Hyundai Getz 1.4 2006 Review

7-day Test

Since it was first introduced in 2002, Hyundai's Getz hatch has consistently been the king of its castle -- at least in sales terms. Vying for supremacy with Toyota's then Echo (now Yaris) with the leadership alternating at regular intervals, the Getz, unlike previous small cars from the South Korean maker, was not just doing it on price.

Price was, of course, a factor in the strong sales of the car and the recently facelifted and upgraded model still retains its sharp pricing that starts at $13,490 for the three-door 1.4-litre model CarPoint tested here, but there is much more appeal to this little city runabout.

From the moment you step inside, there is plenty of evidence that Hyundai has come a long way in terms of quality with a resounding thunk as you pull the door closed and an immediate appreciation of the solid fit and finish. Design-wise it is hardly going to set any new benchmarks with the occupants still being presented with great swathes of bland dark grey plastics, but it is at least well put together.

There is also a high level of creature comforts for the entry level model that include air conditioning, power windows and mirrors, a decent MP3/CD audio system complete with steering wheel mounted controls, leather wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob and remote locking.

Safety kit runs to dual front airbags, five three-point seat belts (with pretensioners and load limiters on the front two) and active front head restraints. Improved safety was a prominent part of the Getz’s mid-life upgrade although for evidence you need to go one spec higher as ABS on four disc brakes is only standard on the 1.6-litre models.

The other changes were the improvement in equipment levels, a minor nip and tuck front and rear, and upgraded bigger capacity engines.

Space in the rear remains tight and is more suited to children child, rather than adults. Although the rear seat back splits 60/40 and folds, the boot space is still on the smaller side.

Up front, the biggest disappointment is the seats, which are hard, overstuffed and lacking in lateral support. You tend to sit fairly high and with a rake-only adjust for the steering wheel, getting a comfortable driving position can be a challenge. It's not too bad for running around the city but head out of town on a longer journey and you find yourself needing to pull up for regular stretch stops.

One area where Hyundai has improved in leaps and bounds, however, is in its engineering expertise and the mechanical prowess of the Getz proved to be a pleasant surprise.

Despite being the smaller engine in the range, the 1.4-litre 16-valve DOHC engine, is more than up to the job with maximum outputs of 70kW at 6000rpm and 126Nm at 3200rpm.

Prod the right foot and the car zips off the line with enthusiasm revving freely through to the higher end of the rev band without any harshness. As you would expect from the figures, it feels strongest between about 3000 and 6000rpm, but there is still plenty of torque under three grand.

Cruising the highway at 100kmh, the engine is smoothly spinning at about 3000rpm making for a reasonably quiet ambience inside the cabin. If you want to keep it in the power zone for a bit more energy then you simply need to row through the gears a little more. The gearshift is a little rubbery and vague but shifting is by no means a chore.

For buyers in this market, especially those investing in the base model, precision handling is hardly a priority, but in this regard, the Getz offers surprising capability. The chassis is obviously set up more for comfort than handling and it does a good job in soaking up all but the harshest surfaces making for a comfortable and compliant ride quality.

But throw the car at a tight corner and where you might expect (and plenty of Hyundais in the past have delivered!) excessive body roll with the car wallowing about, the Getz is surprisingly controlled. It's no sportscar by a long shot and there are better dynamic packages in this class, but the understeer, roll and pitch elements in the Getz seem well in check and the car is quick to recover with both the body and suspension feeling solidly put together.

The steering does betray its urban priorities though being light and lifeless although the tight turning circle is a bonus for parking and narrow city streets.

With its freshened face, extra kit and smoother and more responsive engine along with the very competitive pricing, there are now more reasons why Getz is likely to remain among the bestsellers in its class than price alone.