If you really want to know why, it was because of the Excel. It was a cheap car about 5k back then and it was completely done by 80k miles. We bought them as DD for work commute and after about 3 years and some change they were throw away cars. that is where they got the bad stigma. However they are a whole different company now but some have not forgiven them.
Curbside Classic: 1988 Hyundai Excel – The Damn Near Deadly Sin | The Truth About Cars