Hyundai Getz Car Review

Hyundai has released a trendy new small hatch called the Getz and its job is to re-kindle enthusiasm amongst younger buyers for the Hyundai marque.

It seems that when Hyundai replaced the Excel model with the Accent, sales dropped by as much as 30 per cent and it was principally the younger buyers that shied away, reportedly because of the Accent's more conservative styling.

Hyundai is confident that the Getz has the 'goods' to correct that situation. It looks trendy and modern, is quite an easy and pleasant little vehicle to punt around town, offers good space for occupants and their luggage, and is competitively priced.

The arrival of the Getz doesn't spell the demise of the Accent, however there's speculation about the future of the three-door model. There's also a good chance that the next Accent will get a 1.6 litre engine.

Pricing is an all-important aspect of sales success in the small car segment and the 3-door manual GL Getz comes to market with a price tag of $14,990 'driveaway-no-more-to-pay'. Next in line is the 5-door manual GL at $16,990, while the manual FX (3-door only) costs $19,990.

Automatic transmission is another $1,863 and airconditioning is $1,800 on the two GLs (it's standard on the FX). Other options include a safety pack with anti-lock brakes and a front passenger's airbag for $1,590 and mica ($225) or metallic ($215) paint.

For those buyers who are keen to dress up their Getz, there's a 4-piece body kit for $1,975, 2-tone leather seat trims for $2,745, or 14 inch alloy wheels on the GL for $1,000 (the FX has 15 inch alloys).

A glance at the equipment list reveals plenty of pluses, but on the GL in particular, a few minuses as well. For example, there's no central locking and no internal release for the rear hatch. The exterior mirrors have to be manually adjusted and the rear seat cushion is not split, meaning the front seats have to be set well forward if you want to double-fold the rear seat. A front passenger airbag is not standard on either model.

On the plus side, the GL comes with a driver's airbag, power steering, five lap/sash seatbelts and five head restraints, a four-speaker sound system with CD player, a tachometer, a rear window wiper/washer and an engine immobiliser.

The FX model adds airconditioning, power windows, power mirrors, remote central locking and an alarm, lumbar and height adjustments for the driver's seat, alloy wheels, front fog lamps and auto-off headlights when the key is removed. The FX also features a sporty carbon fibre-look interior fascia, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, and body colour door handles and exterior mirror housings.

Built on a completely new platform, the Getz follows contemporary styling trends with short overhangs front and rear, wide tracks, a high roofline and a steeply angled bonnet and windscreen.

Overall, it presents a pleasant, youthful look and is quite an efficient design in terms of the amount of interior space provided relative to the car's compact exterior dimensions.

General standards of finish looked good in the test Getz, though the paint finish displayed a noticeable 'orange peel' effect.

Interior space compares favourably with the Getz's competitors, with ample space for front occupants and quite reasonable space in the rear as well. Rear seat width could prove to be a bit squeezy for three adults, but two adults or three children should be happy enough.

Luggage space should prove adequate for most owners' requirements and the folding rear seat gives the option of more space when needed.

On the road, the Getz is quite a pleasant little car to drive. Performance is satisfactory, and the handling is generally sure-footed and precise. The manual gearshift is at last a pleasure to use (gearchange quality on previous manual Hyundais has been rather poor).

Braking was very good in the test car, but it did have the extra benefit of the optional anti-lock brakes pack.