32 production models

34 discontinued models

history

Hyundai is a self-grown South Korean brand of automobiles established in the 1960's. Presently part of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, the motor company has registered a steady growth over the past few decades, having successfully entered European and American markets. The assembly lines operated by the company were built to match its size, the manufacturing facility in Ulsan being able to produce 1.6 million units per year.

Founded by Chung Ju Yung, born into a poor family of farmers, the Hyundai Motor Company became the first Korean car producer. The grounds for founding a car company could not have been more welcoming since post-war years in Korea brought forth a series of odd politics one of which stated that automobile imports were better than having a Korean car brand.

Yung was quick to fill the void, having raised enough capital for the investment from his very profitable construction business, opened in 1947. One year after its birth, the Hyundai Motor Company signed a technology-share agreement with Ford in 1968. Soon after Hyundai's access to Ford's resources, the first Hyundai car was developed: the Cortina. This model was quickly followed by the release of the Pony, Hyundai's first entirely Korean designed and built model. Its blueprints however, were not all-Korean, the company having used Japanese technology from Mitsubishi to develop the car.

Japanese constructors at the time had already developed wide range of models, many of which were exported worldwide, mainly to the US and South America. The Pony model was the first Hyundai to be shipped overseas in 1975.

However, Hyundai would only cross US borders later, in 1986, with the release of the Excel. The subcompact car was an instant hit with its fairly small price tag accounting for most of its popularity. The Excel was such a hit that it sold in over 100,00 units in the first seven months.

This was the last automobile that Hyundai produced before resorting to their own technology in 1988. The Sonata was their first born, a mid-seize car that marked the beginning of a new era. Despite the steps the company had taken into building a strong brand image, the reputation Hyundai had previously collected was lost because of poor quality and reliability complaints.

As soon as the 90's came, Hyundai was short of air on American territory, struggling for one last gasp. Instead of retreating, the company made massive investments in new design and technology. By the time the new millennium came, the company had already reinstated as one quality car manufacturer.

Sales increased once more and with them so did the buyer's confidence in Hyundai. The sudden shift in consumer behavior was made possible by eliminating all worries regarding the vehicle's reliability through the introduction of a 10 year warranty to US sold vehicles only. Since few companies could top that, Hyundai quickly earned a spot in the world's top -10 car manufacturers.

Hyundai is currently operating in 193 countries, selling vehicles through approximately 5,000 showrooms and dealerships. Sales have also aided image growth, the brand having entered the first 100 most valuable brands of the world. Its recent history is strongly connected to investments in technology and ample advertising campaigns. Indeed, communication is one of Hyundai's inherent elements, best described by their logo: the stylized H is in fact a representation of two men (brand-buyer) shaking hands.

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HYUNDAI news:

1 Hyundai and Genesis Recall 145,235 Vehicles for Potentially Damaged Charging Unit

2 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Finally Arrives With Three Rows, 'Aerosthetic' Design, 110 kWh for 385 Mi.

3 Hyundai Data Shows Many Customers Don't Care About the Kia Boys, Don't Install Patch

4 Hyundai Is Putting More Physical Buttons in Its Cars Because "Touchscreens Are Annoying"

5 All-New 2026 Hyundai Nexo Remains Committed to Hydrogen, up to 500-Mile Range Rumored

6 US-Built 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Rolls Out With Tesla NACS Port, All Models Have Better Range

7 Hyundai Debuts Initium Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Concept for LA and Auto Guangzhou Shows

8 Hyundai Ioniq 9 Teased – First Look at the Brand's Largest Electric Model

9 30% of Hyundai Owners Didn't Install the Kia Boys Patch, Of Course They Keep Stealing Cars

10 Potential Hydrogen Gas Leak Prompts Hyundai Nexo Recall

HYUNDAI Models & Brand History

production models:

