India Cars

Hyundai has introduced its 2.7-litre Delta V6 engine sonata which would effect a sea change in perceptions about the Sonata.

The front grille of the earlier Sonata had vertical chrome slats resulting in the oft talked about toothy Korean grin, the newly launched Sonata gets a grille with horizontal slats. Though the earlier grille was flashier, the newer one is more subtle and adds stateliness to a car that exudes flash. Apart from that there is the small matter of rebadging, with the new Sonata getting 2.7 V6 in Gold where the ‘Gold’ badging used to be, under the Sonata badge on the right rear of the car. The car now runs on 16-inch 10-spoke aluminium alloy wheels in place of the earlier 15-inch 9-spoke ones on the 2.0-litre Sonata Gold. The new 10-spoke alloys are better looking than before and add to the slightly subtle look that has been cultivated by the horizontal front grille.

The Sonata’s body structure is one of the major attributes of the car in that it is highly rigid and flex free making for superb dynamics and great occupant comfort. Cabin space management is truly world class for a car of its size while the boot area has been increased marginally from its predecessor.

The Hyundai Delta 2.7 V6 is a new addition to the Indian Sonata. The transversely installed (to drive the front wheels) 2656cc V6 engine has double overhead camshafts operating four valves per cylinder and produces 164bhp at 6000rpm. With a maximum torque of 226Nm developed at 4000rpm, the engine has a lot of grunt too. While the difference in power over the earlier 2-litre power plant is just 32bhp, the V6 engine is much more torque, producing an extra 62Nm of max torque at 500rpm less.

The power and torque are there on tap but that is not the best part of this V6 power plant. Turn on the ignition and the engine purrs to life. Wait for a few minutes as the engine settles into its rhythm and then comes this quiet calm - and you begin to wonder whether the engine has died down.

The V6 Sonata gets the most advanced transmission that Hyundai has developed. The H-matic auto ’box, so called because of the way the gates and the crossover to the manual mode is shaped, is a 4-speed gearbox with the option of switching into a manual mode at the flick of the wrist. The H-matic is easy to use, providing the convenience of an automatic with the flexibility of indulging in some spirited driving if you so desire. Overall the engine is at par with the best in the world and the gearbox and offers flexibility and easy driving.

The 100kmph comes in an 11-second flash and 150kmph comes up in third gear before 27 seconds have elapsed. These figures are comparable to any car in this class of cars. On the highway run with the air con switched off and the car being driven in the auto mode, the car returns 9.8kmpl.

The Sonata V6 employs the same suspension set-up that does duty on the 4-cylinder engined car, which is a double wishbone front suspension layout with gas charged dampers and an independent multi-link layout at the rear. Brakes are the same as on the Sonata Gold with 206mm ventilated discs upfront and 226mm dia solid discs at the rear.

The interiors of the Sonata one of the most luxurious in India but add that there are a few deft touches that make the Sonata V6 even more so. The chrome surround for the gauges adds a touch of class and spottiness and things like the leather wrapped gearshift knob, a luggage net and the electro-chromic rear view mirror are welcome pieces of equipment.

Hyundai Motor India introduced Hyundai Terracan on Indian Road. The essentially boxy structure as was evident in the earlier Pajero and the Galloper has been given a total work over at Hyundai’s Namyang Research and Development Centre at a cost of over US$240 million. With a mix and match of aggressive styling cues the R&D engineers in Korea have managed to create a rather flamboyant and rugged looking SUV. The flatter and thinner front end gives the Terracan an all conquering look while all the lights, whether it be at the front or rear add style and class.

The tail lights are especially stylish and draw the attention. As usually happens, the door starts sagging ever so slightly under the weight of the wheel and causes problems in shutting of the door. As the rear-most foldable seats are front facing and have to be accessed from the front, it was not necessary to have a door at the rear. The rear also features a five-link layout with a rigid axle, coil springs, and gas filled shock absorbers as well as an anti roll bar.

Stopping a 2.8-tonne behemoth is no mean feat and is performed by ventilated discs up front and solid discs at the rear. The large capacity two-port calliper front brake discs aided by anti-lock brakes combined with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) provide better stability and shortened braking distances. This system also provides the most effective distribution of brake force based on the vehicle’s weight.

The Terracan with the 2.5-litre engine was already undergoing homologation trials at ARAI in Pune when Hyundai Motor India decided to hold its horses for a while and wait for the 2.9-litre CRDI engine to find its way under the bonnet of the Terracan for the European market. This 2.9-litre oil burner is the largest of Hyundai’s family of three common rail direct injection engines. The common rail direct injection near-square engine with turbocharger and intercooler displaces 2902cc, works on a 19.3:1 compression ratio and is fed through an aluminium head which features four valves per cylinder, and has double overhead camshafts unlike the CRDi engine on the Accent which is SOHC.

