Who Owns Hyundai?

Hyundai has always been owned by its parent company Hyundai Motor Co. since its inception in 1965.
Written by Ethan Moser
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
background
Founded by Chung Ju-Yung in 1947, Hyundai Motor Company, formerly known as Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co., owns Hyundai.
Exporting vehicles to 190 countries from its native Korea, Hyundai has always been owned by its parent company, Hyundai Motor Co. Originally founded as the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. in 1947, Hyundai didn’t sell any of its cars in the U.S. until the subcompact Excel model in 1986.
Read on to learn more about who owns Hyundai and where the brand’s vehicles are made. 
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
icon4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars
icon4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers

Who owns Hyundai?

Since it was founded in 1965, Hyundai has always been self-owned by Hyundai Motor Company. 
Chances are you’ve heard of it! Unlike many car brands that have been brought up in mergers over the years, Hyundai is one of the few car brands that remains its own parent company. 

What other makes does Hyundai Motor Co. own?

Hyundai has purchased two well-known car brands in the last twenty five years: 
  • Kia Motors
    : After Kia Motors filed for bankruptcy in 1997, Hyundai purchased the brand in 1998 and has owned it ever since. 
  • Genesis Motors
    : Hyundai officially acquired the standalone brand in November of 2015.

Where are Hyundais made?

Hyundai is a South Korean company and still has its headquarters based in the country’s capital, Seoul. The vast majority of Hyundai vehicles are still manufactured in South Korea at the company’s Ulsan plant. Fun fact: Hyundai’s Ulsan plant is the largest automotive manufacturing site in the world!
The Ulsan, South Korea plant manufactures the following Hyundai Models: 
Hyundai also operates manufacturing plants in Monterrey, Mexico, and in Alabama, U.S., producing the Hyundai Accent (for North America) in Mexico, and the Hyundai
Santa Fe
, Elantra, and
Sonata
in Alabama. 
Key Takeaway The vast majority of Hyundai models are manufactured in the company’s home country of South Korea, though select models are produced in Mexico and the U.S. as well. 
rating reverse-full
"I’m earning
awesome rewards
every week, just for driving safe!”

A short history of Hyundai ownership

Unlike other car brands like
Jeep
and
Chevrolet
, Hyundai has always been owned by its originator, the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company. Founded by South Korean businessman and entrepreneur Chung Ju-Yung in Seoul in 1947, Hyundai didn’t officially incorporate its automotive division until 1967
Still headquartered in Seoul, Hyundai’s first mass-produced, self-developed car, the Hyundai Pony, was introduced in 1975, though due to U.S. emission laws it was never brought to the States. The first Hyundai model to hit the streets in the United States was the Hyundai Excel in 1986
Hyundai Motor Company started acquiring other automotive entities as early as 1998 when they purchased Kia Motors after the company filed for bankruptcy the previous year. They followed up the purchase by acquiring the standalone marquis Genesis Motors in November of 2015. Currently, the three brands, Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, are the only automotive entities owned by the Hyundai Motors conglomerate. 

How to save money on Hyundai insurance

Known for producing incredibly reliable and affordable models, Hyundai cars are worth protecting with an equally-reliable
car insurance
policy—the quickest way to find one is to download
trustworthy insurance comparison app
, Jerry. 
Getting started with
Jerry
is simple: just download the app, answer a few short insurance questions, and sit back as we generate a list of custom competitive quotes selected from 55+ of the nation’s top insurance providers, all in less than 45 seconds. With Jerry, you’ll find the car insurance coverage you need at the prices you’ve only ever dreamed of—we can even help you cancel your old policy when you switch!
The best part? On average, Jerry users save over $800 a year by shopping for insurance in the app. That’s half the reason that Jerry is the #1-rated insurance app in the App Store (the other half is how easy those savings are to access). 
“It never occurred to me to look for more insurance quotes, but I’m so happy I saw
Jerry
. After using the app, I am saving $2000+ a year through my new Progressive plan. It blew my mind!” —Jarod M.  
icon
Make safe driving pay
Get rewarded for safe driving. Earn points and unlock benefits. Totally free.
Start earning now

FAQ

No—you can, of course, purchase most Hyundai models in the U.S., and some Hyundai models are manufactured at the brand’s Alabama plant, but Hyundai is a South Korean company and is headquartered in Seoul.
Are you overpaying for car insurance?
Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.
Try Jerry

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings