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THE ART OF RELIABILITY
Hyundai’s Matrix sounds like a cyborg but it handles solidly
in real time
By
Donal Byrne
MATRIX
is just one of a list of names of Korean cars that sound like they
were generated by some computer software programme. Other computer-generated
names from Korea include Lanos, Bubira and Getz.
 Names
for most cars — Korean or otherwise — are often meaningless
but the very fact that they are meaningless and also catchy means
they are inoffensive. Gone, alas, are the days when cars bore the
names of beautiful Italian towns like Cortina, or reminded you of
the dreaming spires of medieval churches and universities.
But what's in a name anyway? Not a lot, actually. These days, the
car-buying public is more interested in value for money, reliability,
safety levels and practicality. Interestingly, buyers in many countries
no longer consider fuel economy a priority because of lower fuel
taxes in many countries.
That said, no other country’s motor exports match those of
Korea when it comes combining most of the these virtues, including
fuel economy.
I say most because I don’t have sufficient grounds to believe
that the safety standards of Korean cars quite match up to many
European cars.
When it comes to choosing a favourite Korean car the Hyundai Matrix
comes to mind instantly. OK, this small multi-purpose vehicle is
not the Renault Scenic — which is the deservedly crowned king
of the mini-MPV sector — and the new Scenic model is likely
to copper-fasten that position for Renault. Despite such competition,
the little Hyundai Matrix 1.6 Gls is a very clever package. Its
looks may be average and its performance even more average but the
Matrix deserves credit for the quality of its build and its solid
feel.
You get a certain reassuring ‘clunk’ when you close
the door. You don’t hear that sound when you close the doors
on other small Korean cars. And that reassuring feeling does not
really leave you as you begin to get the feel of the car.
The Matrix has plenty of storage space and storage bins to take
all the family's bits and pieces; the interior, too, is an adaptable
area. You can move the seats around and create plenty of loading
space when you need it.
 The
interior also has a better feel to it than many other small cars
of its kind. And when you consider the price – at about €15,000
— the Matrix gives you the impression that it's a more expensive
car than it is. That mass of black plastic you usually find in front
of you has been reduced and replaced with a more finely sculpted
dashboard.
The 1.6 litre version of the Matrix I drove did not show a great
deal of power; however, power and its availability in family cars,
especially small ones, is really
quite irrelevant. As long as a car has sufficient power to get you
out of a risky driving situation — such as overtaking suddenly
— it has enough.
The Matrix does drive well, but it is not the most agile of vehicles
to handle. However, its ride quality and general road manners are
more than adequate for city driving and the odd longer journey.
In all, I liked the Matrix mostly for its build quality and that
solid, reassuring feeling.
It is small, clever and really does offer good value for money.
But what of the competition? Renault, Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Opel
and Volkswagen are just some of the many big names pitted against
the Hyundai, but I don't really think most of them offer such a
good package.
You get quite a few extras from Hyundai, including air conditioning;
and that costs extra with many of the competitors. As I said, the
Matrix is not the best car on the block and neither is it the prettiest.
But it does have a certain charm, a strong identity, and represents
a good package. Personally, I think it's the best car Hyundai has
produced from its current line-up.
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