The Hyundai Excel is the American version of the Hyundai Pony. For the first time this car appeared in 1974. It was Hyundai’s first independent car, before this time it was just assembling the cars in collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors. It was a middle class oriented car. Soon after the beginning of the production the Hyundai Excel, it succeeded on the native market. A year later, Hyundai began to export the model to the Middle East, South America and Africa.

In 1985, it was created the second generation of the Hyundai Excel, this compact car was available in FWD version. This model was the copy of the Mitsubishi Colt / Lancer of 1984-1992. This car was made under the slogan "an automobile is not a luxury, but a means of transportation", thou the design conception evolved till the next generations. The second generation of the Hyundai Excel had two versions: 3-door or 5-door hatchback and 4-door sedan. It is notable that the rear door of the hatchbacks can be opened both from the inside and outside. The baggage compartment had not a lot of free space due to the projected wheel archs, uneven flooring and thick matting. In the hatchback, is the possibility to enlarge the baggage compartment when asymmetrically separated back of the rear seat is fold up, but the sedan version cannot provide it.

The interior of the Hyundai Excel was laconic, common and angular. The salon cannot be called spacious. The driver feels himself comfortable, but the back passengers can feel the discomfort. The dash panel is of common design, with large dials of not numerous devises and clear-cut work of the understeering switches. The earlier versions were equipped with the slide switches of the ventilation and heating. The Hyundai Excel can be equipped with three various engines: 1.3L (59 hp) and two 1.5 L power units with the capacity of 72 and 84 hp. The transversally-mounted engines are unitized with 4-speed or 5-speed transmission. The steering booster is available only to order (not for all markets). The second generation of the Hyundai Excel was produced from 1991 till 1994 and was replaced by the Accent.