Maximum power of 148bhp is churned out at 3800rpm while maximum torque of 333Nm comes at 2000rpm. The engine has a very high specific output of 51bhp/litre which compares favorably with any of the other diesels including the Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 which has a specific output of less than 50bhp/litre.

In India the 2.9-litre brute of an oil burner will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox which will drive the rear wheels in normal operation but will have an option of driving all the four wheels. The Terracan uses a system called electrical shift transfer (EST) developed by Borg Warner, which allows drivers to change between high ratio four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive at speeds of up to 80kmph. There is also a low ratio mode in four-wheel drive, which generates maximum traction for slow manoeuvring in poor conditions. The car must be stationary to shift between high and low ratio four-wheel drive. These three settings can be chosen through a dial near the handbrake.

Instead of having a freewheeling hub, the Terracan uses a centre axle disconnect system (CADS) to switch between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive using the engine’s negative pressure. The CADS system eliminates noise and vibration from the propeller shaft and gear ring set, as the front wheels and axle would be rotating idly in two-wheel drive mode besides effecting a slight increase in fuel efficiency and power characteristics of the vehicle. When in four-wheel drive, the power is transferred equally between the front and the rear wheels. In two-wheel drive, the power transfers to the rear wheels completely. Limited slip differential on the rear axle also ensures that more power is transferred to the wheel having the most traction.

The 100kmph mark comes up in less than 14 seconds. But the best part of the Terracan is neither its quick start of the blocks or its long legs or even its top speed of 165.7kmph but its roll on figures.

The 9kmpl overall figures and the 7.4kmpl in city driving conditions are exceptional figures. A figure of 13.8kmpl on the highway is also better than the best as the Terracan cruises effortlessly with the rev needle nudging the 2000rpm mark in fifth gear at 80kmph. With a 75-litre diesel tank, the Terracan can go close to 700km before needing a refill.

It is a high vehicle with a substantial ground clearance of 215mm, is not awkwardly sprung and has quite high profile rubber. So it is but natural that there would be a lot of body roll and with anti-roll bars both front and rear, there is bound to be some rough stuff as they kick into action. Ride quality given the 75 profile 15-inch tyres and the way the vehicle is sprung is quite nice and the Terracan just glides over bad road surfaces and the like.

Braking is quite superb too given the discs all around and the distances of 50.87m and 32.11m for coming to a stop from 100kmph and 80kmph respectively are comparable to the best. The most important thing though is that the car maintains its poise even under the severest of emergency braking situations.

The leather seats are nice as is the steering wheel. Where the Terracan disappoints is in the look of the interiors which do not convey the feeling of wealth as they should. The fake wood panel finish is not convincing and the instrument cluster is plain and simple. What does add gloss to the interiors is the blue coloured LCD which features a clock, a compass as well as an option to switch between an altimeter and a barometer. The interiors are user friendly with the rear seats split 60:40 for extra luggage stowage while the steering column is adjustable for height. Ergonomics on the whole are good and all the controls fall easily to hand.

The body on frame construction has been designed to disperse crash energy evenly across the car’s length. Terracan’s single piece bumper unit has a chassis-mounted steel back beam to provide better protection to the vehicle’s structure and its occupants. In addition the specially reinforced front cowls-A-pillar bond helps reduce the risk of cabin deformation in the event of a collision. The Terracan comes with seatbelt pre-tensioners as standard. The instant a collision takes place; the seatbelt pre-tensioner reduces seatbelt slack to hold the occupant in place. The load limiter absorbs any extra energy placed upon the occupant when the pre-tensioners are activated. Driver and front passenger airbags are also standard, and are empowered to reduce the risk of injury.

Hyundai Motor India launched The Hyundai Tucson, is a rare example of outlandish Korean curves and shapes. The Tucson has a refreshing design. Short overhangs, a sporty bonnet line, a steeply raked windscreen, a roof that tightens up towards the rear and a stylish upward kink at the base of the C-pillar make it interesting to look at. Another nice touch is the short roof-rails.

The Tucson goes from a ladder frame chassis to a monocoque construction using independent suspension for all four wheels. Riding on 16-inch alloy rims, the front of the Tucson gets MacPherson Struts and coil springs, with dual links and coils, and an anti-roll bar at the rear. It has ABS and ventilated 15-inch discs at the front and twin airbags making it fairly safe. It is Hyundai’s first model to use Borg-Warner’s torque-on-demand four-wheel-drive system implying it runs as a front-wheel-drive under normal road conditions but as soon as the ECU detects slip or wheel spin, it switches to four-wheel drive. It also has a 4WD lock splitting torque equally between front and rear wheels. Its 195 mm ground clearance is sufficient. The electronic 4-WD system of Tucson runs the car in front wheel drive ( 2 WD ) during regular driving but when the driving condition changes, there is an automatic delegation of upto 50% of power to the rear wheels. Compared with the mechanical 4-WD system, this system has superior fuel efficiency, conversion to 4 WD only if necessary & excellent response to off road driving performance due to variably controlled power distribution by ECU.

