Everyone has seen those “I *heart* NY” shirts that tourists carry back with them from visits to the Big Apple. It’s not the most obvious example of branding that ever existed, but it shows how important brands can be. People are eager to show how much they *love* their favorites – even eager enough to wear big red hearts on their shirts.

Pretty soon Hyundai may be looking into an “I *heart* Hyundai” shirt because the brand recently beat out General Motors and Ford to claim the top spot in corporate loyalty. Overland Park Hyundai drivers know what it means to love a car brand, and they’re some of the consumers who put Hyundai at the top of their lists.

According to Motor Trend, an Experian automotive report based on a market analysis of the second quarter of 2011 found that American consumers have recognized Hyundai as the highest recipient of automotive brand loyalty. McCarthy Olathe Hyundai is proud to report that the automaker’s corporate loyalty rate measured at 49.6 percent – setting it above General Motors’s 48.1 percent and Ford’s 47.6 percent.

Landing first feels great for loyal Overland Park Hyundai drivers – especially since this accomplishment is a first for the brand. Industry experts feel that a number of factors have improved the automaker’s standing, including innovative production and technology, style and quality improvements as well as a warranty program that is good for 100,000 miles.

Hyundai’s Kia brand enjoyed the highest individual brand of loyalty, topping out at 47.9 percent. Among the top 10 vehicles recognized, three were Kia models (including the Kia Forte, which ranked in at 68 percent). The Chevy Cruze and Ford models filled out the remaining spots.

But No. 1 isn’t the only important ranking that Hyundai has experienced recently. McCarthy Olathe Hyundai is also celebrating the brand’s four-spot jump to number 61 among the Best Global Brands rankings – a historic feat. According to Experian, Hyundai’s year-to-date percentage rose greater than any other brand – up 1.3 percent between quarter two in 2010 and 2011. That figure also translates to a 0.5-percent increase in market share gained, putting it in second place.

With numbers like that, it’s not difficult to understand why customers are so loyal to Hyundai. What’s more difficult to understand is who wouldn’t be.