Korean cars are cool now. Deal with it.

The first car I ever drove – and the car I learned to drive in – was a second-generation X2 Hyundai Excel. It was red. It was not faster than anything.

David Zalstein

09:3414 July 2017

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At the time, too, Korean cars were about as far from being ‘cool’ as you could imagine.

There are some cars people get excited about at the mere mention of their name: think R8, M3, Diablo, F1, etc.

Back in 1999, though, names such as Credos, Excel, Grandeur, Lantra, Mentor, and Sonata, rarely triggered a similar response.

Back then, Korean cars weren’t particularly good, nor were they particularly lusted after.

Now, the game has well and truly moved on. Now, whether you like it or not, Korean brands are producing some of the coolest cars on the market.

Anytime CarAdvice covers anything on the upcoming Kia Stinger, people go nuts. And now that the hugely anticipated Hyundai i30 N has been officially unveiled, people are equally excited. Excited about a Korean car. That’s something that just didn’t happen 18 years ago.

So, while most German and Japanese brands continue to maintain the status quo, it’s now Korean brands pushing the boundaries and challenging the establishment. They’re the ones rocking the boat, and they’re the ones creating the buzz.

There is one catch though…

Having not yet driven either a Kia Stinger or Hyundai i30 N, I’m nervously hoping my own personal excitement about both cars is not unwarranted. Let’s be honest, that would suck.

But if you have to ask why I’m excited, then you’re clearly not a very passionate car enthusiast. Because whatever cars you like, whatever brands you love, seeing new, cool cars enter the market should be exciting for everyone.

And if you still don’t think Korean cars are now cool, you’re wrong.