Hyundai Problems

Hyundai today is a very different outfit from the brand that corporate rogue Allan Bond introduced to the market back in the 1980s.  Then it was simply a cheap-and-cheerful brand selling a range of modest small cars at very affordable prices aimed squarely at buyers who were struggling to find enough cash to get into the market.Today it's a full factory operation and a much more sophisticated brand that has won the acceptance of the local market with its range of unpretentious but solid cars that promise not only value-for- money, but also reliability and comfort with a level of refinement Bond and his band could only dream about 20 or more years ago.Cars like the Sonata sedan, and Tucson and Santa Fe SUVs have stretched Hyundai's boundaries and the company is now represented in virtually all the mainstream segments.The Grandeur was the icing on the cake and again expanded the Korean brands penetration of the local market, this time into the prestige segment.MODEL WATCH An earlier attempt to launch a luxury model, also called the Grandeur, into the prestige segment was a dismal failure.  The car was pulled from the market and it was three years before it was willing to have another crack.  In that time Hyundai's evolution into a mainstream, accepted brand had progressed and the time was felt right to re-release the Grandeur nameplate.Luxury buyers weren't necessarily looking for badge credibility, Hyundai claimed at the time of the Grandeur's launch, but they wanted refinement, elegance, comfort and safety at a price that wouldn't break the bank.The Grandeur had the elegance they wanted; it was a handsome car with clean uncluttered lines enhanced with sporty alloy wheels and other touches associated with the image of a prestige model. The interior was restrained, but refined and stylish. There were the usual touches of woodgrain, but it wasn't over the top as it can be with some Asian brands that are over-reaching in the market.Most impressive was the low level of noise, vibration and harshness under most driving conditions. It all added up to a refined drive of the sort expected by the luxury club.Under the bonnet lay a 3.8-litre double overhead camshaft V6 engine with variable intake valve timing and boasting 194 kW at 6000 revs and 348 Nm at 4500 revs.  A five-speed auto transmission was standard, but it had sequential manual shifting for a bit of fun, and the final drive was through the front wheels.The suspension was independent double wishbone at the front and multi- link at the rear; the brakes were a combination of ventilated front discs and solid rears, with standard ABS anti-lock and EBD brakeforce distribution.The earlier Grandeur was heavily criticised for its unruly suspension on local roads, but Hyundai's chassis engineers had taken note of the complaints and worked hard to ensure the new model wouldn't be canned for the same reasons.  As a result the ride and handling were much better suited to Australian roads, although the steering was still thought a little vague.The two-model Grandeur range was made up of the V6 entry level and the Limited.  The V6 came well equipped with standard air, cruise, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking, alarm, leather trim, power seats, parking sensors, eight-speaker CD sound.  Step up to the Limited and you also got heated front seats, a power sunroof and Xenon headlamps.IN THE SHOP With the earliest TG Grandeurs having clocked up just 60,000 km or so it's early days for the luxury Hyundai and few problems of a serious nature have cropped up.  While Hyundai has in the past been thought of as a cheap-and-cheerful brand plagued by the Excel problem of the early 1990s, but it shouldn't be considered so today.The fit and finish of the cars is of a high standard, the equal or any in the price segments it is represented in, and that reflects in the reliability of its cars.  At this early stage of its life the focus of any pre-purchase inspection should be on possible crash damage and subsequent dodgey repairs or a lack of servicing.Check for poor panel fit, drooping doors, scratched or chipped paint, and scarred alloy wheels.  Also check the service record to make sure it has seen the inside of a workshop since it left the showroom when new.IN A CRASH The Grandeur was packed with an impressive array of electronic features that provided a safety net when all turned nasty on the road; there was ABS braking with EBD brakeforce distribution, traction control and stability control.  If all of that wasn't enough to avoid a crash then there were dual front airbags, head airbags and side airbags to provide protection.AT THE PUMP A relatively large V6 engine in a car of generous dimensions the Grandeur is no fuel miser, but Hyundai claimed it would average 10.8 L/100 km, which is competitive in its segment.LOOK FOR . Elegant looks. Refined, roomy interior. Fully equipped. Smooth V6 performance. Comfortable rideTHE BOTTOM LINE Refined, reliable, comfortable and competent, the Grandeur is a real prestige contender.RATING 78/100

