People-mover is steady as she goes

The Matrix is solid, reliable and comfy to boot, writes motoring editor ALASTAIR SLOANE.

Korean carmaker Hyundai doesn't want its new Matrix people-mover to turn out to be like a breeding female, the original Latin meaning of matrix.

That shouldn't be a problem. Hyundais have a history of being one-dimensional and not given to sudden changes.

They have proved reliable, too. The Matrix therefore shouldn't throw up any difficulties, electronic or mechanical.

Besides, Hyundai named the vehicle Matrix to suit a more modern interpretation of the word: an environment in which something develops. A womb, if you like, a cosy interior.

At first glance, that's the vehicle's obvious strength. It's certainly not the exterior, which is largely plain Jane, despite being penned by Italian design house Pininfarina, the creator of some of the better-looking Ferraris.

The interior is roomy, well laid out, chockablock with cubby holes, cupholders and power sockets, and has seats that fold every which way to cope with extra luggage.

The materials are a step up from previous Hyundai vehicles, too, as is the fit and finish. The only questionable aspect of the interior is the position of the main instrument panel: it is smack in the middle of the dash.

Hyundai says this position adds to the chic personality of the Matrix. Some would say it does no such thing.

The five-seat, five-door Matrix was unveiled in Auckland the other day, priced at $28,990 for the 1.6-litre GL model and $30,990 for the 1.8-litre GL.

It comes at a time when Hyundai is telling the world its vehicles are now as well built as anything out of Japan and Europe. There is some evidence to support this, although Hyundais have mostly lacked the dynamic refinement of the opposition.

Last year, Hyundai built 2,385,939 vehicles - 11th in the world after General Motors (8,494,000), Ford (7,424,000), Toyota (5,888,260), Volkswagen (5,156,455), DaimlerChrysler (4,677,600), Peugeot/Citroen (2,815,700), Fiat (2,733,015), Nissan (2,605,155), Honda (2,485,213), and Renault (2,444,370). It was 11th in global sales, too, moving 2,011,509.

Production for the first six months of this year was up 11.3 per cent on 2000. Hyundai built 802,508 vehicles to June - 440,828 for export and 361,680 for domestic consumption. Its sales in the vital United States market so far this year total 164,643 units - up 33.3 per cent on last year.

It believes that sales of vehicles such as the Matrix - which has received much praise in Europe - will push it into the global top 10.

The people-mover sits on a shortened version of the Elantra platform and is said to share most of the Elantra's good and bad habits.

The ride is apparently good enough to smooth out poor road surfaces, and grip and handling is consistent with most front-drivers in the segment.

The suspension system consists of a MacPherson strut assembly in the front and a multi-link setup in the rear.

The 4-cylinder 1.6-litre engine produces 76kW at 5800 rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4500 rpm. The 4-cylinder 1.8-litre unit delivers 90kW at 6000 rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4500 rpm.

Both vehicles come with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. A 4-speed automatic is a $1750 option. ABS anti-lock brakes are a $1000 option on the 1.6-litre Matrix and standard on the 1.8-litre.

Among the standard features are duel front airbags, front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, air-conditioning, child-proof rear safety locks, central locking and four-speaker stereo/CD player.

Hyundai wants to cash in on the growing popularity of people-movers. Sales of such vehicles in New Zealand so far this year represent about 3 per cent of the overall market - up about 1 per cent on last year.
Internationally, they are selling better than ever.