Plastic quality and fit and finish on the interiors are worthy of a car of its price. Design of the dash, central console and instrument pods are super. The seats, like the steering wheel can be adjusted manually. Large, well bolstered seats make long drives comfortable. Rear-seats have enough legroom and width but thigh support and depth are lacking. Plastic cladding lines the loading bay and the rear windscreen also flips up in addition to the hatch. However, transporting a lot of luggage is problematic as the boot is a touch small. Inside there is more room than the CR-V and the X-Trail. While the seating position is brilliant, the car lacks the ergonomic finesse of the CR-V – despite the centre console that is angled to face the driver.

The 2.0 liter CRDi engine of Tucson is for those who want the best of everything. The Tucson shares its 2 litre 112 bhp common-rail diesel motor with the Elantra. The heavier Tucson however uses shorter first and second gear ratios to help pull ahead smartly. You feel the turbo lag once the engine goes below 2000rpm, forcing you to shift down to get back into the power band between 2000 and 4000rpm. Flat-out acceleration is helped by the four-wheel-drive system, which sends drive to the rear wheels under hard acceleration. 100kph comes up in a reasonably quick (for a diesel SUV) 14.14 seconds, while top speed registered was 164kph at 3700rpm.

The suspension is stiff enough to counter bumps without pitching or losing composure ensuring good ride quality. However, centre of gravity is fairly high so it rolls when cornered hard but grip levels are good. Steering feel isn’t great and composure at the rear is average. But the positive turn-in and lack of drama make it nice to drive. The Tucson is a competent off-roader; thanks to the lockable four-wheel-drive system, which allows you to use the torque to get in and out of tricky spots and steep inclines.

Presence of turbo lag means that it’s difficult to drive the Tucson on a light throttle. The kerb weight and short gearing add to this, resulting in unspectacular fuel efficiency. It returned figures of 8.4kpl in the city and 11.5 kpl on the highway, not very good, but the fact that it is a diesel makes it acceptable.

The only diesel soft-roader in the segment is bound to meet with a certain degree of success. The Hyundai has a lot going for it with its SUV looks, the right amount of space, comfortable seats, its quick diesel motor, good ride and handling. It has no real vices apart from turbo lag. However luggage space is at a premium, the gearbox is sloppy and the economy isn’t brilliant, but these factors can’t detract from the fact that this is a very competent SUV and well suited to its intended driving environment.

The Sonata is virtually unchanged from the day it was introduced, except for the addition of a V6 variant and a reshuffling of trim levels. The front is quite outstanding, with swoopy, tadpole-shaped headlamps, but the best angle is the rear three-quarters, from where the Sonata shows off its Jaguaresque, meteor-shower tail lamps and curvy haunches to good effect.

The base versions of the Sonata have a nice-looking ‘waterfall’ grille with upright chrome bars, but the V6 gets a rather fish-faced, horizontal-slat grille and a quite unnecessary hood ornament. It’s good. The Sonata uses double-wishbones in front and a multi-link set-up at the rear, which is quite sophisticated, but the Sonata, sadly, doesn’t use this to great effect.

Build quality is better than the Honda Accord. Inside, the story is a bit better, with a plush, comfortable cabin and plenty of equipment. The V6 is particularly nice, with its leather-clad interiors and wood inlays, but the plastics don’t feel hard-wearing or of the best quality, and the chromed-off gearlever looks a bit nasty. Hyundai’s normally have the best interior in their class, but the standard is so high in this segment that the Sonata cannot help but fall behind.

Head, leg- and shoulder room is tightest. Access to the rear isn’t great either, hampered by high doorsills. The seats are firm and not too supportive, with an upright rear backrest angle. The dash is pleasant but unspectacular; the dials are nice and clear though. Ergonomics are pretty good, pegged down by a slippery wood-rimmed steering wheel and the awkwardly placed electric seat controls. The auto-fold option for the wing mirrors is also missing.

The Sonata offers a 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a 2.7-litre V6, both petrol’s; strangely, there’s no CRDi version, which would have upped the car’s practicality value. The 134bhp 2.0-litre ‘Sirius’ engine is a perfectly acceptable power train, which revs sweetly and quietly. Though performance is adequate for a car of this size it feels weak compared to its rivals. The star, however, is the V6, which, available only in automatic form, is both hugely powerful and extremely refined. With 166 horses to whip, the V6 is one of the best performer’s in its class, especially in the city. Throttle responses are excellent, and the automatic has a quick, meaty-feeling ‘tip-shift’ manual mode, which makes it easy to drive urgently.

