Hyundai is one of the most popular car manufacturers in the US today. In the first half of 2025, Hyundai Motor America reported its best-ever sales performance, revealing that 439,280 vehicles were sold. This shows a 10% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Hyundai Motor Group (includes Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis) is one of the top 3 bestselling automakers, coming third behind Toyota and General Motors.
Hyundai's success is not just based on purchases since their customers are very loyal - they are most likely to buy another Hyundai instead of purchasing a vehicle from a different car manufacturer. Combining aggressive pricing, reliability, special warranty, and an extensive line-up of vehicles for every need, Hyundai has become a fierce competitor in the market.
In The Beginning
While they are very popular today, their positive reception did not come without a few bumps in the road. Introduced in the US Market in 1986, Hyundai became known as a "cheap" vehicle but with negative connotations.
Hyundai Excel, their first vehicle in the US market was incredibly affordable but cost cutting created a slew of problems for the company. According to Repair Pal, the Excel was more likely to suffer the following problems:
- Faulty ECM Ground
- Difficulty in Manual Transmission
- Slow Engine Warm Up
- Coolant Leak
- Car Stalling when Shifting to Reverse (Automatic Transmission)
It got so bad that Hyundai had to recall most of its Excel in 1992. According to the LA Times, "nearly 900,000 of its Excel Models" that were made in 1986 to 1989 were recalled. Interestingly, Hyundai was also the manufacturer of Mitsubishi Precis during the same period - those were recalled as well. The recall put a dent on the car manufacturer's reputation and combined with the same aggressive pricing strategy of Japanese car manufacturers - sales definitely took a dive.
Turning the Tide
In 1998, Hyundai decided to take it up a notch and move from just being known for affordability to being a reliable brand, so the Hyundai Advantage program was launched.
According to their official Press Release, "Each new 1999 model Hyundai sold to a retail customer will be covered by a five-year/60,000-mile "bumper-to-bumper" limited warranty, plus a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty."
To this day, Hyundai and Kia (its sister company) are the only car manufacturers that offer this type of limited warranty - although it only applies to the original owner. When sold, the next owner will enjoy the standard 5 years / 60,000 miles limited warranty. According to Consumer Reports, the brand is now ranked #8 when it comes to reliability and satisfaction.
Notable Hyundai Vehicles
There is no shortage of vehicle options from Hyundai. Here are some of the most notable vehicles today that promises reliability, technology and riding comfort:
Hyundai Santa Fe - this beautiful, large SUV is loved by families who are always on the lookout for adventure. One of the most popular large SUVs in 2025, you can never go wrong with this seven-seater vehicle.
Hyundai Tucson - for those who are going for a relatively smaller SUV, the Hyundai Tucson perfectly fits the bill. Both their standard and PHEV versions are known for their efficiency while the PHEV version offers incredible mileage (35mpg).
Hyundai Elantra Hybrid - Hybrid sedans are perfect for road trips with quality design inside and out and the Elantra Hybrid offers the same experience with value.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 - this fully electric vehicle is ideal if you want a reliable EV. The 2025 RWD can go up to 318 miles in just a single charge. If you're looking for an EV with speed and power, the Ioniq 5 N is a great option.
Overcoming the Challenges for Reliability and Quality
Hyundai has hit a few bumps on the road especially in their first years in the US market. But after a bumpy start after the introduction of Hyundai Excel in 1986, they turned it around especially in the late 90s with the introduction of industry leading limited warranty. As this assures customers of their support of reliability, their brand slowly became synonymous with reliability as well as value for money.
Are Hyundai cars reliable? Yes, they definitely are!
