Hyundai Getz Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the Hyundai Getz as a used buy.

No matter how schmick the car looks, though, at this sort of money there are probably one or two expensive time bombs lurking within it.

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2011 Hyundai Getz as a used buy.

High school leavers are now facing one of the most important, daunting, yet exciting decisions of their life in buying their first car.There are so many factors to think about: price, safety, economy, running costs, vehicle age, insurance; all on limited funds and with limited knowledge about cars, and finance.To most young people, the most important thing is probably looks. After all, you don't want to be spotted by all your mates in a white Camry in the drive-through at Maccas. And who can blame you? That's why so many young people buy old grey-import Sylvias instead of Camrys. It's because they are red, they look fast and they were featured in one of the Fast and Furious movies.However, often the car ends up spending most of its time being repaired, waiting on a part to come from Japan or simply getting it to start, steer and stop. But is used the way to go? There are many small new cars on the market from as low as $13,990 which have the latest modern safety features, plus advantages of new car warranties.The best three tips we can give you are: research, research and more research. Young buyers can start by looking at classified ads on the internet and in newspapers. Comparisons will give the buyer a good feel for the true price of a car. You should work out what you need in a car even before you start looking for one.There are choices people can make when buying a new vehicle that may significantly reduce their risk of injury and theft and can even result in savings when it comes to car insurance.What you can expect for your money Young buyers are usually on a fairly limited budget. That will reduce the number of cars available.RACQ technical officer Russell Manning advises what you can expect for your money on used cars.$3000 to $5000 Few dealers operate in this segment, so look to private sales, and all the potential problems that come with them.There are no stand-outs in this segment.Buy the best you can find for the money.Steer clear of unusual, unpopular and modified vehicles, as they're more likely to cost more to keep on the road. Expect to be mainly looking at vehicles from the mid '80s.$5000 to $7500 Many dealers specialise in this bracket.Look for cars that are popular and have a good reputation, for example early 1990s Corolla, Pulsar, Lancer for small cars, and Commodore, Falcon, Camry for large cars.Anything in this bracket is likely to have travelled big distances, so look carefully.Bigger, less fuel-efficient cars are less popular these days and, depending on your circumstances, may be a good buy.Larger cars are often more durable.$7500 to $10,000 There'll be no shortage of cars in this bracket.Expect to see cars from the mid to late '90s.Again, large cars should be attractively priced due to fuel prices, but you'll also find a range of quality Japanese small vehicles and plenty from Korean makers.Take your time selecting and pick the best your money will buy.$10,000 to $12,000 There should be no difficulty finding a quality used car in this range. There will be plenty of Commodores, Falcons, Camrys and Magnas, as well as the full range of mid and small-sized cars from the late '90s.Consider putting in a few thousand dollars more and moving into an attractively priced new small car.New cars to $15,000 All these are in the light car category. And it can pay to see if you can pick up a dealer demonstration model with very low kilometres to save a little money.Hyundai's Getz is a great little car from $12,990, and the Getz Protectz pack costs an extra $1290 but includes electronic stability program, traction control system and front seat side thorax airbags, for $1290.Suzuki Alto 1.0-litre starts at $14,990 – although we’ve seen it advertised lower than that.Holden Barina 1.6-litre three-door hatch costs from around $13,690.Kia’s Rio 1.4-litre five-door hatch often costs less than $14,000.Tips 1. Buy the type, make and model of car that best suits your needs and your pocket.2. Always have a used vehicle inspected by a qualified person.3. Don’t rush to buy your car as you may regret it.4. Ignore any promise, warranty or guarantee that isn’t in writing or that is conditional in any way.5. Don’t forget the REVS certificate.6. Never sign any contract or document until it is complete and you understand it.7. Always get a copy of any contract you sign and a copy of the safety certificate.8. Obtain reliable finance before you purchase your car.9. Insure the car with a reputable company. 

