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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  hyaundi - the right stuff - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By bubba4u - October 9 - 2:00 am

  inexpensive,yet doesnt feel cheap.reliable.a great car for someone who racks up the miles quickly.highly reccommended

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  hyundai elentra -2004 - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By brian M - October 9 - 2:00 am

  Car is very relaible, handles well- fairly comfortable to drive. Needs more power on hilly roads but if you use cruise control on hills it does fine. Get 33 mpg on trips but get similar results from my 2002 camry.Great car for the money

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  Get the leather, its worth it - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Moonraker - October 9 - 2:00 am

  This is the first car Ive bought w/o influence of (ex)wife, parents, friends, etc. Car looks fantastic, inside and out. Drives smooth, quiet, good stereo. I test drove w/ and w/o leather. Get the leather. This car has a much better feel w/ leather. The thermostat and the sunroof will now be necessities rather than luxuries on future cars for me. If its over 60 degrees and not raining, the sunroof is open, day or night. By the way: The headlights are EXACTLY like my friends mercedes, and yes, the back end looks like a jag. People mistake it for $40,000-type car all the time.

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  EVERYONE LOVES IT - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By LAMON88 - October 9 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Hyundai Sonata for over a year and I love it. Whenever my friends take a ride they always say how nice it is and how quite the moter runs.

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  I love my Hyndai - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By thehrs - October 9 - 2:00 am

  This is the second Hyndai I have onwed. I have found both cars to be extremely reliable, plus at the price, it cant be beat. The car feels like a luxury car, at a compact car price. If you test drive it, I think you will love it!

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  Excellent Vehicle for the $ - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Debxpub - October 9 - 2:00 am

  I am a researcher and it took me 2 months to finally decide to buy the Sonata and Im glad I did. For the $ it is an excellent valued sedan! Maybe it doesnt keep the same retail value as a Honda or Toyota but I dont think they compare with the interior and function at the price I paid. So it works out in the end.

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  Hyundai - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By donnavb - October 9 - 2:00 am

  Love this car. Fun to drive and dependable.

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  Very Fun, Needs MORE POWER - 2004 Hyundai Tiburon
  By gr8ful4tori - October 8 - 8:08 pm

  I bought my 04 Tiburon 4cyl in September of 2012 with 100k on it, That was a year ago. Overall it is a decent car and VERY fun to drive, I just wish it had more power. I live in NY and this car did better in the snow than I thought it would (Hankook S1 Noble2 tires are awesome). The seats are Very uncomfortable and the back seat is almost pointless.

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  Beautiful Rear End! - 2006 Hyundai Azera
  By Robert K. - October 8 - 4:06 am

  Look at the rear of the Hyundai Azera. Notice the beautiful tail lights and tail pipes. There is a nice bulge over the rear wheels. It is the nicest rear end of any car I have seen! The car is roomy, well thought out, loaded with useful features, and has a powerful engine. I drove from Miami to NY and back and averaged 24mpg at 77mph. Around town I am only averaging 14.5- 15.5mpg. I cant figure out other Azera owners claiming over 20mpg around town. The fit and finish is top notch. The car is very quiet at highway speeds. Good brakes and excellent handling in heavy rain. This car is as satisfying to own as my previous 5 Lexuses were and for a lot less money. This car is a great value!

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  Good starter car - 1999 Hyundai Accent
  By anonymoushyundai - October 8 - 2:00 am

  I have had no problems with my car. I bought it for transportation to and from school (300 miles round trip). I drove home every weekend with no problem. I am ready to upgrade now that I am in a professional career. No power whatsoever, but I guess thats what you trade for the price.