Hyundai Pony - Anyone own/remember them?

[addyguy]

http://www.globeauto.com/servlet/story/R...lGlobeAuto/home

Hard to believe its been 25 years since they brought them over. You don't hear very much these days at all about the very first cars hyundai brought over - this and the Stellar.

When I was looking for my first car, I looked at a 1987 Pony - white w/blue interior, auto, and about 35,000 km's on it. Even at that low mileage, it had painted-over rust on it, and when I drove it, it was absolutely gutles and 'tinny' sounding, and I didn't 'go for it' even though it was a great price...$1200 if I remember correctly (this was in late 1994).

Anyone owned one of these or have stories about them? Its impressive how far Hyundai has come!

 

[John_K]

I wish Hyundai would bring back the Pony pickup. I'm so sick of hearing that pickup trucks are dead--no, 14 mpg wompin' big trucks are dead, I think a small 30 mpg truck would really sell.

John

 

[eljefino]

There was a pony pickup? I agree, let's have some Korean/Chinese entry level pickup, all the parts store couriers would drive 'em and it would force the ranger/colorado to stay true to their compact roots.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: John_K
I wish Hyundai would bring back the Pony pickup. I'm so sick of hearing that pickup trucks are dead--no, 14 mpg wompin' big trucks are dead, I think a small 30 mpg truck would really sell.

John


They exist outside the US, as big truck sales continue to plummet, maybe we will get them again.

One example a bit south of here with a 700 kg payload capacity
http://www.ford.com.mx/vehicles/homevehicle.asp?idModel=COU

 

[John_K]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Pony

Scroll down for a photo of the pickup.

 

[mpvue]

wow. never heard of it. I thought the 1st hyundai in the states was that P O S excel.

 

[XS650]

I think you are correct, we weren't blessed with Hyundais until a few years after Canada was.

 

[tom slick]

The first hyundai I saw was an Excel, I've never seen a pony.

10 years ago you couldn't get a used car loan for a Hyundai, the banks considered them POS and not worth the effort.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Same here, only old Hyundai I've ever seen was an old Excel. Never heard of the Pony before..

 

[globey]

Originally Posted By: XS650
I think you are correct, we weren't blessed with Hyundais until a few years after Canada was.


My friend's sister had an Excel in 86-87. I remember those being the first Hyundai's in the U.S. That car and the Yugo garnered endless chuckling sessions from us.

 

[XS650]

Someone around here has an old Excel that looks like it could have just rolled out of the showroom. I've seen it a few times in traffic but never gotten a close look at it.

There is also a Yugo in town that looks like its about 3 years old i.e severely faded red paint.

 

[addyguy]

You're right, I didn't think of that - the Pony was Canada-only, the Excel was the first US Hyundai....

I knew someone who had an Excel as well, that had such a bad intake-manifold leak that it hissed so loud while driving, that was all you could hear!

 

[glennc]

XS650 - "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." That is one of my favorite quotes; never noticed it in your sig line before.

BTW I had a neighbor who'd driven an early Excel 150k miles and said the thing couldn't be broken.

 

[XS650]

They did use Mitsubishi engines then. Not the best, but not junk.

 

[JTK]

My SIL had a 1988 Excel 4dr, auto way back when. It was a 'fully loaded' model with a factory power sunroof, P-windows, etc.. She bought it used with a bunch of miles on it and drove the heck out of it. I remember it was carbureted, leaked and burned oil like crazy, but continued to run for well over 100Kmi. I recall her having to replace the exhaust manifold on it since it cracked. No transmission issues. Not enough power to tear it up. We need to go back to those days (slightly?!).

Joel

 

[Propflux01]

I had an 87 Excel, never once a problem out of it. After my divorce, the Ex got it and within 6 months it literally fell apart. Finally died with 105K miles on it.

 

[Silk]

We've had Hyundai's here since the early '80's at least.The first ones used a Ford Cortina chassis with Mitsubishi drive line.They used Mitsubishi drive lines for many years,but seen to have their own engines in later models.

I could of got a 1999 Sonata V6 today....white leather interior,158,000km,very good condition.The customer walked away from a water pump job and a dismantler took it away for $450.If it had of been a 2.0 4cyl I would of grabbed it myself.

 

[Canawler]

Around 1990, I worked for an ATM service company that used a fairly large fleet of late '80s Hyundai Excels as service tech vehicles. Those things got abused unbelievably as they were severely overloaded and we were always trying to get the older ('87-'88) ones to die so we could be driving newer ones. Unfortunately, the Mitsubishi engines typically lasted to at least 200k.
The home office had a full time mechanic to maintain the cars but those of us at the satellite locations were on our own. Several of the cars at our office never had an oil change, the techs would just add oil when the light came on. These cars would still run forever. I still to this day sometimes question whether oil changes are as critical as we think.

 

[Rabbler]

Ahhh.. The Pony, I remember working on them in the 80's. They were still using points when all others had switched to electronic ignition.

 

[Patman]

My best friend's wife used to own one, that thing took a ton of abuse and still kept running! The only reason she got rid of it was because she badly wanted an 88 Civic Si at the time. Most of the Pony's up here rusted out quite badly, but the engines were from Toyota so they were generally in perfect running condition when they were scrapped. I actually saw a Pony last month, still in near perfect shape too! (must've never been driven in rain or snow since it had no rust on it)