When you’ve built your reputation on cheap and cheerful cars, like Hyundai did, it’s always going to be difficult to entice people to pay a premium for your cars on the basis of quality and reliability. Once Hyundai had established itself in the market it was always going to move up the market ladder, away from the cars that gave it its start. For a time dealers bemoaned the company’s shift from its drive-away-no-more-to pay roots.The move started in the mid-1990s and one of the transition models was the 1995 J2 Lantra.MODEL WATCHThe Excel was the model Hyundai used to establish its credentials in a doubting world, and the company didn’t do itself any favours by trying to deny there was a problem with the welding of the front end on a number of Excels. The goodwill it was building vanished overnight and the brand took some time to recover.It was a production glitch that clouded the Excel’s reputation, which was really quite a good little car, and it also affected other models like the Lantra.The Lantra was a compact model, the next step up the model ladder from the Excel, but it employed the same value-for-money proposition as the Excel.Its looks were distinctly Asian, a mass of soft curves that appealed to some, appalled others, but at the end of the day it was a matter of individual taste.Inside there was reasonable room for front seat passengers, but those in the rear were more squeezed, particularly in the sedan. There was more room in the rear of the wagon, which was slightly longer with a longer rear overhang.The interior fittings were plastic and really looked it, the overriding colour grey. It got the job done, but looked like it was built down to a price.Lantra power came from a 1.8-litre fuel injected double overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine that was quite responsive when you put your foot down even from low speeds in higher gears. It put out 94 kW at 6100 revs and 165 Nm at 5000 revs and was at its best when spinning briskly.There was a choice of manual and auto ’boxes, the four-speed auto being the more popular choice. While the auto was smooth, the five-speed manual had a rather clunky shift that felt notchy and there was a tendency to crunch gears unless the clutch was fully depressed.The Lantra’s chassis was well balanced without having the precision of a sports car and the road holding was reassuring. The rack and pinion power steering was light, the brakes were powerful and the ride comfortable.Opening the model range was the GL sedan and wagon, which boasted vinyl cloth trim, tilt adjustable steering column, four-speaker radio/cassette sound, split-fold rear seat and anti-skid brakes.Next up was the GLS, which added central locking, full cloth trim, power windows and mirrors to the package.There was also the SE, which came in 1996 as a lower priced entry level model.Air-conditioning was made standard across the range in 1997.IN THE SHOPThe Lantra’s basic mechanical package is quite sound, it’s the ancillaries that can let you down.Early Hyundais had problems with their electrical systems, the result of building down to a price. Often it was the connections that caused the problem, the wiring tended to be too tight causing the occasional bad connection.Paint was a problem with most Korean cars of the time and faded paint is a regular problem.The engine uses a belt to drive the camshaft and this needs to be changed around the 100,000 km mark, and many Lantras will be approaching the change point for the second time.Check for a service record to ensure your potential purchase has seen the inside of a service shop. The cheap and cheerful sales pitch meant they often ended up in the hands of owners who didn’t care about servicing or simply couldn’t afford it. A well serviced car will stand the test of time much better than one that hasn’t been serviced.IN A CRASHHas ABS anti-skid brakes, which is a plus, but don’t look for airbags.In recent surveys of real life crashes the Lantra is rated at average so it gets a pass mark.OWNERS SAYMarian Emblin has done more than 200,000 km in the Hyundai Lantra SE she bought new in 1997. Its good points, she says, are its spacious interior with plenty of leg/headroom, interior layout, comfortable front seats, attractive design, and its reliability. Not so good is its paint finish, which marks easily, its trim that degraded very quickly, and the boot lip and parcel shelf, which restricts what you can get in the boot. Repairs have been minimal, it's had three batteries, one alternator, one muffler, a throttle switch, and now the auto transmission is showing signs of wear.LOOK FOR• Swoopy styling a matter of taste• Basically sound engineering• Good ride and handling• Standard anti-skid brakes• No airbags• Faded paintTHE BOTTOM LINENothing flash, but has stood the test of time quite well.RATING55/100

