Hyundai Xcent review, road test

Hyundai's latest offering looks like it has all the makings of a big seller. We give it the road test treatment to see if it's a winning combination.

Published on Apr 28, 2014 03:38:00 PM

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Hyundai Xcent.

To give you an idea of the progress Hyundai has made in the ride and handling department over the years, here’s a fact. The Xcent tackles the bumps better and generally feels more surefooted than the more expensive Verna did at launch back in 2011. No, the Xcent still doesn’t ace this section of the test,

but as Hyundais go, it’s a big step in the right direction.

Potholes and the like are dispatched with some firmness from the suspension, but still, it’s never to the point of being uncomfortable. In most scenarios, the ride feels like an improvement over the Grand i10. Perhaps that’s down to the stiffer rear setup on the Xcent, or possibly the switch to larger 15-inch wheels and tyres. However, suspension travel is quite limited and the car does tend to thud on big bumps. Excellent sound insulation helps maintain the calm in the cabin, with the workings of the suspension never intrusively audible.

Out on the highway, the Xcent feels adequately planted, but the overall ride isn’t as flat as we’d have liked. The vertical motion is more pronounced at the back especially when the car is not loaded up.

As for the electrically assisted steering, it isn’t what you’d call lifeless and weighs up enough to give you confidence at high speeds. But venture out on to a twisty course and you’ll be able to tell that the Xcent’s basic underpinnings are nice and stiff, and that it’s the inconsistent steering feel which is the weak link. Within the confines of a city, though, you’ll be more than happy with the minimal effort required to twirl the light steering and ease the Xcent into, say, a tight parking spot. The small turning circle and hatchback-like dimensions help here in a big way.

Both our test cars were the fully specced models with the optional ABS system. While stopping power was good, the brakes on the petrol car felt rather grabby at low speeds.