The race for your small car dollar is intense, with a plethora of makes and models to choose from, ranging from cheap and cheerful to, would you believe, prestige models. The latter are mostly recent arrivals from Europe as carmakers from that part of the world try to convince buyers to part with more cash for the prestige of driving a European brand.There are also plenty of offerings from the Japanese carmakers, all decent cars, while the Koreans have tried to move away from the cheap and cheerful end of the small car market that was once their own exclusive domain.Chief among them is Hyundai who successfully established its place in the market on a policy of drive-away-no-more-to-pay. It worked a treat, but it also entrenched them in the bottom end of the market with a clientele who were only prepared to buy their cars if they were cheap-and-cheerful.They have been working hard to move beyond the cheap-and-cheerful image and have been relatively successful with a string of better and well-built cars that deserve more respect, the small Getz hatchback among them.MODEL WATCHWhen you think of a Korean carmaker the first badge that comes to mind is Hyundai’s. It was the first Korean carmaker to hit our shores, in the 1980s, and is the most aggressive in world terms.Hyundai makes no bones about being a world carmaker, one that takes on the world with its own products, and they are becoming better and better with each new model.The Getz is Hyundai’s own in-house product, conceived to stand up against the best that Europe can produce and it does it pretty well.The styling is clean and attractive in a European sense. There is nothing glaringly absent in the design that sends you reeling out of the showroom; the Getz hatch presents a well balanced profile with lines that flow cleanly from neat front to functional rear.Inside, it has the space to make it competitive against the class leading small cars, and the layout to make it a pleasant place to be when stuck in city traffic.The great thing about the best small cars is the driving experience. The best compacts are nimble with well-balanced nippy handling, and are powered by engines that provide sufficient zip to make negotiating traffic easy and fun.By comparison the Getz was a little dull. The engines were willing, but the tallish gearing tended to suck the potential out of them.At the entry level there was a 1.3-litre single overhead camshaft engine putting out 60 kW at 5500 revs and 117 Nm at 3200 revs, but there was also a 1.5-litre double overhead camshaft engine that boosted that to 74 kW at 5800 revs and 133 Nm at 3200 revs.Behind that there was the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed auto.On the road the handling was acceptable. It wouldn’t bite you, but it was vague with rather dull steering. It was certainly not for anyone who enjoyed the thrill of driving, it was more for those who wanted simple transport and only cared about getting from A to B without really caring about the journey itself.Likewise its ride was also acceptable, but lacked damping. It tended to float over larger dips, but was hard and harsh on big bumps.The range was made up of three-door and five-door hatch models. The GL opened the bidding and was fairly basic. It came with power steering, engine immobilizer and four-speaker CD sound. Air became standard in 2003 and central locking were much needed additions to the features list in 2003.The FX five-door was better equipped with air, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors and alloy wheels.There was also the XL three-door that had the 1.3-litre engine and a little more fruit than the three-door GL.IN THE SHOPHyundai has had to endure some scathing criticism over the years as it has attempted to build credibility with buyers.Who could forget the Excel fiasco when management attempted to deny the existence of a serious problem with the welding of the front-end? They were eventually forced to own up and they came good with a fix, but the episode hurt the company and damaged the reputation of Korean cars in general.It’s a pity because the Excel was generally a reliable and robust little car and didn’t deserve the reputation it got.But in recent times Hyundai cars have got better and better, to the point they are now quite well built.Hyundai at least is confident it has got it right in offering a five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres.The Getz is a member of the new generation of Hyundais and is