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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  YES, Its a Hyundai!!! - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By David Hennaman - November 6 - 1:16 pm

  I walked into the dealership and after 15min test drive, I walked away with a black fully loaded Tucson. As soon as I sat in the car, I could feel the high level of quality. The car feels a little too heavy for a small ute when driving but it gives you a secure and solid feeling. Hands down a great purchase!

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  Nothing better for the price - 2005 Hyundai Elantra
  By J.C. - November 6 - 11:53 am

  If you are looking for a sporty, economy car, this is it! The others in its class dont even compare, especially on price and warranty. At 65" and 230lbs, I just do fit (more headroom if Id not gotten the sunroof), but what a great commuter car.

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  My 2nd Hyundai - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By Young - November 6 - 4:40 am

  After my 7 yr old Elantra got rearended and totalled, I simply went back to Hyundai and bought a Sonata. I wanted to buy another Elantra originally but decided to upgrade. Im very sad to lose my beloved Elantra who saved me from 3 accidents in total but also Im happy to be a proud owner of another Hyundai. I strongly trust their safety and reliability. For 7 yrs I had absolutely zero problem with the Elantra. I paid $17,700 for my Sonata with premium pkg after loyalty discount and cash rebate. Pleasant exprience at the dealership. Sonata isnt as quiet as Camry. But still very quiet & great handling esp. at corners. Very roomy and great pickup w/ 4 cyl. Very responsive break. Great car!

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  Big Bang for the buck - 2002 Hyundai XG350
  By jay t - November 5 - 2:00 am

  This car has performed fine so far the ride is smooth and quiet seats are comfy leather is excellent heated seats will now always be a must have. audio has great sound i would recommend this car forget about what the neighbor says its your cash you save and tha car is well worth it especially if your like me and put 200000 miles on a car. the warenty has been great they even replaced a headlamp free.

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  Fun car, great turbo power, lots of features. - 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By djg77 - November 4 - 1:53 pm

  This isnt a review about mechanical issues since its too new to tell. Ive had my new Santa Fe 2.0T (FWD, base package, no frills) for a couple of weeks now. I love it. It is a comfortable, quiet, fun car to drive. The 270+ hp turbo engine has no problem pushing up the steep inclines of the Texas hill country. It doesnt even blink. Youll take a bit of a hit on gas mileage over the non-turbo model, but its worth it. The non-turbos are just sluggish. The interior is very comfortable, has great looking trim, and the standard options on the base package are impressive. Heat seaters, power everything, bluetooth, all of the things you want.

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  King of Affordable Mid-Size Sedans - 2002 Hyundai Sonata
  By Justin LaSalata - November 4 - 10:00 am

  If you are in the market for an affordable mid-size sedan, look no further than the 2002 Hyundai Sonata GLS. This sedan has it all, from styling to performance to elegance. The car looks like a Jaguar and rides like a dream. The 2.7 liter 181-hp V6 is lively and responsive. Interior is very accommodating for 5 adults and the instrument panel is laid out beautifully. Why pay upwards of $5,000 and more for a Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, or Chevy Impala? You would be wasting your hard-earned money if you did. Plus, the 10-year warranty cannot be outdone.

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  BMW - Mercedes - Lexus Look out. - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By Mikey - November 4 - 2:43 am

  I am having a ball with my Genesis 4.6 with the Technology package. BMW, MB & Lexus look out for the new kid on the block, Hyundai hit a grand slam with this one. I also have an 06 lexus LS 430. This car is nicer in every way. Looked at the new LS460 with all the toys and except for a few minor touches the Genesis is a steal at 25K less.

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  Awesome car...No Problems ! - 2000 Hyundai Elantra
  By frleck - November 4 - 2:00 am

  This car is the best I have ever owned. The only money we have put into it is for gas and routine maintainance. The only problem was with the tires...they had to be replaced at 15,000 miles. They were completly bald and would not pass inspection.

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  The best SUV - 2007 Hyundai Veracruz
  By sms90 - November 3 - 12:23 pm

  As far as, i am really enjoying my veracruz and its comfortness is very good and so quiet.

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  Good deal on Sonata Sport - 2016 Hyundai Sonata
  By Hyundai driver - November 2 - 9:04 pm

  When I originally set out to purchase a Sonata, I was not looking to acquire the Sport model. However, during the process of contacting various dealerships online, I was offered a nice deal on a 2016 Sonata Sport. After negotiating a bit more, I was able to purchase a Sonata Sport, which has a several desirable features, at the same cost a regular Sonata. Make sure to do your research on available rebates and the 3% that the dealer receives from the manufacturer. Knowing that the invoice price is not the actual cost of the car will definitely make negotiation easier.