In terms of fuel economy, the 2.0 returns 6.4 and 10.9kpl and the V6 returns 6.2 and 8.7kpl, which is near the bottom of the class. However, the chassis is no match for this excellent engine — despite the sophisticated components, the Sonata’s on-road behavior is its weakest link. The unsorted suspension means ride quality, at all speeds, is merely acceptable, and can get quite unsettling at higher speeds. Grip is adequate, but the car tends to feel floaty and cumbersome at high speeds, with non-linear steering and a reluctance to enter corners quickly. The Sonata used to be a big crowd favorite: it has a good interior, suitably extroverted looks, and a pair of quite decent engines, which make the Sonata a fair urban car.

Hyundai now has variable valve timing technology and 2359cc DOHC ‘Theta’ engine came with the Mitsubishi. This CVVT unit will not be as composed as say the V-Tec engines of Honda, but it produces a healthy 161 bhp and 22.5 kgm of torque — figures that are better than that of the Accord 2.4. It is dissonantly silent at idle, but more throaty and metallic than V-Tec motors on the move. The front wheels spin in disbelief, and then hurl the car — which endures a bit of scuttle shake — to three-digit speeds well inside eight seconds.

The Sonata gives you an instant crash course in under steer before taking the direction dictated by the steering wheel. And that brings you down to earth. The earth is round, and front-wheel drive sedans don’t like too much torque too early in life. The steering could have been sharper, and given a chance to change one thing in the new Sonata.

Ride quality at almost all speeds is good and exceptionally so over rough roads. The ‘lifted’ suspension handles speed breakers easily, though the car still manages to look low-slung. At cruising speeds, the dynamics of the new Sonata can be termed as good as any car in its league. It gives Zero to 60 kph in 3.9 seconds. 100 kph in 7.9 seconds.

It has a power-monger of an engine and decent road manners. The new international styling of the car is a big hit back home in Korea and even in the United States. The new Sonata looks narrower than the older car, though that isn’t the case. And that could be a bit of a worry for Hyundai, since the Accord and Camry manage to fill up the driveway nicely. 

The interior fit and finish is unquestionably good, and even has a plasto-wood panel inspired by the S-Class Merc. The twin-tone dash is textured well but is not exactly ergonomically correct — the entertainment console on top of the aircon vents is the biggest culprit here. The ‘mercury rising’ theme of the dials and needles is a nice touch, but the designers lost the plot as they tried and illuminated it with bright colours.

The old Sonata is dead and the new Sonata is brilliant in many parts. It is comparable to the Accord in many ways and that in itself is a big compliment. And no, the overall build quality, finesse and refinement level is not yet comparable to that of the Camry. And unlike the small cars churned out by Hyundai in India, this D-segmenter will need a bit of help from the manufacturer when it comes to pricing.

The Santro was a big success. Over the years a bigger, more powerful engine and a comprehensive face-lift has consolidated the Santro’s position as the best-seller in this segment. The Santro Xing is a modern, well-engineered car, with plenty of innovative thinking like the ‘tall-boy’ design and a compact size. A minimal increase in length has increased boot space slightly, and the large, oblong headlamps and Volkswagen Polo-like taillights look very good.

The car has a good fitting and finishing. It has a ‘tinny’ feel in the metal. It doesn’t feel as solid as the Palio or Corsa, and the crumple zones (a safety feature) mean the sheet metal dents easily. The face-lift means the Santro looks fewer cartoonists, and has wider appeal. ABS is now an option on all variants, and there are now more features, including a spoiler on the XS version. Revisions have been made to the interior as well, eliminating some of the fussier detailing and leaving a high-quality, spacious cabin that is easy to use and understand. A high point is the ease of entry and exit, along with the tall seating position; combined with the vast amounts of head- and leg-room, this makes for a very practical interior. There is more than enough space for four, but five is quite uncomfortable in the narrow car. It isn’t ergonomically perfect either: the throttle is awkwardly placed, and in the top-line XS model, the power window switches for rear passengers are located between the front seats, and are difficult to reach.

The interiors have been tidied up and made more practical. There’s more storage space with additional bins and an enlarged boot which is at least useable now, if not the most spacious in the class. The quality of the interior plastics, switchgear and seat fabrics are as good as ever and feel a notch above the others.

The large windows also make for a pleasant, airy atmosphere, and not much noise filters through to the cabin, making for a fairly restful environment to travel. Equipment levels have risen somewhat, but each variant offers only a marginal rise in equipment for a fairly big leap in the price. A high note is the inclusion of a good number of cubby-holes.