The name is a give-away to Hyundai’s grand aim for the Grandeur. It was to be an upmarket car packed with heaps of standard features, but at a Korean price. The question was whether a Korean company, best known for its low cost cars could actually build a prestige model that would compete against established models from long established and highly respected carmakers.MODEL WATCHWhile Hyundai has been selling cars on the local market for some time the company had a reputation for building cheap and cheerful small cars at a price that cash-strapped buyers couldn’t resist.They were so cheap, comparatively speaking, that you could afford to take a gamble on things like build quality and reliability.But when the company inevitably changed direction and began to look further upmarket where there were greater profits in the offing they began to appeal to a more demanding and discerning buyer.Someone who pays $40,000-plus for a car has much higher expectations than someone who forks out $13,000.The challenge for Hyundai was to meet those demands; the challenge for the buyer was to take the plunge and gamble the company would deliver.The Grandeur was Hyundai’s deepest plunge into the local market. It was a medium-sized sedan with pretensions of grandeur; a car that would compete with both locally produced and imported prestige models.Styling was very Asian, a little contrived, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder as the saying goes.Splashes of chrome on the grille, rear garnish mould and door handles provided some sparkle to the exterior, while wood grain touches gave the interior an air of opulence.A spring loaded bonnet badge, ala Mercedes-Benz, was added in 2002 in a further boost to prestige.Power was provided by a competent 3.0-litre fuel-injected double overhead camshaft V6 engine that produced a useable 141 kW at 6000 revs and gave the 1554 kg Grandeur quite zippy performance.The V6 worked in tandem with a five-speed electronically controlled auto trans driving the front wheels.Power steering was standard, along with four-wheel disc brakes, ABS and alloy wheels.As it should be when competing in the prestige market segment the Grandeur was packed with features. It had just about everything you could imagine, which underpinned its value-for-money appeal.The base sedan came standard with air-conditioning, full instrumentation, power windows and mirrors, dual vanity mirrors, remote boot lid and fuel cap releases, six-speaker sound, power antenna, central locking and cloth seats.Step up to the XG and you also received leather trim, keyless entry and alarm, climate control air-con, cruise, traction control, and memory settings on the driver’s seat.It was the Korean formula applied to the prestige segment of the market; that is to deliver plenty of value at a competitive price.IN THE SHOPThe basics of the Grandeur are reliable enough, but mechanics shudder when they arrive at the shop door, as they’re likely to have problems that can be hard to trace and sort out.Korean-built cars in general have a poor reputation for electrics and the Grandeur is packed with systems that rely on good connections and wiring.It’s quite common for owners to report warning lights coming on at random, which makes it difficult for mechanics to trace the cause of the problem. Often it’s found to be a poor connection in the wiring loom and that can take quite some time to locate.Sensors, such as the speed and timing sensors on the engine, can also be a problem.Spark plug leads are also troublesome, and changing them means removing the inlet manifold to get to the rear ones.Signs of trouble are rough running of the engine, and sometimes random stalling while driving along, while problems with the transmission input and output speed sensors are signalled by erratic shifting, sometimes shifting up or down for no apparent reason, or simply refusing to shift.Major service is at 90,000 km and that includes changing the cam timing belt. It also means changing spark plugs, and with long life platinum-tipped plugs that can be a costly exercise.The keyless entry on the XG can be frustrating when it quits and leaves you stranded on the roadside. There’s no roadside solution, the car needs to be towed back to a dealer for correction.IN A CRASHWith ABS standard on both models, and traction control standard on the XG, the Grandeur has the primary systems to get you out of trouble, and dual front airbags and seat belt pretensioners to protect you if you do get into trouble.OWNERS SAYRay Clausen has driven his 2001 Grandeur XG in all conditions, urban and rural and has found it gives him with a sense of safety and ease of comfort. The interior is very well appointed and comfortably seats four adults, while boot space is ample. The battery had to be changed after 18 months, and the ‘Speed Sensor’ and ‘Check Engine’ sensor have also been replaced.Merv Cramer says he has owned many cars over the years, including Holdens and Fords, and rates the Grandeur superior in all aspects, including build quality, attention to detail, and safety. His only gripe is poor resale value.Don Russell loves his 2001 Grandeur. It is luxurious and comfortable, a lot of car for the money. He says it does everything very well and is economical, returning fuel consumption of 8.8 L/100 km. The only trouble has been with the remote locking.The Grandeur’s price was enough to tempt Maurizio to buy one four years ago, but it hasn’t worked out such a good buy. It has been in the workshop more than it has been on the road, he says, with one problem after another. He now wishes he never bought this car; it’s a luxurious lemon with plenty of hidden costs.Jeffrey Gillard has driven Statesmans, Volvos, LTDs, Saabs, and Jaguars, but now drives a 2000 Grandeur XG, which he says is the most reliable and best appointed car he’s have ever owned, and represents great value for money.LOOK FOR• Long list of standard features• Economical on fuel• Very comfortable for four adults• Dual airbags for crash protection• ABS standard• Prone to minor faults, particularly electrics• Poor resale valueTHE BOTTOM LINEGreat value for money, but be aware that electrics are troublesome, and likely to be more so as age and kilometres catch up with the Grandeur.RATING50/100

