Exter’s peculiar looks make way for a proper little car
Exter’s peculiar looks make way for a proper little car
Look at the Hyundai Exter straight up and you go… gulp… Edgy has its limits, you think. Blink. Look again. Doesn’t help much. Look, this car’s looks challenged most observers. But boy, did the Exter have us eating out of the palm of its hand by the time we sent it back? It’s a proper little car.
Let’s deal with that look first. Hyundai calls it a sensuously sporty, progressive and with a modern front, dynamic side and sporty rear. They reckon it comprises the best of the brand’s SUV design genes. Cubist shapes, staggered H-LED DRLs and halogen headlamps and squared off grill , as well as more H LEDs for the tail lamps certainly all set Exter apart.
Will you ever need those Exter skid plates?
Add skid plates in case you bottom out at the end of the dune or in the river, edgy15-inch diamond cut alloys in muscular arches for the country club drop-off, LED wing mirror repeaters and parametric C-pillar garnish. Yes, that’s what they call it. And bridge-type roof rails that really do carry a 70 kg load. Oh, yes, don’t forget that all-important shark fin antenna!
As noted, it’s quite an aggro look, but we’ve noticed a few cool colours like Cosmic Blue, Tomboy Khaki that help make Exter pop even more than this so-called Fiery Red. 3.8 meters long, 1.7 m wide, and 1.63 m tall and sporting a 185 mm ground clearance, the real Exter starts talking to you through its 2.45 m wheelbase.
Swing our 1.2 Executive manual’s driver’s door open to discover an expansive cabin for all aspects of your anatomy in this bracket. Which is about that this car is all about. That extra knee, leg, head and shoulder room, never mind a handy 290 litre boot capacity, is all backed by an impressive level of specification.
Our Exter even had a sunroof
From the sporty, if a tad plasticky 3D pattern dashboard to a leather-clad steering wheel and gear knob to the sporty black finish with colour inserts and cloth and faux leather upholstery. The driver’s seat and rear headrests are height adjustable; Exter has digital display auto temperature control with rear air vents, a dashboard tray, dual cup holder front console, front and rear door map pockets and even a sunroof.
Tech is also good, wit logical and easy to understand and operate centre-mounted 8-inch high-definition CarPlay and Auto infotainment. It has proper physical buttons and knobs, boasts a fast charging type C USB and is in part run by the audio, trip and cruise control multifunction steering wheel ahead of advanced digital dials including a 4.2-inch colour TFT multi-information display. There’s a rear reversing camera, sensors and parking distance info, tyre pressure monitoring and open door alarm.
Exter safety looks good too, all built into this advanced new high strength steel shell. With six dual front, side and curtain airbags. ABS braking has Electronic Brake Distribution and there’s ESP too. Each occupant has a three-point seatbelt and there’s an ISOFIX child seat anchor on each outer rear seat, with speed sensing auto door locks and tyre pressure monitors too.
Spunky engine, Brat Pack handling
Powered by Hyundai’s spunky, venerable and fuel-efficient 61 kW 114 Nm 1.2-litre Kappa 4-cylinder petrol engine, it’s so good to drive a good old normally-aspirated car. Let alone use a 5-speed manual in this day and age of horrid, cheap CVTs, autos and semi-automatic gearboxes. But the best part of Hyundai’s ugly duckling Exter is actually to thrash it.
Its coil sprung McPherson strut front suspension and a coupled torsion beam rear axle had me hankering after my old Group N Brat Pack days racing similarly simply endowed machinery. Look, it’s certainly no rocketship. But the Hyundai Exter is shockingly planted, handles and holds the road like a little racer.
Not quite what that look projects, although it has a serene alter ego thanks to an impressive aero Cd and a decent sound deadening effort Enough to make you never think of racing they engine. But when you do, it’s a splendid surprise, too. It’s also pleasingly economical, and easily matches Hyundai’s 5.7 litres/100 km claim.
Don’t let the cover put you off the book of Exter
Add all that to Hyundai’s market leading 7-year 200,000 km warranty and 3-year 45,000km service plan, let alone its R289K shipping price, and we think Hyundai has a winner on its hands in Exter. Well, a lot of buyers may struggle to get their heads around the looks. But what do they say about books and covers, after all…? – Michele Lupini
Imges & data: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Hyundai Exter 1.2 Executive
Engine: 61 kW 114 Nm 1.2-litre petrol I4
Drive: 5-speed manual FWD
TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 4.72 sec
0-100 km/h: 11.46sec
0-120 km/h: 16.57 sec
400m: 17.9 sec @ 124km/h
80-120 km/h: 8.65 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 165 km/h
Fuel: 5.6 l/100 km
CO2: 139 g/km
Range: 650 km
Warranty/Maintenance 7y 200K/3y 45K km
LIST PRICE: R289K
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