The Xing’s 1.1 Epsilon engine is a refined little motor, not terribly powerful, with only 63bhp, but it’s tractable in urban conditions, helped along by punchy gearing. The engine doesn’t have much top-end whack though, and struggles to get to serious highway speeds. Still, it works well in stop-go traffic, where its slick gearshift, refinement and tiny turning circle make it as easy to drive. The auto version is easier still in the city, negating the need for shifting, but it’s a pain on the highway, where it hampers performance.

Fuel economy is superb, the manual version giving 10.3kpl in the city and 16.3kpl on the highway. Still, the flexibility of the engine and the short gearing mean that the engine does not need to be strained in the city; drive with a light foot and the Xing will reward you. The automatic version is more sluggish and thirsty, but it complements the car’s urban nature perfectly. It may have only three gears, but it is adequately responsive and makes city driving much easier.

Handling again is superb in the city, where the light, deft controls come into focus, but show it a highway and it scurries for cover. There is far too much body roll, and the ride can get choppy at the back, getting only worse with speed.

The Xing is very much an urban runner —the light controls, tight turning circle and good visibility make it easy to fight for vital inches in city traffic. However, the tall stance makes it highly vulnerable to crosswinds, especially on the highway, and it simply doesn’t have the composure of a European hatch. High-speed corners are quite unsettling, especially if there’s a bump or two in the tarmac, which will ruffle the Xing’s feathers very easily — it’s best to take it easy.

It is hugely functional, comfortable, and phenomenally easy to use in the city and always fetches a decent resale price. Hyundai has also built up a solid reputation for after-sales service, cheap spares and fairly reliable cars, which makes it an easy car to live with. The best variant is probably the XG, XK, XL, AT, XO; the XS adds only a spoiler, body-coloured handles and some knick-knacks for quite a steep premium, none of which will hold their value.

Getz is the best looking hatch on Indian roads.  The big rectangular headlamps are stylish without being too feminine and set the tone for the rest of the car. The crease that starts from the top outside corners of the headlamps runs right along the waist of the body till the rear of the car, running through the door handles on the sides and giving the car a solid European character. It has a high roofline that slopes slightly to the rear and a versatile one-box interior. The one wheel at each corner design also echoes the MPV approach and liberates some extra space for both the passengers and luggage. And although the car comes with 13” steel wheels as standard there is an option of upgrading to 14” alloys which add class to the looks of the car.

The Getz is definitely a better built car than the Santro and even the Accent. The quality of material used seems to be better on the Getz than the other two. The doors close with a much more distinctive thump than on either the Accent or the Santro. And wherever there is a commonality of parts, it is the parts of the Accent that seem to have been used. Panel gaps are uniform and we could find no fault with the paint job quality, not only on our road test car but also on any of the eight Getz that we have seen till now.

The Getz is a contemporary design and has been engineered for the European markets, where safety is getting paramount importance. In keeping with the requirements of the day the monocoque of the Getz uses a good deal of high tensile steel to add rigidity to the body structure which helps in meeting crash test norms.

The Getz has been designed using HAIST (Hyundai Advanced Integrated Safety Technology), which is a standard for ensuring the highest possible passenger protection. High tensile steel, which makes up 58 per cent of the car’s body weight, has been used for the rigid safety cage. The side outer panels have been made of one piece of metal to ensure rigidity. As well as side impact bars, the door belt areas have been reinforced. Welding points and individual parts to this safety structure have been kept to an absolute minimum to ensure the rigidity of the passenger cell is not compromised. The Getz is equipped with a fuel cut out sensor, so in the event of a collision the electrical power to the fuel pump is cut. The Getz also has a collapsible steering column in the event of an accident, designed to reduce the risk of chest injuries.

The front seat belts are height adjustable while there are three 3-point belts in the rear. Both front seat occupants and three rear seat passengers are protected against whiplash by adjustable head restraints. In India ABS comes optional for the Getz and while all models of the Getz in many countries have airbags, none in India do. The Euro NCAP rating for the Getz will be available only in November but we expect it to do rather well. Keeping the four wheels on the ground are the tried, tested and ubiquitous MacPherson struts up front while at the rear is a semi independent set-up us

The Getz 1.3 is actually powered by an inline 4-cylinder 1341cc 12-valve engine that is made of a cast iron block and an aluminium alloy engine head. It produces maximum power of 82.1PS at 5500rpm and maximum torque of 116Nm at 3200rpm. This is basically the same 4-cylinder mill that we saw on the 1.5-litre Accent. It shares the same stroke of 83.5mm and it is only the bore that has been slightly reduced by 4mm to 71.5mm. The Getz engine runs a higher compression ratio than the Accent engine and this could be because of greater confidence in the quality of fuel available in India. The engine is one of the smoother spark-ignited mills Hyundai makes in the country and though not as rev happy as the Elantra 1.8-litre engine, it is quite refined and does not get rough even at the top end of its rev range.

