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Under
Chung Euisun, Hyundai looks beyond 40 years in U.S.
By Byun Hye-jin, The Korea
Herald - Marking 40 years since its entry into the US market, Hyundai Motor
Group is entering a new phase as it seeks to sustain growth amid shifting
global conditions.
Hyundai first entered the US
in 1986 with the export of the Excel, its first front-wheel-drive passenger car
produced at the Ulsan plant. Priced aggressively, the model sold more than
160,000 units in its debut year and exceeded 260,000 units the following year,
quickly capturing the attention of American consumers.
Early success, however, was
followed by challenges. Quality issues and an underdeveloped service network
weighed on the brand’s reputation, threatening its market foothold. In
response, then-Chair Chung Mong-koo launched a sweeping overhaul centered on quality
and reliability, most notably introducing the industry-shaking 10-year,
100,000-mile warranty in 1999 — a move that reshaped perceptions of Korean
automakers in the US.
The strategy proved decisive.
Hyundai steadily rebuilt trust, earning consistent recognition for quality and
safety. This year, Hyundai Motor Group vehicles received the highest number of
Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ awards from the US Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety for the second consecutive year. The automaker also topped J.D.
Power’s 2025 Initial Quality Study among 17 global automakers, reinforcing its
reputation for reliability.
Under Executive Chair Chung
Euisun, Hyundai has continued to build on that foundation. The group has been
named World Car of the Year for four consecutive years, and its leadership has
gained global recognition. To mark its centennial, Automotive News recently
named founder Chung Ju-yung, former Chair Chung Mong-koo and current Chair
Chung Euisun among the most influential figures in automotive history.
“Chairman Chung Ju-yung’s
customer-first philosophy and Chairman Chung Mong-koo’s unwavering focus on
quality and safety remain at the core of Hyundai Motor Group,” Chung Euisun
said. “Those values continue to guide our future.”
Hyundai’s momentum in the US
remains strong. From January to November this year, the company sold
approximately 896,000 vehicles, putting it on track for a third consecutive
record year despite headwinds including tariff pressures, shifting EV demand
and intensifying global competition.
To reinforce its long-term
presence, Hyundai is accelerating localization. In March, the group opened its
Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia, laying the groundwork for an
annual production capacity of 1.2 million vehicles. It has also committed to
investing $21 billion in the US by 2028 across vehicles, parts, logistics and
future mobility technologies.
“With the US market serving
as both its largest export destination and a testing ground for future
technologies, Hyundai’s ability to adapt under Chair Chung’s leadership will be
critical as it seeks to turn four decades of progress into a new era of global
growth,” an industry official said.
