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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  Nice - 2016 Hyundai Azera
  By Jim Griesbach - February 22 - 2:12 am

  Quiet, comfortable ride, loaded with useful features

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  I Love This Car - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Carol - February 21 - 2:40 pm

  I previously owned a 2002 Elantra. From day 1 I was impressed with Hyundai. In 3 years not one problem. My previous American vehicles sure cant make that statement. Decided to move up to the Sonata for a larger car and a few more options. This is THE car. The ride is so smooth and quiet. Rides better than Buicks I test drove. Friends have commented on how tight this car is. Very comfortable seating. May be a 4 cyl but has lots of zip and good freeway power. And the look says CLASS! Hyundai warranty and backup on previous model and the new have sold me. I travel alone and the roadside benefit means a lot. The price alone would sell the car but once you drive it you are totally sold

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  my sonata - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By thomas gutierrez - February 21 - 2:10 pm

  I bought my sonata in nov.05,am very happy with my car and hope that this will help others in desiding on what to buy.overall the auto is a good buy and performer.smooth ride that of a more expensive auto,comfort for me is good,sound system is great large trunk,plenty of window vewer.

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  Worth EVERY dollar - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By MizEmt - February 21 - 11:40 am

  I purchased my 06 Sonata last week. All I can say is UNBELIEVABLE... Hyundai has gone way beyond everything they have put out before.

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  100 percent satisfied - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By Al Kadis - February 21 - 2:00 am

  Had this car almost 2 years. Wonderful car. No problems, just change the oil. Rides and handles well. Great car for the money. Thousands less than Corola or Civic with equipment thsy do not supply, like traction control,heated outside mirrors, drivers seat fully adjustable for height, std side air bage, sunglass holder.

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  Comfort without the cost - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By jorjor64k - February 21 - 2:00 am

  For all wanting a comfortable yet sporty commuter car Id have to recommend this latest version of Hyundais Elantra. With a 5 speed manual transmission, 135 hp 4 cylinder and a roomy interior with well thought out amenities, theres not another car like it for the price. Ive actually begun to enjoy the 150 mile round trip to work up and down the jersey turnpike since Ive gotten behind the wheel. Gas mileage is a little iffy at 32 mpg. The interior noise is kept to minimum even when cruising 70. All things considered, the price not being the least, theres not a better value out there.........

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  Awesome Bang for the Buck... - 2017 Hyundai Accent
  By JP - February 20 - 3:34 pm

  Apparently October 2017 is a great time to cut a deal on a brand new Hyundai Accent Sport Hatchback. I leased a 2014 Sonata Limited for 3 years and have a foundation with Hyundai automobiles. I wanted a fuel efficient run around town car and the Accent Sport has exceeded my expectations. The car is literally loaded with every imaginable Sub Compact Options, Safety Features, Entertainment, and Electronics. I test drove the car twice and it was the 2nd test drive that sold me. Comfortable Seat, Sure Footed Ride, Acceptable Road Noise, Adequate Stereo, Fuel Burn Computer, Plenty of Room in the Cockpit for 4 plus Cargo. Alloy Wheels? 4 Wheel Disc Brakes? Steering Wheel Mounted Controls? Bluetooth Hands Free? 30mpg around town? 37mpg HWY? Best Warranty in America today. I paid $13,000 Cash. Whats not to like? The ONLY gripe I would pass on is without a Turbo the 1.6L DGI engine requires a healthy amount of pedal to get moving. 3 Driving Modes...Eco, Sport, Normal... Take a Test Drive and decide for yourself. After all, this is a bottom of the line model for Hyundai...

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  What a gem! - 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring
  By Kalun47 - February 19 - 10:10 pm

  I had considered the 09 Outback and Honda FIT before i eventually came upon the ET SE A/T. The legroom for the backseat is amazing, and the cargo room is unmatched when the seats are folded down. As far as safety features go, the ET is top-notch. It was airbags all around, ABS, ESC, and maximum braking when the pedal is suddenly depressed. The Honda FIT is roughly the same price, and doesnt come with ESC. This car has more passenger room than some of the compact and midsized SUVs on the market. The suspension is spring quite hard, so you can feel every imperfection on the road.

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  A Really Nice Ride - 2004 Hyundai XG350
  By FiddleStix - February 18 - 11:20 pm

  Really great car after 4 months of driving. I think this is a sharp looking car inside and out with loads of standard features. Great acceleration. Behaves very well on the highway even at passing speeds. Mileage is better than my Taurus. The car had some sway in hard turns and some tire noise but when I put on a quality set of tires both were solved. I consider this the nicest car I have ever owned, new or used, in 36 years of driving and the least expensive to buy. I was able to see the previous owners maintenance records and the car has never had a problem.

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  Santa Fe awesome again - 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Jacob Chojnacki - February 18 - 10:37 am

  i owned a 2011 Santa Fe limited awd and traded for this same model 2015. Its incredible. Everything is laid out really well. I enjoyed the captains chairs for the second row and the third row. I really think the panoramic sunroof is a great feature. However, the most important aspect is the drivability. I would say that the ride is a little stiffer than the previous Santa Fe, but it is miles of an improvement in terms of overall ride quality and luxury feel of the vehicle. I would highly recommend the Santa Fe.