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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  Traded my 2010 Sante Fe - defective transmission - 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By khh8 - August 15 - 4:07 pm

  I am so sorry to say, I no longer could live w/ the transmission issues w/ my 2010 sante fe & got rid of it. My initial problems within two months of purchasing: bucking everytime I turned on the car & slamming/thumping into 2nd & 3rd gear w/ slow acceleration and also experienced a hesitation of shifting between 2nd & 3rd. Been to the dealership numerous times & they reset my transmission once. They were able to fix the bucking when the car is turned on. Then took it back for the original problems resurfaced within a few hundred miles. Then they "couldnt duplicate" the issues & told me till they can there is nothing for them to do - as if I am making all this up. BUYERS BEWARE!

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  A lot of car for the buck - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Frank - August 15 - 3:56 pm

  Ive only been in this car about 2 weeks, but, I love it. I just got out of an Infiniti G35X and it is just as fun to drive. This is my first Hyundai and Im very impressed. I have the mid- level SE version and it is a lot of SUV for the buck. My wife has a Jeep Liberty and the ride is harsh. This SUV rides like a dream. It is also roomier. You cant beat the warranty either. The earlier version has weaker lines and the redesign fits right in with what I wanted. The deepwater ocean blue is glittery in the sun and looks hot with the beige interior. Back deck, without the 3rd row seat, has small storage compartments and comes with a thick rubber mat to protect the back. Visibility is excellent.

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  05 Tib - 2005 Hyundai Tiburon
  By Jim - August 15 - 10:10 am

  My mom bought this car about 2 months ago in March and she absolutely loves it. I have driven it many times myself. With the GT model like she is it adds a 2.7L 172 horsepower V6 that adds more than enough power and also adds a 460 watt Infinty sound system with a subwoofer that sounds great. I myself have a 04 Chevy s-10 crew cab that i love and I added a premium sound system but it still doesnt sound as good as my moms. I defintly recomend this car.

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  Just in LOVE with it - 2008 Hyundai Veracruz
  By newhyundai - August 15 - 12:23 am

  My husband and I just purchased this vehicle a week ago. I drive it mostly and I love it! The ride is smooth and quiet. It is our first Hyundai and I wouldnt go back and buy a different vehicle if I could!

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  Great value and performance - 2006 Hyundai TUCSON
  By sreg - August 14 - 10:40 pm

  This vehicle feels big inside but is not much bigger than the Elantra, and parks anywhere. Tons of nice features and safety packages (ABS, 6 airbags, TCS, ESC). Innovative fold-down hard back seats for cargo carrying. Interior looks better than expected for the money. No problems with acceleration or braking. Handling better than lots of non-SUVs I have owned. Warranty cant be beat.

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  Still undecided if I made right choice - 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Iownahyundai? - August 14 - 1:43 pm

  I owned a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer LT, loaded to the max. Sunroof,dual zone auto climate. Everything but the kitchen sink was in this truck. I loved driving it but the gas was killing me and the lease was up. I own a 08 Elantra and Im happy with it so I figured I would check out the Sante Fe. Fit and finish is good but I dont think the ride is so smooth. When Im doing 60mph and up I can feel it. On my trailblazer when I was doing 60 it felt like I was going 30mph Gas Mileage is between 18 and 19mpg and this is mostly all highway, so I am not to impressed with the mpg. Santa Fe is basically for the wifey and she likes it but my next truck will be a GM if theyre around:)

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  The best bang for the buck to date - 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By Jack W - August 14 - 4:46 am

  First, thank you Edmunds.com for your awesome video review on this vehicle. I watched it and went directly to the nearest dealer and test drove it. I was so impressed with the look and overall quality of the car, that I bought it on the spot. We got an 07 Ltd with just a sun roof, white pearl paint, and floor mats as options. The list of standard features is so long and impressive that I was blown away. This vehicle is built very well too. It feels as tight and handles as well as my old ML 430. Its got a wonderful solid feel on the road. The turning radius is amazing. The creature comforts are beyond good. I am still in shock that a vehicle this nice can be sold for this price. AWESOME!!!

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  junk - 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By gradstudent28 - August 13 - 9:51 pm

  as an engineer I can reassure you this vehicle is junk. flimsy build materials inside and out. thin plastic on the inside, thin metal pieces, and doors. 40k miles the vehicle has more rattles then my dead grandma, and the shocks seem to be worn out!! I would NOT reccomend this vehicle.

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  Great vehicle - 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
  By keef - August 13 - 10:00 am

  I was skeptical when going to test drive about a newer SUV and its quality and sturdiness. It is a solid, tightly constructed vehicle. The Shiftronic trans is great and the 2.7 V6 is very economic, when you are talking about SUVs. It feels safe and has a great rating for safety. How many cars have side air bags standard? A lot of storage compartments and nice features. Drives like a car and has a small turning ratio to get in and out of tight spots.

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  just drive one - 2003 Hyundai Elantra
  By dharmasutra - August 13 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my 5-speed GT for 9 months, and Im still smiling. At 14,000 miles, Ive had the car in the shop (dealer) once to repair a leaking power steering hose - covered by warranty. It is amazing how quiet and solid this car feels on the road, compared to the other cars in its class. My wife has a 2000 NEON SE, and she drives my car every chance she can get because it "just drives better," in her words. You get a lot more class than you pay for.