Hyundai’s hidden gems | Revisiting the cars that built a global brand

Regardless of whether you know Hyundai for their commuter cars of the mid-2010s or their radical redesigns of the later 2010s to early 2020s, there's a good chance you haven't seen their early offerings. Lucky for you, I've taken the time to compile some of the coolest Hyundai models released before the company became a household automotive name. You're welcome.

The Hyundai Pony was the beginning of the legacy

In the earliest days, Hyundai produced rebranded Ford models like the Taunus 20M, Cortina, and Granada, but we're not here to talk about those. The first real Hyundai was the Giugiaro-designed Pony and the succeeding Pony II. The Pony initially started in 1975 as a two-door coupe before becoming a four-door liftback saloon and even a pickup truck. The second generation did away with the coupe body style and stuck with the four-door liftback saloon and the pickup truck.

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Regardless of generation or body style, the Pony was as square as 70s cars can be. From the headlight surrounds, to the taillights, to the bodylines, everything was drawn with a 90-degree ruler. It didn't exactly stand out, but it got the job done and was South Korea's first mass-produced and exported car.

Hyundai's first sedan was Stellar

The Hyundai Stellar sedan followed in 1983. The design of the Stellar closely mirrored the square-edged style of the Pony, embracing a similar geometric language throughout. With its Ford-based origins, the Stellar drew frequent comparisons to the recently discontinued Cortina, to which it bore a striking resemblance.

The Stellar was never available in the United States, given our stringent emission standards, meaning that domestic audiences were never familiar with a Korean sedan until the third generation Sonata.

The Excel made waves in the US as the first Korean automotive export

The Excel was Hyundai's first front-wheel drive car and possibly the one that most North American enthusiasts remember. Based on the second-generation Mitsubishi Mirage, the Excel was the Korean brand's first import into the US. Much like the Pony it was made to replace, the Excel was boxy and straight to the point, available as either a three-door hatchback or a 4-door sedan. The UK market also got a 5-door hatchback.

It was an immediate success in the US, setting records for a first-year import with 168,882 units sold. It was even voted 'Best Product #10' by Fortune magazine thanks to its sub-$5000 price tag. 

The second-generation Excel was a little more rounded but otherwise still relatively unremarkable, with its 1991 facelift enhancing the already rounded corners in true 1990s econobox fashion.

It's like a Scoupe of ice cream, but not quite

It's like a Ford Thunderbird but it's actually the Hyundai Scoupe! With a name that's a portmanteau of "sporty" and "coupe," the Scoupe was like a mix of 80s and 90s cars put into one. The rounder exterior and wheels were decidedly 90s, but the grid pattern on the taillights and the interior still had a tinge of 80s to them.

Not many of these have survived, which is a shame because it's kind of a neat experiment, especially the turbocharged version. A special mention has to go to the model badge which features a stylized "S" followed by all-caps "COUPE". Clever.

Luxury sedans for Korean VIPs

It all started with the Hyundai Grandeur, a squared-off, stately sedan based on the Mitsubishi Debonair. The Grandeur competed with the already-established Daewoo Royale and thanks to its connection with Mitsubishi, they succeeded and the Grandeur quickly became the steed of choice for Korean executives.

It didn't do as well when it attempted to compete with the Japanese Toyota Crown or the Nissan Cedric, but it earned its place in the heart of its home market.

Why. oh, why did we not get the Hyundai Dynasty? There is something incredibly grandiose about the combo sealed beam and circular headlights, the star-dotted oval grille, and the prominent hood ornament. 

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Around the back, the Dynasty brings to mind early 90s Infinitis like the J30 with its thin, single-piece taillight assembly. The two-tone paint job really brings the whole deal together, especially this black/gray combo. It's like Korea's Toyota Century.

Hyundai went off-road with the Galloper

How about a rugged Pajero-based that almost looks like a Land Cruiser? The Hyundai Galloper was a boxy off-road SUV from the 1990s that looks like it could have come out a full decade earlier. The competition from similar models in the US might explain why we never saw the Galloper trotting along our roads.

The Korean sports car of the 90s and 2000s

Last, and perhaps least depending on who you ask, was Hyundai's answer to late 90s and early 2000s coupes like the Toyota Celica. While the first generation may not have been as popular, the second generation was more well-known thanks in part to games like Need for Speed, Forza, and Gran Turismo. It never reached the same level as its competitors, but it still holds a special place in sports car history.

Final thoughts

Hyundai has a rich automotive history, though it's not widely recognized in North America. With the introduction of the Heritage Series and the official Pony and Grandeur restomods, the company seems eager to change that.

Hyundai has also announced that future Heritage Series models will bring back some of their lesser-known cars as cyberpunk-inspired electric vehicles. While some enthusiasts may question this approach, honoring the brand's legacy is certainly better than neglecting it.

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