High school leavers are now facing one of the most important, daunting, yet exciting decisions of their life in buying their first car.There are so many factors to think about: price, safety, economy, running costs, vehicle age, insurance; all on limited funds and with limited knowledge about cars, and finance.To most young people, the most important thing is probably looks. After all, you don't want to be spotted by all your mates in a white Camry in the drive-through at Maccas. And who can blame you? That's why so many young people buy old grey-import Sylvias instead of Camrys. It's because they are red, they look fast and they were featured in one of the Fast and Furious movies.However, often the car ends up spending most of its time being repaired, waiting on a part to come from Japan or simply getting it to start, steer and stop. But is used the way to go? There are many small new cars on the market from as low as $13,990 which have the latest modern safety features, plus advantages of new car warranties.The best three tips we can give you are: research, research and more research. Young buyers can start by looking at classified ads on the internet and in newspapers. Comparisons will give the buyer a good feel for the true price of a car. You should work out what you need in a car even before you start looking for one.There are choices people can make when buying a new vehicle that may significantly reduce their risk of injury and theft and can even result in savings when it comes to car insurance.What you can expect for your money Young buyers are usually on a fairly limited budget. That will reduce the number of cars available.RACQ technical officer Russell Manning advises what you can expect for your money on used cars.$3000 to $5000 Few dealers operate in this segment, so look to private sales, and all the potential problems that come with them.There are no stand-outs in this segment.Buy the best you can find for the money.Steer clear of unusual, unpopular and modified vehicles, as they're more likely to cost more to keep on the road. Expect to be mainly looking at vehicles from the mid '80s.$5000 to $7500 Many dealers specialise in this bracket.Look for cars that are popular and have a good reputation, for example early 1990s Corolla, Pulsar, Lancer for small cars, and Commodore, Falcon, Camry for large cars.Anything in this bracket is likely to have travelled big distances, so look carefully.Bigger, less fuel-efficient cars are less popular these days and, depending on your circumstances, may be a good buy.Larger cars are often more durable.$7500 to $10,000 There'll be no shortage of cars in this bracket.Expect to see cars from the mid to late '90s.Again, large cars should be attractively priced due to fuel prices, but you'll also find a range of quality Japanese small vehicles and plenty from Korean makers.Take your time selecting and pick the best your money will buy.$10,000 to $12,000 There should be no difficulty finding a quality used car in this range. There will be plenty of Commodores, Falcons, Camrys and Magnas, as well as the full range of mid and small-sized cars from the late '90s.Consider putting in a few thousand dollars more and moving into an attractively priced new small car.New cars to $15,000 All these are in the light car category. And it can pay to see if you can pick up a dealer demonstration model with very low kilometres to save a little money.Hyundai's Getz is a great little car from $12,990, and the Getz Protectz pack costs an extra $1290 but includes electronic stability program, traction control system and front seat side thorax airbags, for $1290.Suzuki Alto 1.0-litre starts at $14,990 – although we’ve seen it advertised lower than that.Holden Barina 1.6-litre three-door hatch costs from around $13,690.Kia’s Rio 1.4-litre five-door hatch often costs less than $14,000.Tips 1. Buy the type, make and model of car that best suits your needs and your pocket.2. Always have a used vehicle inspected by a qualified person.3. Don’t rush to buy your car as you may regret it.4. Ignore any promise, warranty or guarantee that isn’t in writing or that is conditional in any way.5. Don’t forget the REVS certificate.6. Never sign any contract or document until it is complete and you understand it.7. Always get a copy of any contract you sign and a copy of the safety certificate.8. Obtain reliable finance before you purchase your car.9. Insure the car with a reputable company. 

