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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  Highest value mid-size sedan - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By E - August 31 - 3:03 am

  If you rated this car on value per category it would rank 10 on all aspects. I rated this vehicle in comparison to other mid-size sedans in a similar category, such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. If you are looking for a car with a firm ride this is not the vehicle for you as it has a fair amount of body roll, sacrificed for the soft ride no doubt. Overall it is a fun car to drive and I would recommend it over any other mid- sized sedan primarily because of the cost. My fiancee bought this car a month ago for $10,700 with 22K miles. It is very comfortable for long trips and has ample space in the rear seat and trunk. The car looks very upscale both inside and out.

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  SONATA, MORE THAN JUST A HYUNDAI - 2003 Hyundai Sonata
  By ap20stuff - August 31 - 2:00 am

  The new Sonata is a beautiful, well- appointed,and AFFORDABLE car. With all the features of a car that costs thousands more, the Sonata is very appealing. The V6 engine is not the most powerful, but is smooth and adeqaute enough for everyday travel, and the occasional cross-country trip. Final verdict: I love my new car.

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  For the Money? WOW! - 2003 Hyundai XG350
  By John Pichman - August 31 - 2:00 am

  I have owned other luxury sedans such as the Seville and es300. The Seville was my favorite, but could not afford to continue to take the hit on depreciation. How ever I find the xg350 to be close enough to the es300 to justify the $12000.00 savings. If you drive alot of miles annually and want to change cars every three years with out accumulating the national debt, this the car!

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  GT is way to go~ - 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
  By d.C - August 31 - 2:00 am

  I think Hyundai has come up with very nice sporty car with less price. I have had my eyes on this car for about 4 month before I got it. I love it. Fun to drive. I love it when people ask me "what kind of car is that?" I have driven both base and GT model but GT is way to go with just couple thousand more.

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  A very good car - 2005 Hyundai Accent
  By Vern - August 29 - 7:50 am

  I have only had the car for about 3 months, and I can say it is well worth the money I payed. I am very happy with it.

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  2013 Elantra GT is smooth and sporty - 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
  By dhfromcali - August 29 - 6:00 am

  After much research and test drives, I finally decided on the Elantra GT with the Style package. I test drove and compared the following: VW Golf, Golf TDI, Jetta TDI, Mazda 3, Ford Focus, Nissan Altima, Kia Optima. By far, the Elantra GT was the quietest ride out of all, nicest cabin, and best overall value. It was fun to drive (only slightly less fun than the Mazda which had great steering) but was smoother on freeway than Mazda. Its a lot roomier in front and back seat than all of those listed, and has better warranty. It was close between the Mazda and Hyundai but the Mazda didnt make good use of dash setup and Im only 55" and hit my head getting in/out of the car.

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  Over the road - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Jabbott - August 28 - 3:06 pm

  We are a single car retired couple. We bought the Santa Fe for convenience. An unexpected bonus is the comfort. We make two 5,000 mile trips each year. We feel less tired or worn at the end of an 800 mile day than with any car we have ever owned, including several Buicks and Oldsmobiles.

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  20K and going strong - 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By RD - August 28 - 2:23 pm

  After 20K+ miles in 20 months, this 06 Santa Fe hasnt had any problems. Dealer recommended oil changes/service by the book. Dealer caught one minor problem at 6K miles & repaired it (no charge). Great in traffic with ample acceleration to move as needed. Good sound system. Would like better than 2 interior color choices (taupe and grey). Body paint still looks new. Braking is still great. Interior cab for driver feels cramped with seat pushed back to its stops; have to rest left foot on foot rest; still uncomfortable with long drives. V6 highway mileage could be better.

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  luxury car benchmark - 2009 Hyundai Genesis
  By JerryBunz25 - August 28 - 4:00 am

  I am only 19 years of age but I know cars. My parents have leased several BMWs which i have driven. I decided to purchase the Genesis because of all that you get for the money. The 4.8 Genesis has 7 series luxury, 5 series performance, for a 3 series price. The pickup is better than the Cadillac CTS, BMW 3 and 5 series, MB C, E, and CLK class, and Lexus IS, ES, GS, and is even compared to the LS, 7 series, and S-class. This car will be remembered for years to come. A true collectors item an the age where collector cars have died out since the 1970s. I will definitely keep this car looking good and running well to keep value high.

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  Technology Is Not There - 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
  By docrickets - August 27 - 5:28 pm

  Voice command is way off. These guys need to study Apple SIRI. The system has a very hard time recognizing voice commands. By the time it does recognize what you want, you have driven off the road or caused an accident. Even the service advisors are clueless in helping you with the problem. Blue Link is Hyundais answer to on-star. Dont waste your money. They use cell sites to triangulate your position or to speak with you. Will not work if your out of the cell towers. The operators are rude and their supervisors are arrogant.