Originally posted by: Dudewithoutapet
Look everyone had to start somewhere. Yes Hyundai is known as a "cheap" brand, but all the imports AFAIK started out that way too. What was Honda or Toyota way back when? So perhaps this is near a turning point for them and maybe, just maybe, their resale value will start going up. I honestly believe they are starting to make a name for themselves. Yes, they seem to be copying a little from here, a little from there; but I think this could apply to the majority of cars out there. Whenever I look at a new car, I always compare it to something I've seen elsewhere that looks similar in some way (i.e. lip, trunk, shape, etc, etc). They upped their warranty long before any American companies did, last I checked.
BTW, we all know Honda, Nissan, and Toyota all started with those names and THEN made their luxury line into a new brand. Maybe in a few years we'll see a higher class Hyundai.
I agree. Honda started in the US car market selling 600CC, 40 HP kei cars, and the other big Japanese makes started similarly small as well. Over a period of a quarter century, they gradually built up a solid reputation for reliability, sound engineering, efficiency, and good build quality that stands strong today (even if it is not true in all circumstances). Hyundai's early efforts in the American market weren't all that successful (e.g. the ill-fated Excel), and they didn't really become noticed until the late 90s and early 2000s when the started their 100,000 mile warranty program. In 10 or 20 years, Hyundai may well make a name for themselves in the American market, especially since certain American manufacturers have been performing poorly as of late (Dodge, Chrysler).
