Hyundai Getz 1.3 Petrol

On the face of it, we have a winner

Published on Dec 09, 2009 08:00:00 AM

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Powered by a smaller version of the Accent’s 1.5 litre Alpha engine, the Getz’ 1341cc motor has a useful power to weight ratio of 80.87bhp per tonne. Nothing spectacular, but sufficient, seeing the motor has decent low-speed torque as well as smartly-spaced gear ratios. Smooth and torquey in the lower part of the rev-band, the car gets smartly off the line and feels much peppier than expected.

The engine isn’t a performance motor, and lacks the sporty urge and response of a Palio’s or an Ikon’s engine, but driving in city traffic is very relaxing, and the gearbox, with its bottle-cap’ knob, has a light and smooth shift which makes gear changing effortless. The engine pulls cleanly and quietly; you can leave the Getz in a high gear and at high revs, and still get the car to pull stronger.

The three-valves-per-cylinder, long stroke motor makes a max of 82.9bhp, and takes 5.31 sec to hit the 60kph mark from a standstill. The time taken to complete a 0-100kph sprint is 14.47 sec.

The Getz, despite its tonne-plus weight, recorded a very impressive 10.4kpl when driven on our realistic stop-start 26kph average speed city cycle and economy on the highway proved decent too at 14.5, but the overall low gearing meant that the highway figure wasn't as impressive as the city one.