Item: Used Hyundai Atoz Hatchback 1998 - 2001
Rating: 2
Author: What Car? Team

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

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Hatchback

Hyundai has transformed itself from a maker of oddball hatchbacks that sold in small numbers in the UK, to a major rival to the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

The Korean firm’s Ioniq Hybrid is particularly impressive, having beaten the trend-setting Toyota Prius when we tested the cars back to back.

Meanwhile, at the extremes of the Hyundai range you find the tiny i10 city car – a four-time What Car? award winner – and the stylish yet family-friendly Santa Fe SUV.

As a bonus, all of these cars come with the reassurance of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, whereas most of Hyundai’s rivals offer only three years and 60,000 miles of cover.

HYUNDAI

ATOZ

It's cheap, but spend what you've saved on a better car

Used Hyundai Atoz Hatchback 1998 - 2001

Not many cars will come cheaper than the Atoz. It was dirt-cheap when it was new, and although resale values weren't as catastrophic as you might expect, the car is old enough now that you can pick up even one of the youngest examples for pennies.

Fuel economy isn't spectacular by today's standards, but compare it to cars of the day, and it's very good. The Atoz will return an average of 44.8mpg from its small engine, so it won't cost you much in fuel bills, especially as you won't want to drive it very far.

Whichever of the two versions you buy, you'll pay the same insurance premium. The good news is that this is also cheap because the Atoz is in group 2.

The car needs to undergo routine servicing every 10,000 miles, but unlike the Atoz's other running costs, servicing will prove a bit more expensive than you'll pay on other city cars.

It's cheap, but spend what you've saved on a better car

There's only one engine available, a 1.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that develops a meagre 55bhp, but which is okay for town use.

Like many city cars of a similar output, the Atoz struggles once you get outside the city. You'll need to use every last drop of the engine's reserves of strength just to keep up with traffic, and all this does it make a lot of noise.

There are two trim levels to consider. The standard Atoz has a very basic level of equipment - power steering, a radio cassette and a rear wash-wiper are about all you'll get - so find yourself an Atoz Plus and you'll travel in relative luxury. For barely any more cash, you'll get alloy wheels, air-con, central locking, a driver's airbag and electric front windows.

The range was slightly revised in September 1999, so if you buy a basic Atoz built after this date, you'll get a driver's airbag as standard.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought by single people or couples with no children – but the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen&nbsp;Polo have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

Look at our regular reliability surveys, and you'll notice that Japanese manufacturers always top the table. However, for the past few years, Hyundai has been the best of the rest. Not only do Hyundais rarely go wrong, but when they do, it's always a quick and cheap process to fix them.

That said, the Atoz isn't one of the Korean firm's better performers, so you can't rely on it the same way as you can other Hyundai products. Head gaskets can blow, which will be a comparatively expensive fix. Water pumps can also fail, although this won't be anywhere near as costly.

If the car begins to misfire, check the ignition coils, because faults on these have caused such problems in the past.

Get any oil leaks attended to immediately. If the leak is coming from the transmission, then prompt action can save you from a very expensive repair.

It's a funny-looking little thing, but if you're considering a Hyundai Atoz, then style may be pretty low on your list of priorities. More than likely, bargain-bin motoring is at the very top.

On that score, the Atoz isn't a bad idea. You can pick one up for next to nothing, and for your nominal investment you'll get a roomy little city car with great visibility that will happily buzz around city streets.

That's about where its merits end, though. The cabin is bland and uninspiring, while the out-of-town drive is worse than lacklustre. Body roll is very pronounced on B-roads, and the limited top-end power means that motorways should be no-go areas. The ride is poor at speed, too, and the word refinement isn't in the Atoz's vocabulary.

These limitations make it unrealistic as a family's sole transport, but it's fine for squirting through town on the way to the shops.

Used Hyundai Atoz Hatchback 1998 - 2001 review

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