 - 11:37 pm

  We want to love this redesigned Tucson. We actually traded a 2014 model to get the upgrades included in 2016. However, after owning the car a year, we can firmly state that we would not purchase it again. After less than two months of normal driving, we began to experience the huge delay and hesitation in shifting from a stop. More than a few times, I felt that my safety was in serious danger. We took the vehicle back to the dealership multiple times to address the issue, but they did not appear to take our complaints seriously until we escalated the problem to the corporate level. At less than six months, our vehicle got an entirely new transmission replacement. It had literally been in the service department a quarter of the time that we owned it. We were very hesitant to accept the "resolution" of a new transmission, however we decided to give it a try. Another six months later, we have begun to experience the same issues again, particularly if the A/C has been turned on right after starting the vehicle. While the Aug. 2016 software update has yet to be installed, we are extremely disappointed in this vehicle. Our feeling is that there will continue to be "updates" for the life of the vehicle. We do not recommend it to anyone, because the time and energy spent trying to fix these MAJOR safety issues is not worth it. We firmly believe that someone will end up getting critically injured in one of these vehicles, resulting in a class action lawsuit.