Hyundai Getz Prime 1.1 For?

Performs how?

If you can recall, I mentioned in the starting that you can have quite some fun with this car, and it is true. Yes, the Getz Prime underwent a heart transplant and you can now find Santro's motor under her hood. But this 1.1L engine has been tweaked by a tiny margin by the capable engineers at Hyundai. This translated to an increase in the power output equivalent to the power of four ponies and now stands at 67PS, for the technically inclined. Accepted that this is not a substantial increase and has the Getz begging for more, but since it is already done, we'll have to take it as it is.

You know, we were not very inclined towards testing this car for outright performance, primarily because we know that this car is not going to be used for street or drag races. So we tested the Getz Prime, for the major part, like a person would drive on a usual day. This smaller engined Getz is game enough to play around in the city. And it goes well while doing that. Performance, though not brisk and satisfying, can be called adequate. Managing through the traffic is easy and the Getz does not leave an impression of its heart is getting strained. This one shifts well through the cogs to manage whatever power it has. The gearbox has a very positive feel to it and is complimented by slick throws. The lack of power does not bite you much because you dont quite mind shifting that stick through the gate to keep the engine in the power-band, of such high order is the gearbox.

The Getz Prime does the whole act well. At a standstill at one moment, and doing a hundred sometime later. Time taken? 16 seconds. Remember, this is a Getz. With a Santro engine. Good time, I say. We had a nice piece of tarmac ahead of us, so the natural tendency took the better of us and the throttle was floored to the metal. We managed a 160 on the speedo when the car ran out of breath before we ran out of road. The leave-me-alone-you-freak kind of pain that the engine was undergoing became evident by the coarse sound of the motor. But still, we were impressed enough by realizing what this engine is capable of. The steering is a little lazy to connect with the tyres and could have done well with more feel and response The Getz was never a very good handler and the Getz Prime is no different. Sinister is its handling then, you'll say, and I will nod in agreement to an extent. Yes it handles in a way that will have you utter "brrrr... I don't know what to do!". But... my-o-my, get a hang of it and this car will please you. And how!

This car belongs to the premium hatchback segment. The Maruti Swift rules the roost here, and has become a benchmark as far as performance and handling is concerned. You go around a corner or a chicane, push the car as hard as your guts allow and the Swift does everything in a very predictable manner. You wank the steering wheel, the front tyres interact with the road surface, squealing is the sound that occupies your surroundings and senses, smell of rubber is what gives you a high. And then nothing. The car just emerges out of the corner without any 'real' drama per se.

The Getz Prime on the other-hand induced a grin on my face like I'd experienced only on the race track. Let us go in the same manner. You go round a corner and push it as insanely as you possibly can. The tyres beseech for mercy. Squealing will be an under-statement. And then - the Getz just goes all over the place! Oversteer. You do the opposing-lock bit to bring it back in line. Then you realize what fun it was, so you do this again at the next corner. This time, you push it beyond the point of madness and the Getz understeers big time. She rolls considerably but constant feed of the steering and modulation of those great anchors get her back in shape and then just as you give some throttle input, it steps out of line again! Man this car is fun! Serious fun. Push her hard and the Getz rolls and pitches a lot. Know how to control it and you will be rewarded with a laugh-inducing bahaviour.

So, likeable enough?

The Hyundai Getz Prime 1.1, as said before, is more than just a Santro-engined Getz. She looks grown up and has more character. Its more rounded off, more complete. The pampering ride quality is worthy of praise and the smaller engine does not feel all that awful either. What the motor lacks is outright performance, but the Getz Prime more than makes up for it in the fuel efficiency department. The interior, though lacks quality feel, is sturdy enough to stand the test of time and the car is better put-together than the Maruti Swift. The handling is nothing to write home about. It is nervous infact! But the Getz does well, what it is meant to do - trundling about in a demure manner that is. Give it some due. This car ain't all that bad afterall.