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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  my hyundai experiance - 2004 Hyundai Elantra
  By rick diede - July 28 - 2:00 am

  handles well,hwy miles i thought would be a little better,comfort is good,plenty ofv foot space

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  satisfied - 2007 Hyundai Sonata
  By jenn - July 26 - 5:20 pm

  I love my Hyundai the only thing that is negative is the horrible beeping sound it makes when the seat belt isnt connected. I cant even start the car without it beeping. The Sonata thinks you will die if you are parked in your driveway without your seat belt on!!

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  MyTibby - 2001 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Dan - July 26 - 3:20 am

  I bought the car new in 2002 , the year they skipped and introd the 2003. I fell in love with the model on first sight , so it was the ultimate impulse buy. This model is FUN to drive.Very nimble in city traffic! A great ride for the handling enthuiast. Some people find it under powered , but I never thought so. I am a Bear (55" , 210lbs) of a guy , and it wasnt always the easiest fit , but I learned to love this little hot rod of mine!

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  A great coupe for less than $20K - 2008 Hyundai Tiburon
  By rallyandbosox - July 23 - 2:46 pm

  Ive had this car since March and have to say it is a fun little car. First, the engine lacks a great deal of power. I do a lot of highway driving, and the on-ramps kill me with how slow the car picks up speed. 138hp is not enough for the car. While the car is fun to drive on streets for the most part, its pick up is just ridiculous. Looks wise, the rear-end of the car is great but the front just looks old-school Hyundai. The headlight revision is an improvement but not much more. I expected fuel efficiency to be a bit better considering it was a 138bhp 2.0L engine. Interior is awesome. The "subwoofer" is cheap and rattles too much. Seats are great, but dont sit on your wallet.

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  FIRST SUV - 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By METFAN - July 23 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS OUR FIRST SUV I LIKE BEING UP HI AND LOVE THE FEATURES OF AN SUV I HAVE OWNED 3 HYUNDAI ALREADY BECAUSE THE WARRANTY IS GREAT SO FAR THE CAR RIDES VERY GOOD

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  I love it! - 2008 Hyundai Accent
  By TerraAccent - July 22 - 8:38 pm

  I have only had my Accent (Named Terra) for less than a month and I have to say its doing me well. The acceleration and power isnt as good as my Ford Ranger but the handling is pretty decent and it has great gas mileage. I get about 27mpg, however, I havent been able to use it for a long drive or that much highway driving yet. The comfort is pretty good and I really dont care about cruise control. My Ranger has it, and I hardly ever use it. Trunk space is decent as I have been able to fit in groceries for 7 people. Fairly sporty look even with the GS version. Breaks well even without slamming it or ABS. As long as you dont abuse it, then it will love you back!

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  Low Tire Pressure - 2011 Hyundai Sonata
  By kristinadd - July 22 - 5:55 pm

  I bought this car in April of 2011. All through summer and now into the winter, the low tire pressure light has been coming on and I have to bring it into the dealership and have them record it since it is a leased car. They say its because of the weather getting cold but on 80 degree days, I dont believe that at all! Other than that, it is a great car, very big and spacious. Though, very EASY to hit curbs!

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  Hyundai Happy BUT .... - 2006 Hyundai Sonata
  By buyforless - July 22 - 4:50 am

  Purchased the 2006 Sonata LX V6 in June. Fresh off the factory floor. Good price for a good car despite two early recalls for minor fixs. Has good pick-up to get on highway. Good visibility. interesting areodynamics. You should see the air flow pattern from the driver seat when its snowing. Fasticinating. Easy reach to all important controls. Seat warmers work well - almsot to well. Downsides: Poor handing in snow. Darn seat belt bell wont stop ringing if you get out of the car with it idle.

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  VERY GOOD CAR! - 2000 Hyundai Accent
  By reyesvazquez - July 21 - 1:42 pm

  I got this car brand new and after 6 years the only thing that went bad was the MAF. cant complain its a good car. I do recommend follow the maintenance so you dont had to deal with mayor repairs in a future, for me is working like a charm!

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  Too Much Fun! - 2003 Hyundai Tiburon
  By F&F - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Sexy, sleek, powerful, and did I say sexy? If you pull up next to me, expect some fierce competition. This car is made for people who love to drive. I do not recommend getting any other model besides the GT V-6 with 6-spd transmission and the "Ultra Sports Package 3." Too much fun!!!!