Hyundai has come a very long way in a short time. The Korean automaker was once synonymous with shoddy build quality but that's certainly not the case anymore. Hyundai now has a reputation for reliability and recently achieved more safety awards any other automaker in the US, helping it become one of the bestselling car brands in America.

Now, Hyundai is celebrating another US milestone as the five millionth vehicle has rolled off the production line at the company's plant in Alabama. It took 17 years for Hyundai to reach this milestone since the plant was opened in May 2005.

Hyundai's five millionth vehicle assembled in America was a Hyundai Santa Cruz Sport, which rolled off the production line on July 27, 2021. A compact pickup truck (Hyundai prefers you to call it a "sport adventure vehicle") designed to take on the Ford Maverick, the Santa Cruz is the newest addition to Hyundai's US lineup. Hyundai's Alabama plant was recently expanded to prepare for the arrival of the Santa Cruz and all-new Tucson, which joins the Sonata, Elantra and Santa Fe.

Since it opened, Hyundai's Alabama assembly plant has produced 2,562,880 Sonatas, 1,489,568 Elantras, 908,779 Santa Fes, 36,989 Tucsons, and 1,784 Santa Cruzes.

"The five millionth vehicle represents a tremendous achievement for Hyundai Motor North America. We could not have achieved this success without the strong leadership and commitment of our team members in Alabama. Hyundai will continue to invest and grow throughout the region," said Jose Mumoz, Global COO of Hyundai Motor Company and president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America.

"Reaching today's milestone in HMMA's storied history in Alabama would not have been possible without the energy and enthusiasm of our valued team members, the dependability of our supplier network and unwavering support of state and local governments," said HMMA President and CEO Ernie Kim.