Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Hyundai MATRIX 1 6 GSi Review
CAR: Hyundai Matrix 1.6 GSi
PRICES: £10,995 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 7
CO2 EMISSIONS: 191g/km / E
PERFORMANCE: 0-60 mph 12s / Max Speed 106 mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 27.5 (extra urban) 42.8 (combined) 35.3mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, twin front and side airbags. WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE: Length/Width/Heightmm 4025/1740/1625
You Might Well Ask. Its Hyundais First Mini MPV, Tested Here In 1.6-Litre Guise. How Does It Fare In A Fast Moving Market Sector? Andy Enright Reports
Whilst sales of long leather coats may have gone through the roof post The Matrix, the only long thing visible after the launch of the Hyundai Matrix were the faces of rival manufacturers product bosses. Hyundai had done it again. Theyd managed to bring a credible rival to a booming market sector late albeit at a bargain price. Whilst they tend to score nil points for trailblazing originality, you cant fault their technical merit.
The 1.6-litre GSi version of the Matrix represents the most affordable option of all, and therefore probably the most attractive model. How does it stack up?
It certainly has price on its side. Opening at just £10,995, the Matrix 1.6 undercuts many direct rivals and even finds itself pitched in with smaller cars like the Toyota Yaris Verso. In order to get a 1.
6-litre engine under the bonnet of a Renault Scenic, youll need to find another £3,000 and even Citroens popular Xsara Picasso would cost an extra £2,500. When you consider that many mini-MPVs are bought out of necessity rather than on any consideration of dynamic merit, the Matrix 1.6 suddenly looks as if its holding a handful of aces. Only models like the Kia Carens or the Chevrolet Tacuma offer a more aggressive value proposition.
Despite the nature of the market, the styling of the Matrix may well swing it for some. Designed by Pininfarina, its a neat job. Although you wouldnt identify it as the high point in the portfolio of a styling house that has brought us the Ferrari 355, the Alfa Romeo Duetto and the Peugeot 406 Coupe its nevertheless a distinctive effort. That rather odd window line is a novelty and acts as a neat signature touch.
It certainly makes an interesting visual hook, something that will make the Matrix easily identifiable in a crop of lookalike egg-shaped rivals.
"The Matrix 1.6 GSi suddenly looks as if its holding a handful of aces."
The front end is somewhat anonymous, looking all-too similar to a Premacy, a Space Star or any other Far Eastern mini-MPV that drifts aimlessly to mind. The rear is far sharper with some neatly bevelled planes that catch the light in interesting ways and would look great with a mica flip paint job. Inside, the Matrix continues the slightly left-field styling theme with centrally mounted instruments which, although angled toward the driver, require some effort to read quickly and the overall feel is of a number of good ideas stunted due to cost considerations. Nevertheless, the Matrix features a befuddling array of storage boxes, cubbies, shelves and pockets to the extent that finding a casually secreted key, card or banknote can be the work of several minutes.
The GSi trim level is notably generous and includes a standard CD player, air conditioning, alloy wheels and twin front and side airbags. All for £10,995. Beggars belief. Unlike many of the more smugly self-congratulatory offerings in the mini-MPV sector, the Matrix only boasts five seats, but this in itself is no great drawback.
The rear seats slide and with a 60/40 split can be folded double. Unfortunately they cant be removed, which limits the Matrixs ultimate carrying capacity, but even with the seats in place youll get more useable boot space than youll probably need. Although it looks tiny outside, with its diminutive wheels and miniaturised detailing, the Matrix is, in fact, bigger than a Renault Scenic inside. With a 2600mmm wheelbase and a width of 1740mm it s one of the biggest cars in the class.
Break out the tape measure and youll find your eyes arent deceiving you. The Matrix is just 4025mm long, which makes it a good 11 cm shorter than a Scenic and over a foot shorter than a Zafira. The driving position is good, and the wheel is pleasantly upright, unlike in many small MPVs which make steering feel like opening a lock gate. Likewise the driving position is pleasantly relaxed, and the pedals are well spaced.
The windscreen pillars dont contain any airbags and, as a consequence, are relatively slim, such that youll probably be more likely to avoid an accident on a bend or roundabout in the first instance. Should you need to stop, the brakes are well up to the task, although they require quite a stomp to get maximum effect. The 106bhp 1.6-litre engine isnt the cars best point, being rather thrashy when worked hard.
Unfortunately, that will mean most of the time when the Matrix is fully loaded. Fortunately the standard fit stereo isnt bad, so you may want to drown out the sound of cams, kids and companion with a few well-intentioned watts. Bear in mind that youll probably need to shift down into fourth or even third gear to effect any A-road overtaking manoeuvres as theres not a huge amount of torque on offer to drive the tall fifth gear. Still, should you wish to put the pedal to the metal, the Matrix 1.
6 will get to 60mph in an entirely reasonable 12 seconds and on to a top speed of 105mph. Fuel economy is a bonus, with 35.3mpg readily attainable. Being based on the Elantra platform, the Matrix rides well and makes all sorts of sense in town, as the turning circle is almost comically tiny and the steering is light and direct.
It may lack feedback, but if you want a drivers car for the family, youll need to fork out a heck of a lot more than £12,000 to get behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Zafira VXR. Truth be told, few prospective customers will place driver feedback anywhere near the top of their priority lists. In all of the areas that really matter, the Matrix 1.6 looks to have covered its bases very well.
In a way it takes a good deal of corporate faith to enter a market as obsessed with packaging miracles with none to speak of. The Matrix 1.6 singularly lacks the sort of showroom wow factor that the Vauxhall Zafiras Flex 7 seating system or the Fiat Multiplas three abreast arrangement can generate and do you know what? Its all the better because of it. Theres a refreshing honesty about the Matrix, a feeling of what you see is what you get.
The 1.6-litre version is perhaps the most compelling choice of the range, especially for price conscious customers, as with some of the more upmarket Matrix variants, customers are tempted by base model offerings from the European elite. Its also one of the few inexpensive cars that contrives never to feel cheap. Its well worth £11,000 of anyones money.
Summary
Matrix is Hyundai’s take on the popular Compact MPV sector. The strange Bertone styling means there’s plenty of interior space, it’s quite practical and, like all Hyundai models, there’s plenty of standard kit. The 1.6 feels a bit strained under pressure, the 1.8 and diesel are the ones to go for.
