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Rediff.com  » Business » The Hyundai Getz rocks!

The Hyundai Getz rocks!

By Bijoy Kumar Y in Mumbai
September 27, 2004 11:29 IST
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Hyundai GetzThe 150-odd km drive from Kochi to Munnar is no great shakes if you take it easy. But if you're in the mood to push, it gets demanding, with numerous corners created by God for his own drivers.

An hour into the test drive though, I was still getting to grips with the new Hyundai Getz. It wasn't very quick, or exceptionally fast, but I had other things to worry about.

Like a large portion of the country's most literate population seemingly determined to jump right in front of my car. Clearly more determined than the creatures in M Night Shyamalan's The Village, and they came driving and walking.

I got worried when a U-turning autorickshaw forced me to test the limits of braking. And I was shocked beyond belief when a postal van on my side of the road, facing the wrong way, piloted by a mad man who seemed intent on having a crash with a brand new car.

Accidents are on the rise in God's Own Country and studies say someone gets injured or killed on the roads every eight minutes. Pray tell, Hyundai, you couldn't find any other test-drive route?

Things did improve once I got the hang of it, though. And the route was tailor-made to help understand a new automobile. The roads, still in good post-monsoon nick, tested the suspension, fast sweepers allowed on-limit handling assessment and the slow and steady run up to Munnar ensured that the 82 bhp 1,341cc engine worked real hard.

Munnar itself, was at its very best, the sun playing hide and seek with the mist, as we tackled some of the best rally terrain in India. I could ramble on, but I do have a responsibility – a report on the car.

Inside outside

The Getz was as contemporary as any Euro hatch could be at its 2002 launch. It's almost as tall as the Santro, but wider, and is exceptionally well built. The car looks rather ordinary front-on with its safe headlamp and grille. Its profile has some individual identity but the looks get stunningly modern when seen from the rear three-quarters.

The folds and creases in the metal lend it an air of sophistication and crispness. Add to this fit and finish levels that'd befit a Honda more than a Hyundai, and you have a car that oozes quality standing still.

The Getz also has one of the best cabins I've encountered in a while. Hyundai has given the Getz a premium feel with surfaces and finishes that look far more expensive than the car's price tag.

The instrument binnacle is clutter-free and easy to read, while the centre console is finished in faux aluminium -- that is an Indian car first.

The air-con vents seem inspired by venetian blinds and work very well. The seats could have been firmer -- greater support over long distances. As a city car, the Getz cabin rocks and the top-end version comes with a CD-player.

The spacious interior makes the Getz a grown-up hatch. I am glad to report that the every inch inside has been put to good use.

The only negative points are the massive A-pillars, required to meet European safety standards. The problem, as I found out on the winding roads, is that they create a blind spot on either side big enough to hide an elephant.

Motoring along

Fuel-efficiency is important for any car to succeed, especially in our country, so I wasn't expecting the Getz to come with a 1600cc engine.

The current motor comes from Hyundai's Alpha family (read not exactly a new millennium motor) and has been downsized to displace 1,341cc and generate 82 bhp at 5500 rpm and 11.8 kgm of torque at 3200 rpm. This civilized engine is mapped to return a sure shot 12 kpl in the city.

The Getz is extremely driveable, so it should be a great commuter, and possibly, even a relaxed inter-city wafter. What the motor doesn't like is aggressive driving, and the gear ratios are equally to blame here.

Trying to push the tyres to the limit, I found the car in the wrong gear and running out of puff well before I reached my modest targets.

The Goodyear GPS II tyres are another weak link in the performance equation, with very little progressive give and ride quality that won't be liked by those used to softer compound rubber.

Change the tyres at the dealer level if you want better ride and more predicable handling.

I'm sure the friendly neighbourhood Goodyear man will offer you something softer and better.

I am not sure when Hyundai is going to give the Getz more firepower, but the upcoming CRDi diesel version is bound to be more fun to drive (thanks to all that early torque) and yet frugal.

For the time being, the base powertrain gets full marks for refinement and fuel efficiency -- exactly what most Getz buyers would be looking for.

Bump, how high?

Independent suspension up front and a twisted axle setup behind ensures good results in a car that's this wide and long. So the plush ride and neutral handling isn't surprising.

The rear seat ride quality is not as good as, say, the Accent, and could have been fine-tuned more for those who will usually be chauffeured. If the tyres, as we've said, are sorted out, the suspension will be able to work to its full potential.

There is a hint of typical front-wheel-drive understeer, and this might become more pronounced with a bigger engine. This is no driver's car, but it's got enough ammo to handle broken tarmac and even no-tarmac situations. The ride height has been raised marginally to tackle our speed-breakers -- in case you were wondering.

Value perception

Price and fuel economy are the two prime reasons why some cars are a hit on Indian roads and others aren't. At about Rs 5 lakh (Rs 500,000), on road Mumbai, the Getz is the perfect machine to graduate to if you drive a Santro and want something slightly bigger, but not a three-box sedan. Thanks to that engine, the Getz returns 12 kpl even in traffic and can stretch that figure to 15 kpl on highways.

Verdict

Another success story for Hyundai in India? Well, the success of cars like the Santro was thanks to brilliant products backed by an excellent communication strategy. The Getz, being an unconventional car, can really do with effective communication -- a tad more than what the Santro needed.

As for us at BS Motoring, the Getz is an important car and one that could very well be our Car Of The Year 2005. But, that's another story altogether, right?

Buy one if you want a refined car that has all the space you want in a city environment and one that can double up as a decent inter-city shuttle on weekends.

It is no rocket, but it will suit your pocket and is engineered as well as any other new-age automobile. -- Business Standard

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Bijoy Kumar Y in Mumbai
 

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