worthy of a look by anyone thinking of buying a small car and not wanting to spend lots of money.Check for a service record to confirm regular oil changes.Also check the body for dings and dents, looking for signs of panel repair, such as mismatching paint.IN A CRASHThe Getz was in the general mix for safety, but wasn’t considered one of the better performers in a crunch.A driver’s airbag was standard across the range, and a passenger’s airbag was added in 2003 making the post 2003 update model the better buy.AT THE PUMPWith average fuel consumption around 10 L/100 km the Getz isn’t the most fuel-efficient small car going around. Tall gearing holds the little Hyundai back and drivers tend to make up for the apparent lack of performance by pushing down on the gas pedal. That, of course, results in more, and more expensive visits to the gas pump.LOOK FOR• modest performance• tall gearing affects fuel economy• class average interior space• clean attractive styling• vague handling• underdamped rideTHE BOTTOM LINEA worthy try, but lacks the refinement of the best in the small car class.THE RATING60/100

They are sought by young, first-car owners, parents seeking a second zippy machine and everyone else who wants an efficient but cheap vehicle in a time of rising petrol prices.This market provides the opportunity to own something cute and reliable, that doesn't necessarily come with ageing appearance, kilometres clocked and pre-loved baggage.At $16,880 for the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, three-door model, the Hyundai Getz is a reasonable deal, if of course you arrive at the dealers with the right expectations.The Hyundai Getz is the second bestseller in the light car segment, of small cars under $25,000, with 10,408 sales for the year to date, behind only the Toyota Yaris and beating the Holden Barina and Suzuki Swift.The Getz comes with some accolades to its name. The 1.6-litre was named Australia's Best Small Car for 2005, judged by Australia's auto clubs, and was also declared as the most affordable light car to own and run by NRMA Motoring and Services.But don't expect this little package to present anything too surprising.It's your basic small, get-around car, producing 78kW of power at 5800rpm and 144Nm at 3200rpm. The real ability of the engine takes a while to kick in and drivers have to rev it hard to get it moving.The four-speed automatic version tested felt flimsy with the delayed response and while it was suitable for city and suburban driving, it struggled a little on highways. A manual model, giving drivers greater control over their travels, may be a better option.Just because this South Korean baby is a smaller, cheaper car, it doesn't mean safety has to be sacrificed.The car we tested came with the Protectz package, which adds $1290 to the price of the 1.6-litre model, but is not available on the base 1.4-litre versions.The Protectz enhanced safety pack adds dual front side (thorax) airbags and electronic stability program (ESP) to the standard safety features on the 1.6-litre Getz models, which include an anti-skid braking system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), four-wheel disc brakes and soft deploy driver and passenger airbags.As with most cars in the small segment, the Getz has that fun appeal to it.Its tall but skinny-ish body looks good from the exterior, but step inside and it's all a little disappointing, really.The dash has a plastic look and is rather unfashionable and basic, while the console panel appears bulky.The front seats leave the driver feeling tall and in an unusual position to the steering wheel, due to the low dash and high seats.The seatbelts in the front are located too far behind the seats, making the driver and passenger reach for them. Space can be, as is to be expected in this sized car, cramped at times in the back, but tolerable in the front.It has adequate storage room for phones and accessories, but more would be useful.It comes with features including airconditioning, power windows, keyless entry, central door locking, steering wheel audio remote controls and MP3/CD player. Metallic paint is $275 extra.The Getz can get more "sexy" if budget buyers have extra cash for the SXi version, which gives pizazz. It adds a rear spoiler, 15-inch alloy wheels and front fog lamps.The SXi also has a better looking interior, with hot red trim on the seats and doors. This is $18,380 for the SXi automatic, and $19,670 including the Protectz package.

