Three cars made by South Korea's No. 1 automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors Corp. have been chosen among the top picks for first-time drivers in the United States, a car review website said Monday.

Kia's box-style compact Soul was named the best new car under $20,000 for young drivers purchasing their first vehicle in the world's No. 2 car market, according to U.S. website Cars.com.

"The Soul is an affordable choice for young hipsters wanting form, function, safety and individuality in the car they choose to drive them through their evolving lives," the website said.

Cars.com said it considered safety and value as its primary criteria, along with other standards, including fuel efficiency, exterior design and interior comfort.

For Hyundai, two editions of its Elantra model -- the Elantra compact and the Elantra GT hatchback -- were among the top suggestions for first-time drivers. The Elantra is sold under the name Avante in South Korea.

Although sales of the Soul dropped 8.6 percent on-year to 81,961 units in the first seven months of the year, its share in the crossover utility vehicle market claimed the No. 1 spot with over 30 percent.

Cumulative sales of the Elantra in the January-July period jumped 15.5 percent on-year to 139,373 units, with sales anticipated to grow even further after the launch of an updated model down the road. (Yonhap)