Hyundai Getz (2002 – 2008) At A Glance
Bright, roomy cabin. Rear seat folds to create a flat load floor. Peppy performance. Good provision of convenience and safety kit. Decent ride. Goof (for its day) 4-Star NCAP safety rating.
Wallowy handling on non-Sport models. Wipers don't clear screen properly. Brakes can be noisy.
The Hyundai Getz was successor to the Hyundai Pony and a much better car, though still a bit behind the contemporary Fiesta and Polo.
Conventional mostly 5-door front wheel drive hatchback with 1.1 and 1.4 petrol engines or a 1.5 diesel.
Road Test 2004 Hyundai Gets 1.5 diesel
What do owners think of the Hyundai Getz (2002 – 2008)? Check out our
Owners' Reviews from people who live with the car day in, day out.
Real MPG average for a Hyundai Getz (2002 – 2008)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.
Satisfaction Index
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Reviews for Hyundai Getz (2002 – 2008)'s top 3 rivals
Ask Honest John
How much is a typical service for a Hyundai Getz?
"How much is a typical service for a Hyundai Getz?
"
We can't give you a specific price because it varies depending on where you live, which garage you go to and whether it's a major or minor service. But we'd expect to pay anything between £100 or so for a minor one and anything up to £200 for a major service with additional work.
This might help you find a reputable garage: https://good-garage-guide.honestjohn.co.uk/
Answered by Lawrence Allan
What small car is most reliable?
"I've had a reliable Hyundai Getz for 10 years and loved the fact it never went wrong. I'm looking to buy another car now, and want it to be reliable but maybe a little faster than the Getz.
Which is the best car for peace of mind - as well as good in the town and on the motorway, cheap to run and insure, long warranty? Looking for a 3 or 4 year old car with a budget up to £8000. I'm just going round in circles trying to choose."
Have you considered a Hyundai i20? Your budget will get a mid-spec 2017 model with the 1.2-litre petrol engine. Alternatively, we'd recommend a Ford Fiesta with the very reliable 1.25-litre petrol engine (rather than the EcoBoost unit).
What's wrong with my Hyundai Getz?
"I have a 2002 Hyundai Getz 1.1 petrol. Recently since filling up I’ve noticed some differences. Although I rate the fuel to the issue, it didn’t happen at roughly the same time. Recently the vehicle has started to make a sort of roaring noise on idle and when driving at low speeds it can be audible. "
Reads like a cracked exhaust manifold. Quite serious because uncatalysed Carbon Monoxide fumes could leak into the cabin of the car.
Buying a used car with low mileage – are there any mechanical issues I should be aware of?
"I am thinking of buying a 2008 Hyundai Getz 1.4 petrol from a private seller. The car has very low mileage (5500 miles) and comes with a full service history. Is it a problem that it has been used so little in over the last five years?"
Yes, there will be condensation in the exhaust system, engine and transmission. The car will also have increased wear on the engine from almost only ever being run during the warm up cycle and will probably need a new battery if it has not already been fitted. Don't pay a premium price for the low miles.
More Questions
Inside of the Hyundai Getz (2002 – 2008)
The front is roomy. The seats adjust properly. The steering wheel goes up and down. Everything is within easy reach. You just have to get used to the South Korean positioning of the indicator switch to the right of the steering wheel.
Things are pretty good in the back seat, too. It's a 2 + 1 back seat rather than a 3, even though there are three proper three- point seatbelts. But legroom is okay. There's a handbag hook on the back of the passenger seat. And the rear backrests recline, making a huge difference to rear seat comfort on a long run.
Then we come to the trunk, which is so deep it looks like a lift-shaft. The floor is such a distance down you wonder what Hyundai has done for an emergency wheel. But lift the carpet and you find a full-sized one. The fuel tank is tucked safely away under the rear seats. And the seats themselves tumble-fold, leaving a flat floor for a small dog to romp around on (when the car isn't moving, of course).
All plus points so far. But this is the diesel version and as soon as you turn the key Bob the Builder and his mate start shaking buckets of nails under the bonnet. It's very, very noisy, so you try to turn the radio up to absorb the din and find it's a cheapo DIN fit single CD jobbie with difficult to decipher buttons and a removable front three times as big as the average mobile phone. So if it's removed it gets left in the car, which is pointless. Also, there's no air con or sunroof on the GSI.
And the interior stinks. I mean literally stinks. Must be the plastics, but the pong is awful. Not like something crawled in there and died. Just a really revolting smell that nobbles your nostrils whenever you enter the car.
Car seat chooser
Child seats that fit a Hyundai Getz (2002 – 2008)
Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.
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Driving Hyundai Getz (2002 – 2008)
Get going and, like an advanced driver, you may not want to shift up out of 3rd in a 30 limit. The engine is okay for a mere 1.5 diesel, but doesn't have much to offer under 2000rpm. Don't worry about the slow 0-60 figure, though, because once you find where the power is you can get a move on.
Out on the open road you can trundle along reasonably rapidly at between 2000 and 3000 rpm, which gives you a speed range from around 55mph to around 85. And, since that's where it's happiest, you at least have a bit of grunt where you need it on the motorway.
Come to a corner and it's not all panic stations. The power steering is a sensible compromise between lightness and feel and, while the car is not set up to grip like a go kart, it handles and holds the road quite well. Certainly far beyond the expectations of the average pensioner.
And that's really where the car is at. Its appeal is to sensible, older people, long past the age when style is all important, who want nothing more than a sensibly priced, comfortable, practical, economical car that offers them all they need and won't go wrong.
Which is where Hyundai comes up with its clincher: not a three year warranty like everyone else's, but a full five year warranty. Making it a car that will probably outlast many of its owners.