We just got our 3rd Hyundai into the family.
The old man and me have been test driving cars this morning for my mother and ended up settling on a 2006 September Elantra SX 2.0L automatic (same engine as in the i30 which won last years car of the year). There was a Nissan Pulsar same year with 5,000km lower kms, 1.8L automatic for $500.00 less, after test driving them both the Hyundai was a clear winner - it was more powerful and torquey, smoother and quieter, interior was so much more comfortable. The Pulsar was nice, but the Elantra way nicer.
For the manufacturer who used to do those el cheapo buzz boxes, they definitely have come a long way.
I see Hyundai have made a Genisis coupe with a V8 - definitely a car I'll consider if they ever come down here!

Your right they have come along way.

If I didn't love Fords so much I'd look at one twice.

haha, it still sounds funny to look at them positively after my dad going through 2 gearboxes on his 01 accent, gave up when it needed a 3rd and replaced it with a falcon; and after dealing with my brothers 93 or so deathtrap.

My stepmother had an X3 excel, and it tore the front suspension crossmember setup out of the floor one day while doing 100 clicks. It almost caused a major f**k accident. I soon found out later after some research that it wasn't the first one to do it. They crack the spotwelds from the body floor.

Not cool. Hopefully their quality control has come a long way too 'ey.

korean crap..... how many excels did you used to see on the roads about 5 years ago, and how many do u see now.... thats because they are all in the scrap yard

Excels were built cheap, sold cheap. The X3's were in the mid 90's. For what they were and priced at they wern't that bad either, you don't pay sweet fa for a car and expect it to be good (unless your a moron). Different era to the current cars.

There's actually an Excel rally championship here in Aus now.

Can't judge a company on a single car - if so, none of us would drive Ford's after the Pinto.

Not a single car though, my ex had a mid to late 90's sonata, was the biggest bucket of s**t i've ever came across (hehe, came across)

Anyway, from mine and others expereiences, they are not exactly high on the safety/quality scale.

I understand you get what you pay for, as do most people, but as you say in your first post, the price difference of $500, where you feel the hyundai was a better car in some ways, it may still be s**t in build. It'd be something i'd keep my eyes on.