These are the smallest and cheapest cars, priced from a mere $13,490, with engines as small as 1.3 litres and baby-sized bodies.Hyundai helped create the class with its original $15,000 Excel, now superseded by the funky little Getz and ageing Accent. It is still a powerhouse, though GM Holden has tapped its own South Korean connection and is doing big business with its new value-priced Barina hatch and sedan.The Getz is now second in the segment, romping along behind the pace-setting Toyota Yaris and comfortably ahead of the Holden Barina and Suzuki Swift.Sales numbers for March are 2079 for the Yaris, 1716 for the Getz, 1367 for the Barina and 1073 for the Swift.And the year-to-date figures show Australians bought 27,027 light cars in the first quarter of this year, 11.5 per cent more than in the first quarter of 2005.But Hyundai is not sitting on its Getz and Accent hand. It has introduced a Getz hero car as part of a major update and is preparing a new Accent for the second half of the year.The Getz SXi is the new star, though its $16,490 price puts it well above the $14,490 bottom line of the starter car, which has a 1.4-litre engine. All Getz models have more safety features, an upgraded cabin and smoother nose.Engines sizes have grown from 1.3-litres and 1.5 litres to 1.4 and 1.6, and Hyundai says its Alpha design now gives more power and torque with improved economy.It is putting more emphasis on the 1.6-litre models in the range, which also have anti-skid brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and active front head restraints.Hyundai is also pushing its "Getz Protectz" pack: electronic stability program, traction control and side airbags for $1290.But the Getz is still pretty much as it was when it arrived in Australia four years ago — a city-focused youth car. This explains why it is available only as a three or five-door hatch.Sedan buyers can take the Accent, which is seen as the car for older customers.The youth push with the Getz ranges from its styling to small things such as MP3-compatible CD sound.The SXi has alloy wheels, a small rear spoiler and fog lamps.The baby Getz has always been good, but never great. Our first drive, four years ago, showed Hyundai had the right style to lure younger buyers who had moved away from the Accent after enjoying the Excel, but the car was let down by a basic chassis and a cabin stuck in the South Korean time warp.Not much has changed this year. The Getz still looks good, we love the safety focus, the new nose is less boxy, but the car is still not close to the class leaders on driving refinement or cabin quality.Plenty of people will be lured by the $13,490 starter price, and we would definitely take the Getz over the new Barina hatch, but it is way behind the enjoyable Ford Fiesta, refined Toyota Yaris and the sporty Suzuki Swift.We have seen a lot of improvement in Hyundai quality in the Elantra and impressive new Sonata, but not the Getz.The plastics look and feel cheap, the interior fit-and-finish work is nowhere near a Yaris.We were also disappointed by the car's lumpy ride and board-hard, unsupportive seats.Our test car was an SXi and it looked good, with the bright red splashes through the cabin and the five-blade alloy wheels. The alloy-look on the trim also lifted the cabin and baby car braggers will like the spoiler and fog lamps.The latest 1.6-litre engine is surprisingly strong, pulling from just above idle with good torque. It runs flat beyond 5500 revs, which has been a characteristic of most Hyundai motors, but gives the car fairly lively performance with good economy.The five-speed manual shift is good, and considerably better than the Kia Rio which is up against it with the same running gear.We like the anti-skid brakes and electronic brakeforce system, which will make a large difference to safety, and believe that Getz buyers should go all the way with the Protectz pack with stability control.But we would also like to see Hyundai's engineers do some more work on the suspension, which is still too bouncy and mismatched front to rear.It doesn't take much of a bump to set it rocking and the company can do better, as we know from the Elantra.Hyundai is not making a big prediction for SXi sales but believes the car will be a good bait for the brand at a time when the competition has never been tougher.It will definitely draw people, but they are more likely to go for a Getz starter car than the SXi if they shop and drive it against a Fiesta, Yaris or Swift, which still have a big break over the South Korean baby.The Getz is good value, and Hyundai is doing an excellent job pushing baby-car safety, but it still trails the class leaders.

