The Hyundai Motor Group was one of several businesses established by South Korean conglomerate Hyundai in 1947. At that time it was known as the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company, but the motors division would be established 20 years later.
The company soon began a partnership with Ford, producing the Cortina in 1968. By 1975 Hyundai had released Korea’s first ever car – the Pony. The brand would soon begin exporting to Europe and South America, before arriving in the UK in 1982 and in the USA four years later.
Hyundai’s venture into the American market was initially successful, setting a sales record in its first year. Reliability problems soon emerged, though, prompting the brand to invest heavily and as its reputation improved sales dramatically increased.
The Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 saw rival company Kia develop serious economic difficulties. Under pressure from the Korean government Hyundai took over the ailing company and since then its fortunes have been reversed. The two brands now constitute the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group.
In 2000 Hyundai broke away from its parent group, forming a short-lived partnership with Daimler-Chrysler. The brand is now sold in 193 countries worldwide and is South Korea’s biggest car manufacturer.
Hyundai is developing new safety measures that include ‘smart airbags’ that sense the strength of an impact and the driver’s position, as well as headrests that can minimise the risk of whiplash. 2005 saw the opening of the world’s first deaf friendly dealership – a Hyundai dealer in America that can accommodate deaf customers through the use of sign language and video phones.
EuroNCAP Safety Ratings for Hyundai cars
The European New Car Assessment Programme produces reports on the safety of vehicles based on the results of several crash tests. As well as measuring how the car will hold up in a crash the risk to a pedestrian struck by the car is assessed. The star ratings (maximum 5) of key Hyundai models are shown below.
