Hyundai

Founded in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company introduced the Pony in 1975, the manufacturer’s first independent passenger-car model and South Korea’s first mass-produced passenger car. That compact car established the basis for Hyundai’s international expansion, which accelerated with the Pony Excel, Excel, and early generations of the Sonata, Elantra, and Accent. Over the following decades, Hyundai broadened its range from city cars and family sedans to recreational vehicles and electrified models. The Elantra, launched in 1990 and known as Avante in some markets, became one of the company’s longest-running nameplates. In 2016, Ioniq combined hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric powertrains before evolving into a dedicated electric-vehicle brand. Hyundai’s history can therefore be followed through practical vehicles, changing design priorities, regional naming differences, and a steadily stronger emphasis on electrification.