Big deals for small wheels

With soaring gas prices gripping the country and over-congested streets that are bursting with impatient motorists vying for that little patch of undefended road in front of your bumper, cars like the Kia Picanto and the Hyundai Getz really start to make more and more sense. Forget image — when you need to get from point A to point B as efficiently as possible, these two hatches put together a rock solid case and only someone with more dollars than sense would write them off. They’re not just economical, they’re also as maneuverable as a politician evading a question and they proudly fly the flag of bare bones motoring in its rawest form.

Take the Picanto as an example. Here’s a car with an engine that’s feels like a slightly tuned, mildly modified sewing machine that delivers a paltry 64ps of peak power @ 5500 rpm. My washing machine at home has more torque. It comes with a five speed manual transmission, wind up windows and manually adjusted side mirrors that don’t even have a joystick adjustment lever on the inside. It does, however, have two cupholders up front and a radio with a — dig this — cassette player. (Don’t bother googling it, some of the old guys in the office say its a prehistoric medium for recording/listening to music). But I like it — it is as honest as God intended entry level vehicles to be. And its cheap. Really cheap.

The Getz has a bit more pizazz; there are some welcomed modern conveniences like power windows, central locking, a single in dash CD player and fabric lining on the door panels, but it also comes at a price — about 4 grand, to be exact. Apart from that, I find the Picanto’s interior a bit more pleasant. Maybe because the cabin materials used on the Hyundai are darker which makes it feel more cramped and gives it a little less cheer than the Kia. And, if you decide that you really can’t live with driving the automotive equivalent of Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard, some Kia dealers offer central locking and power windows as a dealer fitted option, which should address most people’s woes. Mention that the Getz includes this as standard and challenge them to match the price. Leg, head and knee room for both cars are about even.

On the road both cars are also fairly evenly matched and really fun to drive. Just make sure you get the manual versions. After coming from a string of mid size sedans and gargantuan SUVs, I almost forgot just how much fun I’ve been missing out on. For the most part, the more expensive the car, the easier manufacturers make it for you to drive, so the less involved you tend to be. Here’s a classic example of going back to your roots; compared to more civilised models like, say, the Mazda 3 or an Altis, the difference between you and the road is about 500,000 pesos worth of insulation. Here, you feel everything. You are the shock absorber and insulation. Its almost like sitting on the road itself as you scurry along. You can feel the texture of the road surface being transmitted straight to your butt, not through some breakthrough of clever engineering, but rather from the lack thereof. But this is a good thing if you’re one that enjoys driving.

If you think about the target market of these cars, then that would mean they’ve pretty much nailed it. Most buyers will be students and young office workers, who, traditionally, are people that — God bless ’em — still enjoy the novelty of driving. By removing all the creature comforts, it becomes just you and the open road. During a midnight drive with the Picanto down to Alabang, I was weaving through some very light traffic at around 120 km/h and having the time of my life doing so. I never came near the claimed top speed of 154 km/h, but the thrill was still there in dazzling technicolor. Because of its size and weight, the feeling of speed is magnified and, at the end of the day, if you haven’t got enough road (or cash for that matter) to really break free, the next best thing is always the perception of speed. Sure, I could cruise by effortlessly in a Honda City V-TEC at far greater speed with less involvement and no white knuckles, but that’s not the point — this is unadulterated pleasure. Or, cheap thrills, if you will.

As I approached the turn in to the sweeping off ramp of the Filinvest toll plaza, I was fighting the wheel while it bucked and tugged as the 14 inch front tires wailed with understeer and grappled for grip; the back end felt like it was about to kick out; I tightened up as I clipped the apex and brought the balance back to the center. There’s so much drama. After catching my breath, I glanced at the speedo. A new record — 47 km/h. Laugh all you like, but it doesn’t dilute the driving experience. Its like a go cart, only slower. Besides, while you’re still giggling to yourself and circling around the mall looking for a space to dock your land yacht, I would’ve already slotted this sub compact into the first tiny little crevice I spotted, and be chillin’ out at an outdoor table sucking on my Frapuccino with the money I saved at the gas station.

While both cars perform very similarly, the Kia has the edge in power — albeit an extra two horses; but when you’re talking about this level, every man and his horse counts. The Kia is also lighter by some 67 kilos. You may think its splitting hairs, but at this price point, you’d be surprised at just how petty things become. Dealers have won and lost sales over a set of floor mats. And, in the end, that’s what swung me over to the Kia. Not the floor mats, but the dealer issue. To be honest, both cars are quite evenly matched. This is not a cop out, but the choice will really come down to personal preference. I couldn’t, in total fairness, say that one stands out significantly over the other; the Kia claims better fuel consumption (26.2 kilometers per liter) but the Getz has a bigger fuel tank. The Kia may also be quicker of the line, but the Getz feels a touch more planted at speed and has a tighter turning circle. The Getz offers an automatic 1.3 model, but a manual Picanto would outrun it. I see the battle being won at the dealership — in the buying, then ownership experience.

This is a key area that is often overlooked. More so than any segment, a Picanto/Getz buyer is, by nature, more likely to have a more dependant relationship with his dealer. A BMW owner, for example, usually owns several cars and may not ever set foot in a service center. There are those on his payroll to do that. Sure he may have coughed up P2 to P10 million for his car, but I’ll guarantee you that it wasn’t his last million. The poor battler that buys a Picanto has weighed out his decision with painful diligence and has most likely spent his last cent to come up with just the deposit. Unlike buyers of more premium cars, he cannot afford to be off the road, either — his coding vehicle is one that is allowed on the yellow lane.

My personal experience was that the folks at Kia Quezon Avenue were much easier to talk to than the Hyundai dealer. I had been trying to secure a Hyundai for the last six months. Many calls and messages were left unanswered. In contrast, it took just one phone call to the General Manager at Kia Quezon Ave, and a brand new Picanto was delivered in less than 24 hours. They seemed more eager about the test than I was. That kind of confidence and enthusiasm is contagious and is just what’s needed to get more and more of these cars out on our roads.

Now, considering that the appeal of these cars rests entirely on the platform of cheap, reliable and economical motoring, if one of these manufacturers took the initiative and decided to include a free servicing package like the one that GM used to catapult the Optra to no. 2 in its class for sales, then they would have a sure winner and drive the final nail in the coffin of their competitor. Let’s see...

This is a far cry from the days of the Pride CD-5 or the first generation Hyundais. Today’s models are civilised by comparison and benefit from the economies of scale of huge regional plants and a few good years of research, development, trials and errors under their belts. Both are backed by official offices here. Both cars run on the smell of an oily rag and have an industry leading 3 year 100,000 (Kia is 110,000) kilometer warranty to back them up. If you’re young, on a tight budget, or have better things to spend your money on than cars and simply want cheap, reliable, totally painless motoring that can also put a smile on your face, then here are two great options for you. At the end of the day, whether you pick a Picanto or get a Getz, you’ll agree that good things do still come in small packages.