Hyundai Brand History & Current Models

Hyundai Brand History information from Sid Dillon. Our Lincoln, NE dealer provides historical and new model information for our current & future customers.

The Hyundai Brand’s History – From Small Beginnings to an Automotive Empire

The founder of Hyundai, Chung Ju-Yung, started out from meager beginnings and founded an auto empire. Life was not easy for Chung, he came from a farming family and was forced to close his first business because of Japanese occupation during World War II. After the liberation of Korea, Chung repaired trucks for U.S. Armed Forces and then went into the construction and engineering business. He started off in shipbuilding despite not having any experience at all. That company eventually became the largest shipbuilder in the world.

Hyundai Auto Sales Leader Since 1967
In 1947, Chung founded Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company. By 1967, Hyundai had become the auto sales leader in Korean domestic sales and in exporting vehicles. They continued to grow and opened the world’s largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility in Ulsan, Korea. Hyundai now operates eight research centers in Korea along with four international centers.

1986 Hyundai Arrives in the U.S. – Offers Quality and Affordability – Popularity Explodes

From Korea, Hyundai branched out to the United States in 1986. When they first arrived, they were able to fill a large void left by domestic companies. They were able to make quality, inexpensive vehicles that first-time buyers could afford. The first model sold state-side was the Excel. Its popularity exploded and it sold over 100,000 units in just seven months. The continuing popularity of the brand in the U.S. has allowed Hyundai to open and operate 600 dealerships, parts-distribution centers, a warranty center, and an 18-acre site for its national headquarters among other facilities. The Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc., in Ann Arbor, MI, and Hyundai California Design Center in Fountain Valley, CA are the two largest Hyundai facilities in the U.S. They now manufacture over half of their vehicles that are sold in the states.
1998 Acquires Kia Motors – Lineup Receives Safety Awards and Consumer Value Accolades
Other highlights include the acquisition of Kia Motors in 1998, the launch of the Genesis line in 2008, the introduction of Blue Link in 2011, and the highest safety score in NHTSA history was given to Genesis in 2014. Hyundai is no stranger to awards either. Vehicles in the lineup have recently collected awards such as the 2016 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (Santa Fe and Elantra), 2017 NHTSA 5-Star Overall Safety Rating (Sonata, Tucson, and Santa Fe), 2016 Red Dot Design Award (Ioniq), Best Compact SUV for the Money by US News & World Report (Tucson), and the brand as a whole received the 2016 Lowest 5-Year Cost to Own Award from Kelley Blue Book.

Hyundai Makes Big Impact in Short Amount of Time – From Quality and Affordability to Luxury and Green Driving

While Hyundai as we know it hasn’t been around as long as many other automakers, the company has still managed to make just as big an impact. They are known for their quality and affordability and will soon be associated with luxury (Genesis) and green driving (Ioniq).