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Hyundai markets passenger cars, minivans and sport utility vehicles in the US, but offers a wide array of vehicle types throughout the world. Globally, Hyundai builds and sells passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, commercial trucks, buses, bare chassis, recreational vehicles, tankers, refuse trucks and vans. You can research Hyundai new cars here on Autotropolis.
Hyundai opened its first US plant at the cost of $1.1 billion in Alabama in May 2005. The plant employs 2000 workers. Hyundai also maintains a 190,000 square foot engineering facility in Michigan, proving grounds in California and a R&D center in California.
Hyundai's History
The Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. was founded in 1947 by Chung Ju-Young (1915-2001). The company was originally established to repair trucks for the U.S. Armed Forces after World War II. Eventually the business would grow and build multi-billion dollar projects around the world. The company has also expanded into other venues such as shipbuilding. The Hyundai Motor Company division was established in 1967. The automobile division now exports vehicles to over 190 countries worldwide, making Hyundai's global reach unparalleled.
Hyundai entered the US in 1986 with the Hyundai Excel. While the Excel was a first-year sales success -- 168,882 units were sold -- quality problems began to plague the company. To remedy this, Hyundai has worked diligently to develop an image of quality and reliability, and today Hyundai routinely ranks near the top in quality and satisfaction surveys. Part of this strategy included the introduction of an aggressive warranty program that includes 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain protection, 5 year/60,000 mile basic warranty coverage, and a suite of additional benefits. Hyundai's warranty onslaught forced other automakers to increase their respective warranties, which has been a great benefit to buyers.
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