Question: Are Honda and Hyundai the same brand? I thought they were, but my girlfriend chewed me out last night for not knowing they were different! What’s the difference?
Answer: Honda and Hyundai logos look very similar, as they both feature an “H” in them and their names are easy to confuse, but they are two different manufacturers of cars.
Honda and Hyundai originate from different countries and have developed unique product portfolios and reputations over the years. A majority of the cars they make target the average car driver with passenger cars like Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V and Hyundai Elantra.
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was established in Japan in 1948 by Soichiro Honda. Initially starting as a motorcycle manufacturer, Honda expanded into automobile production in 1963 and has become synonymous with reliability, efficiency, and performance. Today, Honda has car factories in Ohio, South Carolina, Indiana, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.
Hyundai Motor Company, on the other hand, was founded in South Korea in 1967 by Chung Ju-Yung. The company has built a strong reputation for producing feature-rich and stylish cars that offer excellent value for money. Hyundai has a plant in Alabama.
Here are some popular cars that each manufacturer makes:
Honda
- Honda Civic
- Honda Accord
- Honda CR-V
- Honda HR-V
- Honda Pilot
- Honda Odyssey
- Honda Insight
- Honda Passport
Hyundai
- Hyundai Elantra
- Hyundai Sonata
- Hyundai Tucson
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Hyundai Kona
- Hyundai Palisade
- Hyundai Ioniq (Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid, and Electric)
- Hyundai Venue
Honda and Hyundai Market Share
Both manufacturers have a significant market share in the United States automotive market.
According to the data from Statista for 2023, the Hyundai Kia Auto Group holds a notable 10.79% market share. Honda Motor Company commands a 8.52% market share. Hyundai also owns Kia, Genesis and Kia, while Honda has Acura.
Which car is right for you?
Honda and Hyundai are well-known brands that have gained noticeable market share in America, with the Hyundai Kia Auto Group taking up 10.79 percent and Honda Motor Company taking up 8.52 percent, according to Statista. Both brands have developed a reputation for their reliability, safety and value for money.
While Honda has a longer history with a solid reputation for quality, practicality and comfort, Hyundai has gained a foothold in the U.S market quickly by offering feature-rich, reliable and innovative cars like the Ioniq line of electric cars at competitive prices.
Some areas which Hyundai has an edge over Honda include warranty duration. Honda offers a 3-year/36,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile Powertrain Warranty. Hyundai, however, provides a longer 5-year/60,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Warranty.
Hyundai also includes complimentary maintenance for 3 years/36,000 miles, covering some routine maintenance services, which can add value for budget-conscious buyers.
The bottom line
Honda, a Japanese brand, and Hyundai, a South Korean brand, are distinct car manufacturers. Honda is known for reliability and efficiency, while Hyundai offers feature-rich cars at competitive prices. They each have unique models and market shares in the U.S.
Xuyun Zeng is a content strategist with a wide-ranging content background including tech, journalism, cars and health care. After graduating with highest honors in journalism, Xuyun led a newspaper to win eight awards, helped start an award-winning film industry podcast and has written over a hundred articles about cars repair, state laws and insurance. Prior to joining Jerry, Xuyun worked as a freelance SEO consultant with a mission to create the best content that will help readers and grow organic traffic.
Giselle Gomez is an editor with over a decade of experience editing content across personal finance, education, travel, and sports. In editing for Jerry, Giselle’s focus is on making sure content is consumer and SEO-friendly and helping readers understand all things car ownership. In prior roles, she worked as a content strategist, syndication editor, and writer. Her work is featured in AP, NerdWallet.com, BestColleges.com, and more. Giselle holds a master’s degree from Arizona State University.
