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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  Former Mercedes Benz owner - 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By La - October 25 - 10:00 am

  Coming out of a leased Mercedes M class, my Santa Fe has that beat! The Santa Fe has a better feel for the road and is much more reliable. The seating is comfortable and the amenities are comparable if not better than the Benz, both vehicles having similar upgraded packages.

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  Awesome Car! - 2012 Hyundai Sonata
  By cswank2000 - October 25 - 7:45 am

  The 2012 Sonata is amazing! I have had 3 Toyota Camrys in the past and intended to buy another. However, I decided to compare vehicles, so I test drove the Camry and the Honda Accord as well. The Sonata was definitely the best pick! I love the styling (inside & out), the ride is quiet and comfortable (and its just plain fun to drive), interior room is incredible, the warranty is great and the gas mileage is awesome (averaging 34.9 MPG). I also like the Bluetooth and the new Blue Link feature. Its not only a great safety feature, but it gives you alot of other perks. Highly recommend this vehicle!!

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  first car - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By bo - October 25 - 4:40 am

  It is my first car. It is fun to drive. The engine is not powerful enough, anyway, it is 2.0L.

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  I LOVE MY TIBURON - 2008 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Susan - October 24 - 1:46 am

  I just bought a black on black V-6 with 9,000 miles on it. This car is SO awesome. It is fun to drive, handles great and looks so much more expensive than what I paid. People flip out over it, when I stop at a red light, everyone in the cars around me check it out. I am even getting pretty good gas mileage. I like the Tiburon so much better than the new Genesis Coupe. This car was really hard to find. I found a new one in my area, but the dealer sold it before I got a chance to buy it. I was lucky to find this one with low mileage at a great price.

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  Poor Quality - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By howellmom - October 23 - 3:10 pm

  Needs a redesign. Bumber can not clear sidewalk when parking head on. Exterior falls apart easily.

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  2005 Tucson - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Mary Kay - October 23 - 5:26 am

  After looking at every small and midsize suv out there, I found the Tucson by accident. I went to look at the Santa Fe, and saw the Tucson. I didnt need to drive it off the parking lot and knew it was the one I wanted. I have been estatic with this purchase. What a vehicle for the money. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Has great pick up, no outside noise when windows are up and driving 55 mph. Has best headroom I have come across, even better then the exployer which I have also owned. Best purchase I have made.

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  Economical Choice With Style! - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Kee - October 23 - 2:00 am

  The engine is quiet and the ride is smooth. We have taken this car on a long distance trip with for adults. One adult is 5"10 and was better off in the front than in the back. The ride was comfortable. I have given up my minivan for this Sonata! My minivan has been put in the garage because the Sonata is perfect for around town driving as well.

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  New Santa Fe Owner - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By jpsphr - October 23 - 1:53 am

  Just let go of an Acura MDX at the end of a four year lease. Loved the MDX. So far, I have to say that the Santa Fe is a much cheaper but almost as satisfying vehicle. Its more the size of an RDX, but the features are similar to the MDX, the Santa Fe is QUIETER and the fuel economy is better. The Acura is quicker, handles a bit better and has a legitimate third row. When I showed the Hyundai off to some friends, they couldnt believe the quality of the fit and finish. Now, lets see if it is as satisfying after 4 years.

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  will miss ya baby - 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By macbratt68 - October 21 - 9:23 pm

  I will be trading in my 02 Santa fe to purchase a 06 Honda Element. This car has been so great I actually feel bad about trading it in. I had planned on driving it into the ground but decided to trade it in before it lost all value. Had a few bumps in begining with dealership- they never lubed on front wheel/brake and it wore out instantly. Dealer always fought over what was covered under warranty.After the first year things were great. So much room my friends were envious. At least they would have been if it didnt say HYUNDAI on the back. Cant shake that cheap stigma even though its a 22k car. Not sure I would ever buy another.

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  great car for the money with a lot of st - 2005 Hyundai TUCSON
  By Mrs. gibert - October 21 - 6:13 am

  the vehicle has a lot to offer. i shopped for a CRV and the RAV4. the tucson has soo many features to offer with a lot less than honda and toyota. the best value out there