As it is the 1.3-litre engine requires quick gear shifting to keep the momentum going and this ’box is made for just that - quick gear shifting that is a pleasure. This has been possible because the gearbox has had a number of enhancements to enhance the driving experience. A dual-cone synchroniser has been used to make the first-second gear shifting smoother, while a poppet ball has been added to fifth and reverse gears to enhance selection.

The 1.3-litre mill is a sedate performer and does not promise any scorching times. The primary reason for this has to be the car’s weight. With a kerb weight of 1095kg, the Getz is heavier than even the Accent by over 80kg. This would be because the Getz is a modern car and designed for European markets where safety is paramount. So for the sake of a safer car, you would have to sacrifice a bit of performance. Thus, on Indian fuel and in Indian make, the Getz gets to 100kmph in nearly fourteen and a half seconds. Time it takes to get to the one kilometre mark is over 36s and the roll on figures, though quite competitive are not eyebrow raising. What is good is the top speed of the car which it gets to after consuming kilometres of track. After all getting to 166kmph is no mean task.

The city fuel efficiency figure of 11.9kmpl is more than satisfactory that of 16.8kmpl for the highway is a tad disappointing. With a fuel tank capacity of 45 litres, the Getz can get to nearly 600km on a tank full.

The amount of space that is available inside this rather small looking car is quite amazing. There is plenty of leg room and if you will compare the accommodation measurements with similar cars, you will be pleasantly surprised.  The interiors are great and again give the feel and look of a much larger and more expensive car. Features like a coat hook or the rear seat folding right over along with the rear seat squab are very useful.

The one think that irks me is the rather small glove compartment. This would have been designed so as to accommodate a passenger side airbag but for countries where Hyundai is going to be selling these cars without even a single airbag, this wasted space should be better utilised by either making design changes to the dashboard or else by providing another storage compartment opening from on top of the dash.

The Hyundai Getz opens up a new segment in the market. It is somewhere between small hatches like the Santro and Zen, and the C-segment sedans like the Ikon and Accent. The Getz has been designed as a modern European super-mini, which means maximum usage of space and clean, sharp styling.

The Getz is fairly wide (wider than an Ikon) and tall, with a long wheelbase, and pushes the wheels and roof pillars outwards to increase space. It has cleaner styling than most Hyundai’s, and many styling cues seem to have been taken from European cars, such as the C-pillar, which resembles the Volkswagen Golf, and the tail-lamp, which resembles that of the Italian-styled Daewoo Matiz.

The Getz has been engineered to meet most European safety norms and popular requirements, which means a safe, sturdy chassis and a conventional layout with a transverse engine driving the front wheels. The suspension is conventional independent MacPherson struts in front, and a semi-independent torsion bar at the rear; the car’s ride height has been raised by 15mm for India, to improve ground clearance, getting stiffer in the process. ABS and alloys are available as an option, but sadly, airbags or other safety equipment are not on offer.

The interior is the best bit about the Getz — it is larger than that of most C-segment sedans. There is ample space for five people, with everyone having plenty of leg-, shoulder- and headroom. Getting in and out is easy, and you sit tall on comfortable, supportive seats. Visibility is good, except for the thick C-pillar; the large, chunky mirrors help greatly in the city.

The cabin is also flexible and practical, with many cleverly designed cubby holes. The rear seats can recline at three different angles, and will split-fold and tumble to increase luggage space. The cabin has a distinctly European flavour, with slight, square styling; however, the plastics look quite down market, and reflect sunlight badly. There are some nice design cues like the Accent-sourced steering wheel, which adjusts for height, and the bottle-cap-shaped gear knob. The boot is a good size bigger than in most hatches.

The Getz currently has only a 1.3 engine, a scaled-down version of the Accent’s motor, with 82.9bhp on tap. The engine is not an exciting performer, but it is adequate and very flexible, especially in town. The gearbox is light and precise, and the gear ratios well spaced, making for a very relaxing ride around town. Gobs of low-down torque mean third gear is possible at 20kph and fourth at 30, which means you can stick it in a high gear all day. However, the engine is not as responsive as an Ikon’s 1.3 ROCAM, and can be a tad frustrating on the highway, where you need to downshift to overtake. To compensate, it’s quite refined, getting hoarse only at the top of the rev-band, and manages 0-60 in 5.61sec and 0-100 in 14.47sec. Fuel economy is very good, considering the car’s size and weight, especially in the city, where it manages 10.4kpl. However, the short gearing means it isn’t as good on the highway, squeezing out 14.5kpl.

