Hyundai Pony

This article refers to the rear wheel drive Hyundai Pony. For the front wheel drive car that was sold in Europe from 1985 as the Hyundai Pony, see Hyundai Excel

The Hyundai Pony (Hangul: 현대 포니), was a small rear wheel drive automobile produced by the Hyundai Motor Company from 1975 to 1988.

Background

When Hyundai wanted to develop their own car, they hired George Turnbull, the former Managing Director at British Leyland. With his experience with the Morris Marina (see Korean connection), engines and transmissions from Mitsubishi, some parts from the Ford Cortina they were already producing, and a hatchback body styled by Italdesign Giugiaro, they developed the Hyundai Pony.

1975

The Pony was presented at the Turin Motor Show in October 1974, and the car was introduced in December 1975 as a 4-door sedan. Hyundai began exporting the Pony already in 1976 to Ecuador. In 1978, Hyundai began exporting to Europe, starting with Belgium and the Netherlands. Later on, the Pony was exported to Spain and Greece. A pickup truck version was added in May 1976, a station wagon in April 1977, and a 3-door hatchback in March 1980.

1982

In January 1982 the Pony II was presented. It was a facelift from the previous model. Quoting a sales brochure: "You'll see New Pony luxury in such things as rectangular halogen headlamps, fitted in a smart new radiator grille. You'll see it in the wrap-around indicators, completely re-styled rear lamp clusters and neatly designed instrument panel with easy-to-read gauges. These new refinements are just part of many distinctive features of the New Pony." The Pony II was only available in 5-door hatchback, and 2-door pickup verisions. With the Pony II, export also began to the United Kingdom in 1982. The Pony was also exported to Canada, but not to the United States because the Pony didn't pass emissions standards there. Canadian sales greatly exceeded expectations, and it was at one point the top-selling car on the Canadian market. The Pony afforded a much higher degree of quality and refinement in the lowest price auto segment than the Eastern-bloc imports of the period then available.