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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  Fantastic GLS!! - 2010 Hyundai Sonata
  By pkteacher01 - January 29 - 2:05 am

  I purchased this 2010 vehicle recently and I have absolutely no complaings. I am use to driving a mini-van and love the comforts of the size, storage, and power. Due to gas costs I looked for a smaller vehicle with the comfort of a minivan and one that I could afford. I absolutely love this car. This car has so much power to be a 4 cylinder and the gas mileage is fantastic. The technology and comfort is amazing. This even has cruise control--on a standard! Rides like a dream, quiet, and even on bumpy roads it is smooth. I love my car and you will too!

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  2009 Hyundai Touring 4auto - 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring
  By doubleg - January 29 - 12:26 am

  Driven a Civic, Corolla, Matrix,Vibe, Mazda 3 and the Hyundai Touring came out on top. The Mazda was fun to drive, but it is smaller and cost more. The others did not compare in quality and safety features. In 2weeks I have driven 80% in city and a 200 mile trip on the interstate and winding roads and the touring handled great. Quite cabin, cruising at 65MpH with plenty of zip (ok it is not a sports car but it has enough for every day commutes and highway use. Great cargo space. Fit and finish excellent and safety features sold me. Some complain about steering feel, but in my case the wagon handled better than my 2003 Honda Accord.

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  I love my Hyundai Accent - 2017 Hyundai Accent
  By Chelsea B - January 28 - 10:43 pm

  This is my first new car and I love it! I have had absolutely zero buyers remorse. Previously I was driving a 1995 Nissan Altima, so this car is a huge improvement in every way possible. I live in a rural area and commute to work so I wanted something with good fuel economy, great night time visibility, and something I feel safe driving. The Accent exceeded all of my expectations. I am averaging 40 mpg! Ive driven over the mountain pass recently and averaged 41 mpg! The steering is fantastic and I love driving through traffic circles and winding roads. The interior feels huge when youre inside the car and I can haul so much that Im still shocked by the cargo space! The headlights are amazing, I feel like I have a really clear view of whats happening on and off the road around me. I love the Bluetooth capabilities, I am constantly playing music from my phone and love that I can safely answer phone calls. Even the color and appearance of the car is enjoyable. I opted for red because I wanted a bright color so my car wouldnt blend in with the background of rural driving. The dealership has contacted me multiple times to ask how Im enjoying the car and I have no complaints. This is by no means a luxury vehicle and Ive seen plenty of reviews complaining about the lack of features. This is a very basic vehicle by todays standards but if youve been driving an old rust bucket this car is a dream.

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  What not to like? - 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Paul H - January 28 - 5:30 pm

  Ok, I admit that we have only had this vehicle for a couple of weeks and are still in the "honeymoon" period. However, this not-so-mini SUV is a real winner. Great (ok a bit funky) looks, roomy interior, sure-footedness, quiet, capable power, and a tremendous warranty. And we compared it to many other hot-sellers in the same category and we had no difficulty in choosing this one to bring home.

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  veracruz is fantastic! - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By Ken - January 28 - 3:26 pm

  I just purchased a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz Limited FWD and drove from Texas to Kansas. This vehicle is very nice, and comes equipped better than a Lexus RX350. It also has a better warranty than the Lexus. The third row seat fold flat and is big enough for two adults. I was going to buy the Nissan Murano but the third row plus a better deal than an equivalently equipped Murano helped me choose the Veracruz. The exterior and interior fit and finish is very nice with tight tolerances. Its quiet at highway speeds, six speed automatic transmission with manual mode, and loaded with just about every convenience you could want. Power liftgate, leather heated seats, heated side mirrors, sunroof, etc

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  I love my Elantra - 2008 Hyundai Elantra
  By Debby - January 28 - 8:46 am

  Ive owned my Elantra since June of 2007. I love everything about it,I cant believe how few of them I see on the road. My gas mileage is is exactly what I was promised, Im getting 28.9 in the city, which is all I ever drive. The interior (I went with the heated leather seats) is comfortable and everything is easy to reach with lots of storage compartments. The interior room for a car this size is amazing, especially the head room. The handling is great, the steering is very responsive and the ride is really smooth. Im just an average driver, not a car expert but I know what I like and this car has got to be my best purchase. I paid $17,200 for this car, worth every penny. Love it!

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  When the new one comes out I am buying!! - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Drew from ND - January 28 - 7:06 am

  I have had my Sonata for a little over a year now. I have traveled all over the U.S. with it as it is now showing 56,000 miles. I absolutely love this car. Its powerful, the warranty is great, and I feel like I have nothing to worry about when I drive down the rode. I have owned both Accords and Camrys. This car is just as much of a car at those others which will run you about $5,000 more for the same options. I will definitely buy another Hyundai. I am hooked and stand behind it.

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  Great Car - 2004 Hyundai Tiburon
  By rishthe1 - January 26 - 7:06 am

  This car exceded all of my expectations.

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  Hyundais come a long way - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By Pinevalleyite - January 25 - 8:43 pm

  My first new car (in 1986) was a Hyundai Excel. Perfect price for the newly graduated and employed. People made fun of "Hyundai" back then. Seems the rep has changed and Im loving my new Hyundai Veracruz. Ride is so smooth and it feels like a luxury vehicle. Lots of nice interior touches and great handling and maneuvering. While competing dealers will tell you the Veracruz is not "in the same class" as their crossover, its priced right and Im listening to the reports from the experts that Hyundai is making a quality vehicle. Time will tell, but love it so far.

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  who would have thought??? - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Paul - January 24 - 3:26 am

  I am an avid car enthusiat who has subscriptions to all the major mags. I do a lot of homework before purchasing a vechile. My wife and I needed to downsize from our Durango so I started looking at the usual suspects (Escape, Liberty,etc). I came across the Sante Fe by mistake. I took all 3 for test drives and the Sante Fe just blew them away! I couldnt belive this was the same Hyundai that was the joke of the auto industry 10 yrs ago. You simply cant beat the value they offer. I have the 3.5L motor and its awesome. I also have a modified Ford Lightning and an 05 Stang GT so I know about performace. It may not be the best looking SUV on the road, but it cant be beat for the money.