Sure you do. The marketing department at Hyundai has been all over the show with its latest prize and you'd have to be blind or deaf not to know that the Hyundai Getz has just won Australian Small Car of the Year.Impressive, yes, and it seems the message has spread 'cos they are everywhere. It's a cute-looking car in a smart shape, and packs more inside than you expect for its small size – and price. I was impressed that it came standard with air conditioning, dual airbags and volume controls on the steering column – at this end of the market, you can't expect those luxuries, but here they are and it makes all the difference.Inside, there's ample leg room in the front, and the cloth-covered seats sit high, which gives you the impression that the car is bigger than it really is.But even sitting up high, I couldn't see the bonnet and my judgment for distances became a bit dodgy as a result.Unfortunately, I can't tell you how much room there is in the back seat – this is the three-door model and I couldn't be bothered folding forward the high-back seats and climbing in awkwardly.The boot is compact and it's not likely to fit more than one medium-size suitcase at a time. Enough for a grocery shop, though, or a weekend getaway.The Getz has a 1.6-litre engine, which surely should be enough for its size, but I found I still had to rev it quite hard to get it moving. It's quite noisy too, compared with other cars I've tested, and this would bother me in the long run. And I was disappointed that the power steering wasn't as good as it should be for a small car. Having said that, though, driving around the city was still easy work. However, the side mirrors are shocking – they give off a distorted image and made my vision go wobbly.I hope the makers take a look at this and fix it.On the upside, for a small car there are lots of storage pockets to put keys, phones and bits and pieces – even one of the two cup holders has a removable ashtray for those with the habit.Unfortunately, at this end of the car market there is no real "wow" factor. But the Getz is a convenient, practical and cute car – just perfect for the first-car owner wanting an easy city drive.Hyundai GetzPARKING in the "small car" spots.Easy clean interior.Great storage compartments.It's as cute as a button.SLIPPERY steering wheel – needs to get a better grip.The stereo is nothing to write home about – it kept knocking itself off the signal and has tiny buttons. And there's no cassette.Seat belts are positioned too far back and are hard to reach.

A brilliant light blue with alloys and all the gear, the Getz is a car that plenty of Aussies would like to own and most could afford.It is a replacement for the popular Excel and takes over Hyundai's entry level mantle from Accent which now slips into a slot between Getz and the larger Elantra.Though it's a funny name for a car, you will never forget the name Getz.It sticks in your mind.A good looker with styling cues from any number of popular European light cars, Getz offers more performance and features for less money than anything else in the class.'Leo' as we have dubbed our long termer, is powered by a perky and extremely economical 1.5L, twin cam four cylinder engine with a handy 74kW of power and an even handier 133Nm of torque, available at an accessible 3200rpm.Torque low in the engine rev range makes a car easier to drive and such is the case with Leo.He makes light work of zipping around town, hauling four adults to a weekend break or simply acting as an around town hack for the shopping, picking up bits and pieces, heck, we even had the mower in the back to take for repairs.Bloody mowers they always break down.That's something Leo won't do given the reputation for reliability earned by his predecessor Excel.Leo's engine is basically the same as the last version of the Excel and has been tried and tested in millions of cars over millions of kilometres.We were stunned at how frugal Leo can be on petrol.Where a normal small or medium car will need about $30 to $40 worth of petrol a week, Leo likes about $15.It's a direct benefit to the hip pocket if you have a car that is this economical. Money that can be spent on other stuff.He's a well endowed little car with power operated windows and mirrors, central locking and power steering. The steering is light and gives a tight turning circle for easy manoeuvres in tight spaces.Brakes are disc at the front and drums at the rear butLeo has the optional safety package that includes four wheel discs. They deliver strong consistent stopping with light pedal pressure.ABS is part of an optional safety package with a passenger air bag and electronic brake force distribution. It's definitely worthwhile considering.Leo will faithfully protect his owners with a front air bag, a safety cell passenger compartment, front seat pre-tensioners and load limiters, five three point seat belts, anti-submarining front seats, front and rear fog lamps and no less than three child seat anchor points handily located right behind the rear seat.There is plenty to surprise and delight too – remote fuel filler release, twin visor vanity mirrors, digital clock, driver's lumbar support adjustment, dual height adjustable driver's seat for the shorties and plenty more.Leo is a well thought out car that's obvious.We have been checkin' him out from all angles and reckon he's looks especially good from the front with a smiling face and big eyes.The five door body is particularly handy for families or when you have adults to take in the back seat.The boot is a good size and is expandable by folding the rear seats to form a small van.Hyundai has listened to its market research and fitted Leo with a good CD audio system that rocks along nicely when you are cruising or slogging it out in the traffic.Leo is shaping up well, we've already cranked up about 2000km on him and spent very little money doing, so. Christmas is looking good.