The Getz’ chassis makes it very stable at high speeds, and though it’s no sports car, it is a tidy handler. The steering is not as light as in other hatches in the city, and is slightly numb off-centre, but apart from that the car’s composure is impressive. The raised-for-India ride is somewhat stiff at low speeds, and doesn’t quite have the magic-carpet effect of a Corsa’s, but it doesn’t get ruffled on bad patches, and the stiffness dies out as you go faster. The brakes are powerful, but are quite trigger-happy, and are prone to locking up in emergency situations. Fortunately, the ABS option will negate this tendency.

The Getz is a talented, practical and highly comfortable family car, providing a genuine alternative to smaller hatches and even to C-segment sedans. It makes particular sense in the city, where it is very drivable and frugal.

Hyundai launched Hyundai Elantra on Indian Road. It is the most successful Hyundai in Europe. Elantra is available in 2 different 4-cylinder, powerful engine configurations a 1.8 litre DOHC 16 Valve Beta engine and a powerful 2.0 litre Turbo Intercooled CRDi engine.

It has a low, sporty outline, and a very attractive, distinctive rear. The petrol version gets a revised, chromed-off grille and clear headlamps as opposed to the diesel’s black, pod-style units. The front suspension features McPherson struts with gas filled shock absorbers and coil springs for superior handling and control when turning at higher speeds. This also ensures no uneven tyre wear (due to elimination of camber), excellent handling stability & ride smoothness (due to high caster angle) and excellent lateral strength. The rear suspension is of dual link type with coil springs and anti-roll stabilizer.

The Elantra has ABS and traction control, as well as Electronic Brake Force Distribution, a system that evens out braking forces. The Elantra has the distinction of being awarded a five-star rating for the side-impact test carried out by American safety authorities. Tyre choice, however, could have been more generous — the relatively low-profile 195/60 profile tyres.

The interiors of the Elantra exude a rich feel and are genuinely plush, with high-quality plastics and convincing fake wood. There are also lots of thoughtful touches, like the cardholder and plenty of cubby-holes. However, the styling isn’t too fresh, apart from the vertical air-con vents and the lurid purple back-lighting for the dials, and although space is generous in front, rear headroom is restricted by the sloping roof, and the seat is set too low for real comfort. Equipment levels are very generous, the Elantra the only car in its class with standard ABS and traction control; plus, there’s a standard high-end stereo and trip computer. The Elantra CRDi gets an 8-CD changer in the boot, plus a player in the dash. The tweeters are integrated into the door pads for better clarity, and with a chrome bezel, look quite prominent. The electronically controlled air-con worked well and the temperature display comes with an outside ambient temperature reading as well. The driver’s seat is quite wide and generous, and comes with all the adjustments but lacks sufficient lower back support and is set quite low. Rear seat comfort is not great either and is one of the Elantra’s weaknesses.

The firm ride coupled to a stiff chassis gives the Elantra phenomenal composure at high speed. It’s hard to ruffle the Elantra, which tracks straight and true even when the surface deteriorates. It inspires a lot of confidence at high speeds and makes long drives not just effortless but enjoyable as well.

With 2 air bags for the driver & the co-passenger, Elantra ensures fort like safety. Besides this the PPD installed inside the cabin ensures that that there is no unnecessary deployment of the passenger side airbag in case of a crash.

The Elantra is powered by a common rail turbo-diesel engine; this 1991cc single cam, 16-valve four-cylinder unit is essentially the same as the three-cylinder Accent CRDi motor with an additional cylinder bolted on. However, this four-pot motor uses a larger turbo, to pump out a max of 112bhp and an even more impressive 25kgm of torque. It is highly refined and powerful, suffering only from some turbo lag which offers drivability at low speeds. Fuel economy, at 11.6 and 14.7kpl, is good, but not exceptional for a diesel. In diesel form the Elantra comes only with the top-of-the-line GLS trim, which includes goodies like an engine immobiliser, keyless entry and leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob. Leather seats and door pads are however a cost option.

The other engine is a 127bhp 1.8-litre DOHC petrol. However, it’s pretty smooth during most workouts, getting slightly coarse only when you really push it. It’s a clean-revving, flexible and fuss-free engine, but lacks the punch of either its diesel sibling or of rivals like the Corolla. Low-speed response isn’t as sharp as you’d like, but it gets a great deal better after 3000rpm. It’s reasonably efficient, with 7.7kpl in the city and 13.5 on the highway. A stiff suspension set-up means the Elantra is very stable at high speeds, and inspires great confidence, but it doesn’t have sporty responses and is tuned more for effortless cruising. There is some understeer, and the traction control system, oddly, kicks in only when one front wheel is on a poor-grip surface. Sadly, the stiff suspension means the ride is not too supple, and occupants will feel most potholes and speed breakers distinctly. The brakes are excellent, very powerful and progressive, and all the technology works well to keep braking distances short and straight.

