Item: Used Hyundai Getz Hatchback 2002 - 2009
Author: What Car? Team

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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

GETZ

The Getz is roomy, decent to drive, well equipped and good value for money

Used Hyundai Getz Hatchback 2002 - 2009

Even the youngest examples in a high spec can be picked up for considerably less than buyers will pay from new, and when you consider the amount of car you get for your money, the Getz is a real bargain.

Running costs are pretty good, too, if not spectacular for the class. Early versions of the 1.1 return 48.7mpg and sit in group 3 for insurance, while later versions of the 1.1 improved fuel consumption to 51.4mpg.

The low-powered diesel gives the best consumption at 62.8mpg, and while the oil burners are the costliest versions to insure, they're still very reasonable at group 5. The old 1.6-litre petrol gives the worst fuel economy, and even that isn't bad at 44mpg.

Servicing the Getz won't be particularly cheap, though. Even the more desirable cars in the class, such as the Honda Jazz, cost less to maintain.

The Getz is roomy, decent to drive, well equipped and good value for money

There are lots of petrol engines to choose from, depending on what age of car you're considering. Originally, a 1.1, 1.3 and 1.6 were offered, and we like the 1.1 best. It has just 62bhp, but performance is okay and it's extremely lean on petrol.

Later on, the 1.3 and 1.6 units were binned in favour of a 95bhp 1.4. This engine was the sweetest yet, but not as frugal as the 1.1.

Two versions of a 1.5-litre diesel engine were also sold, one with 87bhp and the other 109bhp. Both give excellent fuel economy, but neither is very quick.

Early cars were offered in GSi or CDX trim. All come with power steering, a CD player, anti-lock brakes and electric front windows, while CDX cars also has air-con, side airbags, remote central locking and powered rear windows. Later examples all have air-con, while newer CDX cars also get alloy wheels. And, given how cheap they are, you might as well go for the CDX.

<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 almost exclusively as first cars or by people with no children – but the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n106">Ford Fiesta</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ibiza/hatchback/review/n17359">Seat Ibiza</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/polo/hatchback/review/n83">Volkswagen Polo</a> 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

Hyundai has a reliability record that makes most manufacturers very jealous. Year after year, the Korean firm is one of the top performers in our reliability surveys, and is normally only beaten by Japanese manufacturers.

Our surveys have also found that on the rare occasion that something does go wrong, Hyundais tend to cost very little to fix and have lightning-quick repair times.

The JD Power customer satisfaction survey usually tells a similar story, with Hyundai always a banker for the top 10.

Hyundai knows how strong it is in this area, and that's why it has the confidence to offer an unrivalled five-year unlimited mileage warranty package. Because the scheme was introduced in September 2002, even the oldest Getz you'll find on the used market will have some warranty cover left.

Although very little goes wrong, it pays to be diligent. Some owners have reported noisy rear brakes, so keep an eye out for that.

While other superminis rely on clever tricks and gimmicks to attract customers, the Getz concentrates on providing as much space and as much kit for as little cash as possible.

The Getz is very roomy for four people, and there's a large, well-shaped boot to accommodate their luggage. It's jam-packed with equipment, and you'll get more than the average supermini gives you for less money.

The cabin isn't quite up to European standards of build, but Hyundai has closed the gap in quality between itself and its competitors. Some interior panels do feel a bit cheap and flimsy, but it's not that far behind overall.

The drive is geared towards comfort rather than fun, with a soft, supple ride coming at the expense of sharp, fun handling. There's plenty of grip, but the car leans in corners and the engines are focused on economy rather than performance.

Used Hyundai Getz Hatchback 2002 - 2009 review

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