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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  Cheap cure for midlife crisis - 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
  By Govols - September 28 - 10:26 pm

  Ive put ~1000 miles on my Genesis Coupe and I have not regretted the purchase. The car rides every bit as well as it looks. The automatic transmission is silky smooth and theres plenty of oomph. The brakes in the base model are a bit waffly, though. Ive been averaging 25 MPG in mixed city/highway driving. The engine emits a spine-tingling growl, but on the flip side, theres way too much road noise on the highway. Even the base model comes loaded with features. Seats are comfortable, but I really would like to have more up/down adjustment or a telescoping steering wheel. Visibility is surprisingly good for such a low car. The bluetooth is buggy -- mine has not worked from day one.

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  XG350L - 2002 Hyundai XG350
  By Cal ina XG350L - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Looking for a new car? No one would have convinced me Id have ended up in a Hyundai. But after 6 test drives i took the plunge into XG350L zone. I have 30000 miles and besides a front headlight bulb burning out and the interior door section popping up when the door closed (both fixed by dealer) I can say that this car is the "bang for the buck" real deal. From its pick up off the line, its loaded bells and whistles in the cab, and styling (except as i agree with others the rear end needs remodeling) it has been wonderful. Try this one if your in the new car market youll see why all these reviews praise it.

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  I hope Consumer Reports is correct - 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring
  By J - September 27 - 6:50 pm

  We bought this because CR is in love with the vehicle. The car (as the i-30 elsewhere in the world) has garnered all kinds of awards over the past 3 years. Compared to my Pontiac Vibe (Corolla), the ET has better fit and finish, excellent visibility, transmission, and is unbelievably quiet. The dash layout is simple and attractive, the Bluetooth is voice interactive and a must have, and the air conditioner is far superior to any other car I have ever seen. The ET is much more comfortable for rear passengers than the new Tucsan. If the reliability holds up as CR thinks it will, Ill be buying Korean products instead of Japanese from now on. Buying this car is a no brainer.

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  Love my Santa Fe - 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By riceman - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Santa Fe and I love it even more than my first one. I put 100,000 miles on the first one with virtually no mechanical problems. I have owned this Limited for almost a year and had the first & only problem this month, an idler arm pulley. The warranty covered it with no down time. This is a great vehicle and when I trade again, Ill look for another.

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  Giant step up for sonata - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By carguy2011 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I could not imagine a bigger step up than the one the Sonata took with this new 2011 model. Attention getting looks from everyone. The new style rivals cars twice the cost of one of these. The SE model stands out when compared to the GSL and LTD. Paddle shifters. Really. Dont need them but adds a sporty feel for sure. 18" wheels and low profile tires complete the racy look of the SE. Ride is stiff and sporty feeling on the SE so if your worried about ride quality then stick with the LTD. SE models are hard to find so take note. No long trips yet but MPG good for big car.

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  So Impressed - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By oxford u - September 26 - 10:00 am

  My Brother was so impressed with mine, he bought one the day after I brought mine home! Smooth quiet ride, plenty of power, great gas mileage, and the best warranty in the business

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  Incredible Surprise - 2009 Hyundai Sonata
  By ftessina - September 26 - 8:46 am

  Never thought I would even consider, let alone buy a Hyundai. Read online write-ups and reviews of Sonata, Camry, Altima, and Impala. Liked all of the cars, but Sonata was by far the least expensive with more useful features than the others. Smooth, strong and quiet acceleration with the six. Handles better than reviews led me to believe. Gas mileage is great. Lots of interior room. Weve owned a Lexus, 3 BMWs and traded an Acura and this car held its own with all of them at a much lower price. Tremendous Value! Not the flashiest car, but no better car for the money.

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  First Hyundai - 2006 Hyundai Elantra
  By J - September 26 - 5:16 am

  This is our first Hyundai, and I have been very impressed. The ride is so smooth and quiet. Also, it is enjoyable to both drive and/or be a passenger in this vehicle because it is very comfortable. We have been shopping the market for some time now and this was the best vehicle we found for the money!

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  Great Car - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Michelle - September 25 - 5:13 pm

  This is our first Hyundai and it will not be the last. We are very impressed with the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe. What drew us to the car were the standard safety features. Then when we drove it, we couldnt wait to get it home. It is smooth, comfortable and fun to drive. We looked at the 2006 Santa Fe and we werent that impressed. The 2007 is an overhaul of not just the outside, but the inside. Great value for the money and the Santa Fe is easy on the wallet regarding gas. On ten gallons of gas, strictly city driving, we went 230 miles. I highly recommend this SUV.

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  A truly desirable car - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By Dror - September 25 - 3:10 pm

  With the very low price and a full array of features and extras it simply makes this car to be one of the most desirable cars on todayÂ’s market. Safe drive - 5 Stars award for the front crash on both passenger and driver sides, also one of the few who earned the 5 Stars ratings for side impact tests. Powerful acceleration with smooth touring on low fuel consumption while maintaining high speed cruising. Amazing road handling for a low priced car. IÂ’m able to take sharp ramps on 55 mph while other cornering behind and crawling on the 25 mph mark; ESC computer controls superb the wheels and the car speed when careless driving is involved