The Hyundai brand is very well known in the United States. The brand has grown in both presence and reputation. However, some people might still be confused about exactly where Hyundai Motor Company came from. Does it hail from Japan like the Japanese car company Toyota, or Honda? Here’s a little rundown of the Hyundai brand and its origin.

What does Hyundai mean?

First of all, what about the name? Let’s talk about what Hyundai means. How do you even say Hyundai? Is it HI-oon-DYE? Or maybe Hoon-DYE? No, it’s neither of these. It is, in fact, pronounced HUN-day. Not complicated, but the spelling tends to throw people off from time to time.

The word Hyundai translates to English as “Modernity” in Korean. According to Planet Hyundai, the slogan for Hyundai Motor Company is “New Thinking, New Possibilities.” So, this runs parallel with the general mission of the car company as well as the name, Hyundai.

What company makes Hyundai engines?

The engine of a car is an absolute make-it-or-break-it piece of the puzzle. But who makes the engines that go into Hyundai vehicles? According to Auto Influence, Hyundai engines were outsourced until the company released its own Hyundai engine in 1993.

The first Hyundai engine was a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine. At the time of its debut, it was good for 71 horsepower and well as 81 pound-feet of torque. Hyundai also began making its own transmissions around this time. In fact, this meant that Hyundai vehicles are fashioned officially from all-Hyundai parts.

The original four-cylinder, 1.3-liter engine pumped out 71 horsepower and 81 pounds-feet of torque. The brand also succeeded in creating their own transmission, meaning the company now had the ability to produce a vehicle composed solely of Hyundai parts. Not many vehicles can feature this combination of brand-specific parts, truly emphasizing Hyundai’s rising role in the automotive industry.

Is it a Japanese brand?

No. Hyundai is not a Japanese car company. Rather, this is a Korean brand that originated in Seoul, South Korea. That was back in 1947 by Chung Ju-Yung. At that point in time, Hyundai was a construction firm. So, instead of being Japanese Hyundai Motor Company is, in fact, Korean.

Today, Hyundai Motor Company is a multinational auto brand. However, the headquarters remain in Seoul, South Korea. The brand has a large presence in the US. Popular cars like the Tucson and the Santa Fe are marketed as catering specifically to Americans and their families.

Do Hyundai cars last long?

There have been times that Hyundai didn’t get as much respect as others, such as Japanese car company Honda or Toyota. Today, Hyundai’s reputation in the US is much improved. The brand also boasts an incredible 10-year warranty. But how reliable are Hyundai vehicles? Comments on Car Talk give decent testament to their longevity. For instance, it seems the general consensus concerning Hyundai reliability on Car Talk is that it’s typically very good.

“the initial quality of Hyundai has improved greatly and I am seeing lots of 8-10 year old Hyundais still on the road so it makes me think that they are building cars to last a long time”

Thinking of Buying a Hyundai | Car Talk

Overall, buying a Hyundai will bring a lot of value into the equation. But it’s not a Japanese car company. Hyundai Motor Company is a Korean brand headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.