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 The History of Hyundai

In 1982, a guy named Chung Ju-Yung decided to take his company, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and transform it into Hyundai Motor Company. The result: an ambitious mission to become the world's third largest automaker by 1990. To accomplish this goal, he aimed to create a car that would be affordable for the masses while also being of high quality and long lasting.

Chung knew that though his mission was tough, it wasn't impossible. His faith in what the company could accomplish was strong enough to start him on a path towards success...

In the beginning...

In 1983, Chung and his team rolled out their very first car, the Pony. It was a rear-wheel drive compact with a 1.5L 4cylinder engine that made 55 hp. The Pony was designed to be exceptionally affordable and easy to repair. To accomplish this goal, Hyundai used parts sourced from Mitsubishi Motors as well as other high-quality Japanese companies. After just three years on the market, Hyundai sold over 200 000 Ponies in its native country of South Korea alone! This amazing feat led to tremendous success for the company and spurred them on to greater goals...

In 1988, the company began producing cars for export to Western markets under the name of Hyundai Motor Company. It was around this time that Hyundai began to build up its production facilities and hired a complete team of engineers to design better cars...

In 1989, they released their first car equipped with the ever-popular four-cylinder engine. It was a small 5 seater that was designed to be affordable and easy to maintain. This vehicle came equipped with a 1.2L V5 engine that made 67 hp at 5 000rpm and 139Nm of torque at 2 000 rpm. The car had a very low curb weight of only 1200kgs, meaning it could travel over 240 km/h! It also featured an impressive fuel efficiency of 14.5 km/litre.

In 1993, the company made another big step forward when they introduced their first true luxury vehicle, the Hyundai Excel. This car didn't have any V6 engines for many years after its initial release due to concerns about fuel efficiency caused by a litigious group of American mechanics who claimed that the V6 engines used in Hyundai cars before 1995 had major flaws. That being said, in 1997 Korean courts deemed that Hyundai did not owe these mechanics anything and later allowed the company to create even more powerful V6 engines for their newer models such as the New Excel and Sonata. The 1.6L V6 in the new model was capable of producing 120 hp (in some markets).

In 1996, Hyundai introduced the first of many cars that have been lauded as classics. The flagship GLS models were equipped with four-cylinder engines and had luxurious features such as leather seats, automatic transmissions and CD players.

In 1997, Hyundai made another stride forward by introducing the last iteration of their first car. It now came equipped with a V6 engine that produced 100 hp. This model was notable for its traditional-style design language which is still evocative of modern Hyundai vehicles to this day!

Then...

In 1998, Hyundai Motor Company developed the world's first mass-produced V8 engine. This impressive engine was capable of producing up to 268hp (330 hp in some markets) at 6000 rpm and 351Nm at 4 000rpm. Needless to say, it was an instant hit in markets like Australia where it was exported.

In 2000, Hyundai introduced the Sonata. This vehicle is widely considered as one of the best mid-size sedans ever made, especially when equipped with a 3L V6...

In 2002, the Santa Fe was introduced as Hyundai's first successful SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle). It was available with a 2L and 3L V6 engines mounted on either front or all wheel drive chassis'. Unlike other SUV's at the time, the Santa Fe had an impressive ride quality thanks to a sophisticated suspension system and good engine management.

In 2005, Hyundai introduced not one but three new models, the i30 (known in some markets as Elantra), the Santa Fe XL and the Getz. The i30 was equipped with a 2L VVT petrol engine that produced 122 hp at 6 000 rpm and 145Nm of torque at 5 000 rpm. Meanwhile, the Santa Fe XL was packed with a 3L V6 that made 173 hp at 6000 rpm and 210Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm. As for the Getz, it was equipped with a 1.5L four-cylinder engine that made 68 hp at 6000 rpm and 125Nm of torque at 4000 rpm.

In 2007, Hyundai began to gain traction with the mainstream consumer market when they released the three-row Santa Fe XL. This vehicle was equipped with a 3L engine that produced 210 hp at 6 000 rpm and 260Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm. There were two models available: one that had four-wheel drive and another with all wheel drive configuration. It was this model that gained many fans for its great off road capabilities...

In 2011, Hyundai introduced an all new model in its lineup: the ix35. This compact SUV featured a 2L engine that made 140 hp at 5 500 rpm and 154 Nm of torque between 1 000 and 4 000 rpm.

In 2012, the Sonata was changed to include a more powerful 2.4L engine that produced 260hp at 6 000rpm and 185Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm.

In 2013, Hyundai hit it big with their latest release: the Genesis...

Today...

The Genesis is just one of the many core models in Hyundai's lineup today. This sedan is packed with a 3.8L V6 that produces 310 hp at 6 000 rpm and 257 Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm. It is available in either rear-wheel drive or all wheel drive configurations and includes many high-quality features such as leather seats, voice command, keyless entry and a rear view camera. The model's fuel efficiency is rated at 8.4 km/litre for the combined cycle which is a respectable figure for its class (the Cadillac CTS V Sedan has an even higher fuel efficiency ratio of 8.7 km/litre).

This car has become a fan favourite mainly due to its excellent performance (for a V6), good fuel efficiency and handling characteristics. It is priced very competitively as well, which is another factor contributing to its popularity.

In total, Hyundai has sold more than two million vehicles in North America since the year 2000. This staggering number is made even better when you consider that they started selling cars in the US market only in 1995! Hyundai has also been ranked as one of the top 20 most reliable car brands on the market by Consumer Reports.

While all of their cars have come a long way in terms of design and performance, it's clear that Hyundai is among one of the fastest growing auto manufacturers around today.

Conclusion

Hyundai has always been one of the most reliable and affordable car brands on the market, but today they definitely have more variety and are more popular than ever.

They have proven that they are a force to be reckoned with by releasing vehicles like the Genesis, which is among one of the fastest growing automakers around today.

Thank you for reading this article about Hyundai! If you've got any thoughts or questions, feel free to ask them below :) I hope that you liked it! Please also see my article about Hyundai's Grandeur Coupe!

If you're interested in even more information about Hyundai then read my article about how their advertising strategy contributed to their rise from obscurity.