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 Ride - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By Rod Hill - July 31 - 10:00 am

  We looked at other mid size vehicles and found that the Hyundai Sonata was the best for the buck. So far it has been a joy to own.

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  LOVE MY 04 SONATA LX!!! - 2004 Hyundai Sonata
  By SpecialK - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Purchased an 04 Sonata LX 8 days ago & I LOVE IT! Some ppl say it could use a little more horsepower and while that would be nice, it has nice power and pick up. Its extremely comfy & stylish. The functions are easy to find and use. You cannot beat this car for the features, style, comfort, safety and simple overall satisfaction at the price. Every1 loves my Sonata, makes me feel great. Great warranty, cant beat it. I had a great dealership experience as well. If you can complain about this car you should search in the $30-$40,000 range and you still might not beat this deal by much.

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  always on the road - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By happyhyundai - July 31 - 10:00 am

  bought in march now have 2000 miles and have enjoyed every mile and look forward to the next 100,000 not in the market to buy but what a great deal and warranty couldnt pass up next time will buy a 6 cyl. the 4 is slow to get up but once it does it goes. would recomend to anyone looking for the suv look but the ride and price of a luxury car.

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  SMOOTH AND COMFORTABLE - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By rxgen - July 31 - 10:00 am

  TO DATE, THE SANTA FE EXPERIENCE HAS SURPASSED EXPECTATIONS. AS A PREVIOUS OWNER OF OTHER SUVS, THE SANTA FE PERFORMANCE EXCEEDS THE OTHERS. A SMOOTH AND QUIET RIDE FOR SURE! NOT TO MENTION, A TROUBLE FREE VEHICLE SINCE TAKING IT OUT OF THE DEALERS LOT!

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  Good Vehicle for Price - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By jeff - July 31 - 4:16 am

  Bravo Hyundai! Nothing beats haggling with car dealers, I spent 3 weeks pulling my dealers leg, and finally settled on a 2008 GLS with the Premium package for $21,000, tax, registration and doc fees were extra. What a steal! Car is wonderfully built with a 6 cylinder engine, roomy, and 3 rows of seating! Big 17" wheels, wood wrapped dash and doors, sunroof, heated seats! At nighttime there is a mood light and cup holders and ashtray lights too! No doubt this car is the envy of all crossovers! Car handles wonderfully. Responsive steering. Never thought I would buy non-American, but Im glad I did. Test drive one, you wont be disappointed!

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  A Lot of Car for the Money - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By L. Hyland - July 29 - 11:40 pm

  I find it hard to imagine getting any more car for the money. We purchased a 2006 Sonata in July with all the "bells and whistles" for $20K out the door (plus tax and title). The car is a spirited performer with tight handling characteristics at all speeds. Fuel economy is what I would expect from a 235 HP V6--around 20 mpg in town and 29 -30 mpg on the road. Fit and finish are excellent. Leather interior is a must. The car lacks a Moon Roof which is fine with me. Interior noise level rivals anything on the market. Weve taken several long trips and put around 5,000 miles on the rig with no complaints.

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  Very Satisfied - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By Gregg - July 28 - 6:40 pm

  Had a 2009 Ford Escape for 11 months and couldnt stand it, sold it and got the SE with nav sunroof and upgraded sound. It is a great car, This is a car I am gonna drive through college and am very happy to do so. The ride can be rough, but i love the 18" wheels so i can accept that. The nav is amazing and I use it all the time surprisingly. The engine pulls very willingly, Im 18 and drive this car hard all the time and it may not beat a G37 but it is no slouch, esp for a 4 cyl. The exterior is amazing and so is the interior on the SE and I couldnt be more happy with my new car.

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  Incredible Value - 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By DaveD - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Weve had our Santa Fe for almost 3 months and have had absolutely no problems. This vehicle is fun to drive, easy to manuever, and has a great ride. Seats are comfortable and roomy. Rear seat space is ample. We got 24 mpg on first road trip - thats with AC on and pushing the speed limit.

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  Big bang for the buck - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By bartbrown - July 28 - 10:00 am

  I wanted a hatchback and narrowed it down to a PT Cruiser,Elantra GT and the Protege PR5. They are all good choices but the Elantra GT had the european styling( resembles a Saab) and came loaded for just $15 K delivered ,tax tags etc. . My wife doesnt like the tight european suspension....but I love how it handles. Once you get over that it is a Hyundai, you will really like the car. I keep my cars for a long time, so the poor trade-in doesnt bother me. Relaibility is what I want and I have a 10 years of warentee.

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  Mattys Elantra - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By Mattjo - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Buying my 2002 Elantra was the best dicision I could have made! For a small car, you cannot compare the ride comfort, standard features, warranty and price to any other foreign small car. When I searched for my "perfect" new automobile I never would have thought Hyundai...The warranty attracted me, I drove one and was so impressed I wrote my check the moment my test drive was over! I have driven over 26,000 miles in the 9 months I have owned the Elantra and not once has it skipped a beat~! AND you cannot beat the warranty!