Five reasons to love and hate Hyundai
At the turn of two centuries, when humanity with such a pomp and one year ahead (because in fact the XXI century began in 2001, and not in 2000) celebrated the new millennium, marketers noticed a significant increase in demand for subcompact car models. The ambitious Korean concern Hyundai could not stand aside. As a result, in the fall of 2001, a concept called Hyundai TB was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show, and six months later, in March 2002, the Hyundai Getz serial babe flaunted on the Geneva podium.
Then many experts and journalists drew attention to the absolutely European appearance and design of the interior of the novelty. As a matter of fact, there was nothing surprising in this: the European engineering center of the Korean concern located in Frankfurt was engaged in the development of the design. The main highlight was the layout with a fairly vertical fit, a high roof and a nearly vertical rear door, which allowed to increase the internal volume with very modest external dimensions. The car was positioned as a “global model” and was not sold only in the markets of the United States, Canada and China.
In 2005, the model has undergone a significant update. First, the design of the front end, which has become more “Korean”, has changed dramatically: the hood and fins were rounded, and the headlights stretched out and became more “slanting”. The power of the 1.1-liter engine increased to 67 hp, the 1.6-liter engine – to 106 hp, and the 1.3-liter “four” replaced the engine with two camshafts, 1.4-liter capacity and power 97 hp The popularity of the model continued to grow, although the collection of awards (in 2003–2005, Getz collected a whole bunch of prestigious titles) almost ceased to grow.
In Russia, Getz did not become the same bestseller as, for example, in Israel. From the very beginning of his market career, he was hampered by the situation when those who had money for a new car preferred to buy more prestigious cars, and those who could not afford a new German or Japanese sedan or SUV preferred to buy a used one, but more solid car. Add to this the great prestige of the sedans … Well, the urban kids in Russia were and remained niche cars – either female or “youth training”. As a result, in 2011, no one expressed surprise at the fact that in Russia, the Hyundai brand not only preferred the localized Solaris model, but also did not launch the direct successor Getz, Hyundai i20 to the market.
It would seem that the history of Getz finally ended. But at one time these cars were sold so much that their popularity in the secondary market is still high, and on the Internet, the owners still read about their Getz. It is interesting that in the overwhelming majority of reviews there is an absolutely positive assessment of the model, although in almost every model it is pretty much criticized. But I didn’t find absolutely negative reviews filled with poison and hatred …
What makes a person looking for a particular car? Naturally, he sits down and tries to get comfortable behind the wheel. In the case of Getz, this is far from all. Here is a long-legged citizen. What a sin to conceal, these kids just buy mainly for his wife, as a second car. Naturally, she has to move the chair back, and she immediately discovers that she has to reach for the steering wheel and the gear lever or selector of the machine, because the steering column is adjustable only by the angle of inclination. And if you move the seat to the front panel, then the legs begin to rest on the steering wheel, and it will no longer be possible to lean forward without knocking your forehead on the visor.
Someone will feel the seat harsh, someone decides that he does not have enough lateral support, and in turns the centrifugal force and tries to transplant it on the passenger seat. Someone would be upset that the Koreans saved and were lucky to install the ceiling light in the front row zone, confining themselves to a lamp in the rear of the cabin. Someone will begin to complain that the interior is too austere, plastic is hard, and the buttons and switches are unpretentious. However, there are not many of them, because the car was initially positioned as a budget one.
But here too many seat cushions, not the best profile of the backs and an uncomfortable pedal assembly complain very many, especially since it turns out that only later, during the current operation. So people write that the clutch pedal is high and tight, which is why the leg in traffic jams in the foot area. The same applies to the brake pedal: it is too tight, located above the gas pedal, and therefore smoothly move the foot from the gas to the brake does not work.