sort:year name

HYUNDAI Bayon

suvs

Mild hybrid · Gasoline

2 generations

2021 - present

HYUNDAI i30

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel · Mild hybrid

6 generations

2007 - present

HYUNDAI i30 Estate

wagons

Gasoline · Diesel · Mild hybrid

6 generations

2008 - present

HYUNDAI Santa Cruz

trucks

Gasoline

2 generations

2021 - present

HYUNDAI i30 Fastback

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel · Mild hybrid

3 generations

2017 - present

HYUNDAI i10

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel · Natural gas

6 generations

2008 - present

HYUNDAI Elantra N

sedans

· Gasoline

2 generations

2020 - present

HYUNDAI i20

hatchbacks

Diesel · Gasoline · Hybrid · Hybrid gasoline

5 generations

2009 - present

HYUNDAI Sonata

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel · Hybrid

12 generations

1989 - present

HYUNDAI Elantra Sedan

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel · Hybrid

8 generations

2000 - present

HYUNDAI Santa Fe

suvs

Gasoline · Diesel · Hybrid gasoline

11 generations

2000 - present

HYUNDAI ix35 / Tucson

suvs

Diesel · Gasoline · Ethanol · Hybrid · Hybrid gasoline

9 generations

2004 - present

HYUNDAI Kona Electric

suvs

Electric

5 generations

2018 - present

HYUNDAI Ioniq

hatchbacks

Hybrid gasoline · Electric · Hybrid

3 generations

2016 - present

HYUNDAI Palisade

suvs

Diesel · Gasoline

2 generations

2019 - present

HYUNDAI Kona

suvs

Gasoline · Diesel · Hybrid

3 generations

2017 - present

HYUNDAI i30 N

hatchbacks

Gasoline

2 generations

2017 - present

HYUNDAI i20 Active

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2015 - present

HYUNDAI i40 wagon

wagons

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2012 - present

HYUNDAI Veloster

coupes

Gasoline

3 generations

2011 - present

HYUNDAI Accent Sedan

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel

6 generations

1999 - present

HYUNDAI Elantra GT

hatchbacks

Gasoline

3 generations

2012 - present

HYUNDAI Grandeur / Azera

sedans

Diesel · Gasoline · Hybrid

3 generations

2005 - present

HYUNDAI Ioniq 9

suvs

1 generation

2024 - present

HYUNDAI Ioniq 5

hatchbacks

Electric

1 generation

2023 - present

HYUNDAI Ioniq 6

sedans

Electric

1 generation

2022 - present

HYUNDAI i20 N

hatchbacks

Gasoline

1 generation

2020 - present

HYUNDAI Mistra

sedans

Gasoline

1 generation

2014 - present

HYUNDAI NEXO

suvs

1 generation

2018 - present

HYUNDAI Staria

vans

1 generation

2021 - present

HYUNDAI i30 Coupe

coupes

Gasoline · Diesel

1 generation

2012 - present

HYUNDAI Venue

suvs

Gasoline · Diesel

1 generation

2019 - present

discontinued models:

sort:year name

HYUNDAI Accent 3 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline

3 generations

1999 - 2011

HYUNDAI Accent 5 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline

2 generations

1999 - 2017

HYUNDAI Atos

hatchbacks

Gasoline

2 generations

2003 - 2008

HYUNDAI Atos Multi

hatchbacks

Gasoline

1 generation

1998 - 2003

HYUNDAI Atos Spirit

hatchbacks

Gasoline

1 generation

1999 - 2003

HYUNDAI Coupe / Tiburon

coupes

Gasoline

5 generations

1996 - 2009

HYUNDAI Elantra 5 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

3 generations

2000 - 2015

HYUNDAI Elantra Coupe

coupes

Gasoline

1 generation

2012 - 2014

HYUNDAI Elantra Touring

wagons

Gasoline

1 generation

2009 - 2012

HYUNDAI Equus

sedans

Gasoline

2 generations

2010 - 2016

HYUNDAI Excel 3 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline

2 generations

1994 - 2000

HYUNDAI Excel 5 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline

2 generations

1994 - 2000

HYUNDAI Excel Sedan

sedans

Gasoline

3 generations

1989 - 2000

HYUNDAI Genesis

sedans

Gasoline

2 generations

2008 - 2016

HYUNDAI Genesis Coupe

coupes

Gasoline

2 generations

2008 - 2016

HYUNDAI Getz 3 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2002 - 2011

HYUNDAI Getz 5 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2002 - 2011

HYUNDAI i20 Coupe

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

1 generation

2015 - 2018

HYUNDAI i40

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel

1 generation

2011 - 2018

HYUNDAI i800 / H-1

vans

Diesel

1 generation

2008 - 2018

HYUNDAI ix20

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2010 - 2019

HYUNDAI ix55 / Veracruz

suvs

Diesel · Gasoline

1 generation

2009 - 2012

HYUNDAI Kona N

suvs

Gasoline

1 generation

2021 - 2023

HYUNDAI Lantra

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel

4 generations

1991 - 2000

HYUNDAI Lantra Wagon

wagons

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

1995 - 2001

HYUNDAI Matrix

vans

Diesel · Gasoline

1 generation

2001 - 2010

HYUNDAI Pony 3 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline

1 generation

1989 - 1994

HYUNDAI Pony 5 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline

1 generation

1989 - 1994

HYUNDAI Satellite

vans

Gasoline

1 generation

1997 - 2000

HYUNDAI Scoupe

coupes

Gasoline

2 generations

1990 - 1996

HYUNDAI Sonata Hybrid

sedans

Hybrid · Hybrid gasoline

3 generations

2010 - 2019

HYUNDAI Terracan

suvs

Diesel · Gasoline

2 generations

2001 - 2007

HYUNDAI Trajet

vans

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2000 - 2008

HYUNDAI XG

sedans

Gasoline

2 generations

1999 - 2005