New Car Reviews- Hyundai Getz Prime

Hyundai Motors India Ltd (HMIL), the third largest car manufacturer in the country and the largest exporter of cars from India, has launched its new premium hatchback 'Getz Prime.' The Getz Prime looks pretty much like a curvaceously redesigned Getz, but more modern and will compete with Maruti Swift and Chevrolet UV-A.

The Getz Prime is being touted as the country's first car that can be called 'truly global,' in terms of features that conform to the global standards of performance as well as aesthetics. The Getz, which is sold the most in Europe, has won many accolades in various countries, including the 'Best Small Car' in Australia in 2005 and the 'Transport for London GreenFleet Award' for the best economy car in 2006. The Getz Prime was launched with Santro Xing's 1.1L engine instead of 1,341cc engine, but weighs 200 kgs more than the latter.

The base 1.1-litre Getz Prime is available in two trims -- GLE and GVS. The 1.3 Getz Prime is also available in three trims - GLS, GLX and GVS and an all new 1.5-liter diesel engine is available with the GVS CRDi variant.

The new Getz Prime is still available with the existing 1.3-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces a liberal 82 bhp of peak power and 116 Nm of maximum torque. However, it has also been launched with the 1.1-litre eRLX engine that is available only in Santro Xing.

Hyundai has modified the 1.1-litre eRLX engine to improve its performance. This engine in the Santro Xing develops 63 bhp of peak power while in the Getz, it offers 66 bhp of power at 5,500 rpm and the peak torque is also a decent 102 Nm at 3,200 rpm. It also provides quick, smooth acceleration and easy motoring, up to 130 km per hour. The recently introduced Getz Prime diesel variant comes more powerful with a 1.5-liter common rail direct injection turbo charged engine. It generates 108 bhp of maximum power at 4000 rpm and 235 Nm of maximum torque at 2750 rpm.

The eRLX still features technologies such as the rotary heard intelligent valve actuator (RHiA), fuel quality immuniser, real-time intelligent ignition and ultra-low friction piston rings. The 1.3-litre engine is aimed at those who want performance and space but do not want to compromise with the looks of the car. The 1.1-litre petrol engine also offers the same amount of space but at a lesser price; its biggest advantage is its cost-effectiveness. It comes with a 5-speed manual transmission which is quiet and dependable. The new 1.5-liter engine is for those who prefer a diesel variant.

The all-new Getz Prime comes with a five-speed gearbox, but the gear ratios have been changed in fourth and fifth, for quicker response. The car comes with double action hydraulic shock absorbers in the front and gas shock absorbers in the rear, which make driving on tough roads easier. It also uses power-assisted hydraulic steering wheel that makes in-city driving convenient. However, with all the changes in engine and various factors guiding performance, the fuel efficiency of the Getz Prime is likely to be lower than that of the Santro Xing.

The Getz Prime has received major changes on its exteriors, though some of its interior features have also been changed to improve its expediency. It has been endowed with thick, strong but simple design lines. In the front, the most noticeable change is the headlamp assembly, which now features a sleeker and drawn out design. The new clear-lens headlamp curves around the side panel and features pilot lamps as well as a main headlamp with a larger reflector. The indicator lamp has been moved inside.

The fog lamps have also been redesigned. The round fog lamps have been fused with the bumper, which now features a smaller air dam. The car has also got an all-new front grille. Now, the grille's rounded edges run with bonnet crease line and the single slat sports a chrome finish with the Hyundai logo in its middle. The Getz Prime has also been given redesigned bumper inserts, a concept introduced by Hyundai with the Santro. The new version of the car comes with full-width bumper insert moldings that can be removed.

The rear of the Getz Prime looks neat; a compact hatch door and simple lines give a proportionate look to the car's rear. The design has not been changed significantly; the only changes are to the tail-lamp cluster and the bumper protection strip. In the tail lamp cluster, only the position of the various bulbs has been changed to integrate them to the overall design of the rear in a better way.

Hyundai has chosen a new dual-tone theme for the car's interiors. The interiors now feature a slightly darker grey colour plastic with new, smaller embossed grain finish while the lower half of the dashboard has been done in lighter grey plastic panels. The quality of plastic used is good, which gives the car's interiors a chic look. The car also has a convenient and easy-to-read instrument cluster with a tachometer, digital odometer and tripmeter. The interiors of the Getz Prime are very spacious; the car offers sufficient legroom, unmatched by any other car in its class. To make the journey of rear passengers more comfortable, the 60:40 split rear seat can now be reclined in three steps.

Depending on the variant level, the new Getz Prime is also available with slap-on matt-silver centre-console finisher and other specials. The door map pocket has been revamped to hold more. Now, the driver can also get comfortable with a foldable armrest. The glove box comes with provision for light; the digital clock has been shifted from the instrument cluster to the top of the dashboard centre console. The car comes equipped with a tilt steering, clutch footrest and well-lit power window switches.

Safety features like the clutch lock (standard) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) will still be available as optional add-ons. However, the car has got some new additions such as the front fog lamps, rear defoggers and the three-nozzle wiper.