- Upgrades help regain title for Getz,
- Sonata V6 a close second in Large Car class
Hyundai¡¦s Getz has reclaimed the title of Australia¡¦s Best Small Car ¡X its
second win in three years ¡X in the annual Australia¡¦s Best Cars awards, the car
industry¡¦s most rigorous and comprehensive rating regime run by all the state
Royal Automobile Clubs and the NRMA.
In the Large (formerly Family) Car class, mostly the preserve of the locally
built ¡¥big sixes¡¦, the new Sonata V6 Elite almost claimed an upset win with a
very close second placing.
The Getz 1.6 3-door manual topped the 15 models in the Small Car class,
displacing Fiesta and outranking VW Polo, Suzuki Swift and Honda Jazz.
Even Accent, winner in 2000 and 2001 and in the final year of its current
model life, came in sixth, ahead of the new Kia Rio, Mitsubishi Colt, Renault
Clio, Mazda2 and Toyota Echo.
Getz rated consistently highly in almost all 19 criteria across the three
broad areas of Value-for-Money, Design & Function, and On-Road Performance,
scoring the top ¡¥well above average¡¦ ranking for Pricing, Running & Repair
Costs, Warranty and ¡X thanks to its strong resale value ¡X Depreciation, the
biggest single real cost of car ownership.
Other Getz strengths rating ¡¥above average¡¦ were Fuel Economy despite its
bigger and more powerful 1.6 litre engine, Environment (ie its star rating in
the federal government¡¦s Green Vehicle Guide), Space, Ergonomics, Ride comfort
and Refinement (smoothness & quietness).
It was noted that Getz 1.6 is the most affordable car on the market to offer
as standard the potentially life-saving features of ABS with EBD (electronic
brakeforce distribution), plus rear disc brakes, active front head restraints
and non-distracting steering wheel audio controls.
Chief Judge of the Australia¡¦s Best Car Awards, Ernest Litera said: ¡§A
commitment to small car affordability is Hyundai¡¦s greatest strength and hands
the Getz its award-winning edge for 2005.
¡§The company¡¦s top-selling three-door Getz is a standout on stemming losses
at resale time and for its feats in running and repair costs.
¡§Even though Getz now gets along with a bigger 1.6 litre engine, its gearbox
has been changed to keep fuel economy at a penny-pinching 6.2 litres/100km in
manual versions.
¡§In a category well known for its noise levels and buzzy engines, Getz is
gifted at dismissing din while its cosseting ride is a rung above for bump
absorption¡¨, Mr Litera said.
The Getz win was Hyundai¡¦s fourth Australia¡¦s Best Small Car title in the
six-year year history of the national Australia¡¦s Best Car Awards, the Getz also
having won in 2003 and Accent in 2000 and 2001.
The winning Getz model is the 1.6 three-door, priced from a recommended
$14,490 while the Sonata V6 is just $29,990 and the V6 Elite $34,490.
The awards are judged by the road test experts in the nation¡¦s most
authoritative, consumer-focused automotive voice
all seven state and territory
road service motoring clubs, the NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RACWA, RAASA, RACT and the
AANT.
The clubs, which have a combined membership of over 6.3 million
motorists
close to a third of Australia¡¦s total population
assessed all new cars
offered on sale in Australian showrooms during the 12 months from mid October
2004 to October 13, 2005, not just newcomers released in that time.
Sonata surprise
The new NF Sonata V6 Elite almost stole the show in the Large Car class,
ranking a very close second among the local ¡¥big sixes¡¦, out-rating Commodore,
Falcon, Camry V6 and Ford Territory 2WD.
Sonata was a class apart in Standard Features, it top scored in Warranty and
was rated ¡¥above average¡¦ in 11 other criteria, including Fuel Consumption,
Safety, Comfort, Space, Quality, Performance, Ride comfort, Braking and
Refinement (Smoothness & Quietness).
Sonata V6 is an all-new model with sophisticated Euro-influenced styling, an
exceptionally roomy interior within its shorter-than-class 4.8m length and a
powerful 173kW Euro-4 emissions-clean and economical new all-alloy 3.3 litre V6
engine. It sports ESP (Electronic Stability Control), Traction Control, ABS with
EBD and a full suite of comfort amenities. The Elite variant adds leather trim,
power driver¡¦s seat, auto climate control, a premium audio, reversing sensors
and 17¡¨ alloy wheels shod with Dunlop SP Sport 50 series tyres,.
To date, Hyundai has sold well over half a million Getz globally, almost half
of those in Europe while 15,000 will have found owners in Australia by month end
since its September 2002 local launch. Getz was the most popular light car in
Australia last month, as it is quite often in monthly sales.
Demand for the new Sonata V6 has outrun supply but this situation is now
improving.
Exhaustive criteria
With their history of road service going back to early last century and their
exposure to real world car reliability, insurance and other costs to motorists,
the motoring clubs are uniquely qualified to apply their collective and
objective wisdom to choosing which cars are best in class for all motorists.
A strong consumer focus is the cornerstone of the awards program which uses a
unique, objective scoring system across an exhaustive set of 19 criteria (21 for
AWDs or 4WDs), weighted differently by class to reflect the differing buyer
priorities of the various car types.
In the Small Car class, value of money is weighted as the most important
criteria, affirming Hyundai¡¦s long held reputation as the benchmark brand in
this crucial area.
All the obvious areas like quality, price, room, performance, dynamics,
features, economy, safety and fulfillment of design intent are compared.
Also rated are important but often glossed over areas where the clubs are
particularly expert, like running and overall ownership costs, insurances,
warranty, retained value, low speed impact repairability, safe child seating,
theft protection and crash performance.
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