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:

• 

  2007 Sonata - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By jim - September 11 - 8:20 pm

  Have had this car nearly a year now & can`t say enough good things about it. Drive is whisper quiet,engine seems to have plenty of power for me. Also the longer I drive it the better the gas mileage gets. I had my mind made up to buy a Honda Accord (own a CRV & previously an Accord)but the rude sales mgr. & $4,000. extra made me go for this car.

• 

  Very Satisfied With Our New Sonata - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By Near Huntsville - September 11 - 1:40 pm

  Fuel efficiency of this model was a major factor in my decision to go with Hyundai. After 6500 miles I am averaging 29 MPG around Huntsville, AL in mixed city/interstate driving. The interior of this car is laid out well. The power seat is great because it allows for small tweaks while driving to maintain driver comfort. The stock radio sounds very good and having the USB port allows me to play MP3s from a flash drive, and XM radio is a big plus too. The A/C cools quickly and has to be turned down a bit, even on hot days. The interior is so quiet that I feel like Im in my own little zone on the way home from work each day.

• 

  Unbelievably Awesome Ride - 2007 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Tara - September 11 - 12:56 pm

  I have had my Tib for nearly a year now and I absolutely love it. The gas mileage is far better than I expected from a sports car. The outside design and detailing is fantastic. The beige leather interior (found only in the 2007 GT Limited) coupled with the sleek black exterior I chose really gives this car a very expensive look for only a little bit of money. I get compliments on this car all the time. "That is a beautiful car." "What a sweet ride." And so on and so forth. It has a great deal of power and it handles well.

• 

  Veracruz in Toronto! - 2007 Hyundai Veracruz
  By krill lover - September 11 - 9:20 am

  I got my Veracruz on the first day of august and so far, my experience with this so called "LUV" (Luxury Utility Vehicle) has been phenominal. The powertrain has plenty of power on the go, the cabin stays quiet all the time and the fit and finish is I dare say comparable to Lexus and MB. The seats are very comfy, and my children and wife get plenty of room in the rear. So far, Im only concerned about the front headrest. My son starts complaining about his sore neck after about an hour drive. So far, this vehicle has been great. Im planning to go on a 500 mile trip to chicago this weekend. Ill write another review on fuel economy and dependabily of Hyundais that my wife still doubts.

• 

  Very Impressed!! - 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring
  By Mark - September 11 - 6:20 am

  Love this car and so far everything is surprisingly great! Was skeptical about the Hyundai brand but after checking the JD Powers rankings and other research and the test drive I was sold. Was also comparing the Rav 4 from Toyota and the Honda CRV, cant beat the warranty and I do believe Hyundai reliability and quality have surpassed both. Averaging about 27 mpg in mixed driving and still breaking in the engine. European flair is excellent on both the inside and out and the feel of the ride. I plan on keeping this one in the family for a long time!!!!!

• 

  Sant Fe - AWD 4x4 - 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Ken Pribil - September 11 - 6:00 am

  This vehicle is a pleasure to drive. The only drawback is the CD stereo. In order to hear its quality, and power, it must be played loud. Everything else is great. I only wish that they would make an offer an extended version. Then it would be perfect.

• 

  Quite a change for hyundai - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By HappyHO - September 10 - 2:00 am

  Hyundai has never really been up to par with the likes of Honda and Toyota until 02. The newly redesigned Sonota is almost perfect. One of the smoothest rides out there, it feels more solid than the accord and has more pickup then the camry. The price is not bad either. I would recommend this car anyday of the week. Its roomy, sporty, and I love the shiftronic sport shifting. A very well made automobile at a very good price.

• 

  LOVE IT - 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Susan Lorimer - September 9 - 11:30 am

• 

  WOW!!!! - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Deb - September 8 - 6:30 pm

  I just took delivery of my 2011 Sonata Limited with Nav. This car is all I was hoping it would be. Ive been waiting to see it since the first time I heard it was coming. And the pictures dont do it justice. It is a fun to drive, economical, and good looking vehicle. My husband has been trying to get me out of my Acura for years and this car finally gave me a reason to do so. I am impressed by all the standard features and the quality of everything about it. I like to "feel" my stereo when I listen and this car delivers on that count. The acceleration is way better than I expected. And all of this for a whole less money than I ever expected. I highly recommend this car!!!!!

• 

  Great Car - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By Nicole - September 8 - 4:46 am

  I was really interested in the Honda Civic and Toyota Camrys and didnt like the bad blind spot in the Civic and the Camry seemed too big for me and a little pricey. I was recently in a car accident and had to find a new car fast... I did some research and luckily my rental was a Hyundai Sonata. I was able to test drive it and really get a feel of it. I fell in love and decided to go to the dealership to get a better look. It has only been a day of owning my car and I already love it! I think it is so stylish and roomy and I feel so safe! I was able to upgrade to leather seats without paying the extra "Limited" cost. I have a white car w/ Beige interior and LOVE it.