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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  Excellent vehicle - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Max Robinett - November 13 - 10:00 am

  Zero problems. One recall for a label and one for something simple on the brakes

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  fun little car - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By carofin - November 13 - 10:00 am

  I love my Santa Fe. Just the right size, sassy and efficient, she (doesnt she look like a she?) has been reliable, affordable and just down right fun.

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  Nice Vehicle - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Ernest Winterkorn - November 13 - 10:00 am

  This is the first foreign auto I have ever owned. I found it be very satisfactory in every respect. It performs in every way that the manufacture says it will. Im also very happy with the way it looks and handles.

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  Great SUV - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Bjp2004 - November 13 - 10:00 am

  Great Car, Great Size!!

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  2003 Sante Fe - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Ginny - November 13 - 10:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for about 18 months. I am very pleased as is my family.

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  HAPPY I STOPPED IN - 2008 Hyundai Sonata
  By Bob - November 13 - 7:16 am

  I was looking for a new car and just happened to stop in at the new dealership.Took a test drive and was taken hook, line and sinker. I wasnt even going to look at the Hyundai models.Honda, Toyota, Chevy and Ford were the only ones I had driven. Bought the car next day. Glad I stopped by.

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  Added bonus - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By toysax - November 13 - 12:03 am

  I just got my revised bill for my car insurance. It went down $300! High crash ratings. High residual value. Better reliability. Its all adding up to a smart purchase. Anyone else s bill go down?

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  Bronze 2016 Elantra VE seriously rocks! - 2016 Hyundai Elantra
  By Sherrie Almes - November 11 - 9:48 pm

  I love my Elantra! This is the best vehicle Ive bought in 10 years! Well, to be fair thats because my last one was a 2005 Hyundai Tucson that my eldest grandson is now driving. Due to mobility problems, sedans became difficult for me years back because they were too low, but the 2016 Elantra has a height-adjustable driver seat which makes is perfect for me. Im my 83-year-old 49" mothers caregiver so the Elantra is a perfect match for her, too, whereas the Tucson was a bit too high for egress safety. This is my first vehicle with keyless ignition about which I was a bit dubious, but Ive come to love not having to carry a key ring around. I love the sunroof (standard on the VE), and the backup camera has been very useful at night backing out of our long driveway which has a curve in it. My only two negatives are: 1. The curve of the roof line toward the A pillars is a bit shallow as it goes toward the windshield which makes getting in and out a little bit difficult without bumping my head. Its taken a while to remember to lean back into the seat but Im getting the hang of it. 2. Visibility, especially obliquely, is somewhat reduced by the wideness of the C pillars combined with the narrowing of the rear windows. These are things that one can adjust to eventually so Id just advise additional caution until adapted. All-in-all I would heartily recommend this vehicle. My sister, who went with me to buy mine, liked it so much she bought one the next day.

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  Feel so good - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By austin - November 11 - 9:10 am

  Ive driven my Sonata for just 1 month but its enough to be happy for my choice.

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  I Love My Santa Fe - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By emeraldshan - November 9 - 10:06 pm

  Honestly, i was iffy about getting a hyundai at first, but it seems they have improved a lot over the years. I just bought my Sante Fe this afternoon, and its great! I love the interior!! I was comparing it to my friends 07 Infiniti G35. All I know is I love my interior better!! Love the heated seats, dashboard light dimmers, and all that space in the trunk. Not to mention how smooth it drives. I was lucky enough to get my Limited Edition for a very good price. All I can say is that Im extremely satisfied... for now atleast! Let me drive it around for another year or so and Ill be back with more info.