The Elantra is a great overall package, a fast, efficient, luxury car, which is both spacious and dependable. The ride isn’t great, nor is rear-seat comfort, but the Elantra makes a strong case for itself, especially in diesel form.

Hyundai launched Hyundai Elantra on Indian Road. It is the most successful Hyundai in Europe. Elantra is available in 2 different 4-cylinder, powerful engine configurations a 1.8 litre DOHC 16 Valve Beta engine and a powerful 2.0 litre Turbo Intercooled CRDi engine.

It has a low, sporty outline, and a very attractive, distinctive rear. The petrol version gets a revised, chromed-off grille and clear headlamps as opposed to the diesel’s black, pod-style units. The front suspension features McPherson struts with gas filled shock absorbers and coil springs for superior handling and control when turning at higher speeds. This also ensures no uneven tyre wear (due to elimination of camber), excellent handling stability & ride smoothness (due to high caster angle) and excellent lateral strength. The rear suspension is of dual link type with coil springs and anti-roll stabilizer.

The Elantra has both ABS and traction control, as well as Electronic Brake Force Distribution, a system that evens out braking forces. The Elantra has the distinction of being awarded a five-star rating for the side-impact test carried out by American safety authorities. Tyre choice, however, could have been more generous — the relatively low-profile 195/60 profile tyres.

The interiors of the Elantra exude a rich feel and are genuinely plush, with high-quality plastics and convincing fake wood. There are also lots of thoughtful touches, like the cardholder and plenty of cubby-holes. However, the styling isn’t too fresh, apart from the vertical air-con vents and the lurid purple back-lighting for the dials, and although space is generous in front, rear headroom is restricted by the sloping roof, and the seat is set too low for real comfort. Equipment levels are very generous, the Elantra the only car in its class with standard ABS and traction control; plus, there’s a standard high-end stereo and trip computer. The Elantra CRDi gets an 8-CD changer in the boot, plus a player in the dash. The tweeters are integrated into the door pads for better clarity, and with a chrome bezel, look quite prominent. The electronically controlled air-con worked well and the temperature display comes with an outside ambient temperature reading as well. The driver’s seat is quite wide and generous, and comes with all the adjustments but lacks sufficient lower back support and is set quite low. Rear seat comfort is not great either and is one of the Elantra’s weaknesses.

The firm ride coupled to a stiff chassis gives the Elantra phenomenal composure at high speed. It’s hard to ruffle the Elantra, which tracks straight and true even when the surface deteriorates. It inspires a lot of confidence at high speeds and makes long drives not just effortless but enjoyable as well.

With 2 air bags for the driver & the co-passenger, Elantra ensures fort like safety. Besides this the PPD installed inside the cabin ensures that that there is no unnecessary deployment of the passenger side airbag in case of a crash.

The Elantra is powered by a common rail turbo-diesel engine; this 1991cc single cam, 16-valve four-cylinder unit is essentially the same as the three-cylinder Accent CRDi motor with an additional cylinder bolted on. However, this four-pot motor uses a larger turbo, to pump out a max of 112bhp and an even more impressive 25kgm of torque. It is highly refined and powerful, suffering only from some turbo lag which offers drivability at low speeds. Fuel economy, at 11.6 and 14.7kpl, is good, but not exceptional for a diesel. In diesel form the Elantra comes only with the top-of-the-line GLS trim, which includes goodies like an engine immobiliser, keyless entry and leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob. Leather seats and door pads are however a cost option.

The other engine is a 127bhp 1.8-litre DOHC petrol. However, it’s pretty smooth during most workouts, getting slightly coarse only when you really push it. It’s a clean-revving, flexible and fuss-free engine, but lacks the punch of either its diesel sibling or of rivals like the Corolla. Low-speed response isn’t as sharp as you’d like, but it gets a great deal better after 3000rpm. It’s reasonably efficient, with 7.7kpl in the city and 13.5 on the highway. A stiff suspension set-up means the Elantra is very stable at high speeds, and inspires great confidence, but it doesn’t have sporty responses and is tuned more for effortless cruising. There is some understeer, and the traction control system, oddly, kicks in only when one front wheel is on a poor-grip surface. Sadly, the stiff suspension means the ride is not too supple, and occupants will feel most potholes and speed breakers distinctly. The brakes are excellent, very powerful and progressive, and all the technology works well to keep braking distances short and straight.

The Elantra is a great overall package, a fast, efficient, luxury car, which is both spacious and dependable. The ride isn’t great, nor is rear-seat comfort, but the Elantra makes a strong case for itself, especially in diesel form.