Hyundai paved the way for the Korean carmakers to enter the local market and in many ways paid the price for it. When Alan Bond first brought them in back in the 1980s they were cheap and cheerful cars that were written off as inferior with poor build quality, hand-me-down technology and uncertain durability.In many ways they’re still carrying that tag even though the cars they’ve been selling in recent times are vastly improved.Hyundai is also regarded by some as the ‘Excel’ car company; it was the model they used to gain a toehold in the local market, even though they’ve worked hard to grow beyond the small car segment.The Sonata is a far cry from the Excel, but it is still thought of as cheap-and-cheerful.MODEL WATCHHyundai had been so successful with its marketing of the Excel to cash-strapped buyers with its innovative drive-away pricing policy it became a victim of its own success when everyone came to expect the same deal with all of its models.It became a problem when the company wanted to move beyond the small car segment and sell larger and more sophisticated models like the Sonata. For a time they simply didn’t sell, buyers perceived them as being of an inferior quality than the cars they were being sold against in the medium segment.While car companies often promote minor upgrades as being “all-new” Hyundai had every right to label the 1998 Sonata new for just about everything was renewed in one way or another.Most of the significant changes took place under the very Korean skin where it featured a new platform, new wishbone front suspension and a whole new family of V6 engines.The combination of wishbone front suspension and multilink independent rear was right up to the minute in technology terms, it was the perfect package for good ride and handling, which for the most part it turned out to be.Unfortunately much of the good work on the suspension was brought undone by the steering which had more kickback than had been seen for many years.Hyundai offered a choice of four-cylinder and V6 engines, the latter a responsive double overhead camshaft 2.5-litre unit which gave 127 kW at 6000 revs and 230 Nm at 3750 revs and ensured it had plenty of zip.The V6 was all new and got good reviews for its performance and fuel economy, while the double overhead camshaft four was carried over from the previous model and was also rated quite highly for its performance with 103 kW at 6000 revs and 180 Nm at 4600 revs.All of that power was channelled to the front wheels through either a five-speed manual gearbox or, in most cases, a four-speed auto.If the mechanical specification was praised there wasn’t the same ready praise for the Sonata’s styling, which tended to polarise opinion. Some loved it, others loathed it, as is the often the way with styling.While still very Korean the Sonata was a little less challenging to western eyes than earlier models. Its lines were cleaner which made it more appealing.The 2.0 GLE opened the range with plenty of standard features, including air-conditioning, keyless central locking, cloth trim, power windows and mirrors, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, and six-speaker sound.When you ticked the Classique box you also got alloys, six-stacker CD sound and a rear spoiler.The 2.5 GLS opened the V6 range and got everything the GLE got plus the V6 and a CD player.At the top of the range sat the 2.5 Levant, which came with dual airbags, ABS, leather, power driver’s seat and cruise.IN THE SHOPHyundais are generally quite reliable; they suffer few problems with the major mechanical components. If there is a consistent problem area it’s the electrics, which seem to be of a slightly inferior quality to their Japanese rivals.Owners often report misfiring, sometimes even a complete flameout to mechanics, and it’s usually traced back to the ignition leads. Replace them and the problem goes away, but it can be a costly business to replace the rear leads, which are tucked away at the back of the east-west mounted V6.Look for oil leaks around the engine, which can be costly to repair.Also ask for a service record as some owners tended to by Hyundais because of their low price and ignored their need to be serviced.IN A CRASHHyundai beefed up the body structure, doors and roof rails to better absorb the energy in a crash.It also fitted a lap/sash seat belt to the centre rear, which is often just a lap belt in other cars, and driver and passenger airbags were standard on the top range Levant.Other models missed out, which puts a dampener on the Sonata’s safety picture.OWNERS SAYRichard Kenny’s 2000 Sonata GLS V6 manual has done 69,000 km with few faults apart from the ignition leads, which required replacement at the 65,000 km service. He says he consistently gets a little over eight L/100 km around town, and it’s even more economical on long trips.Lindsay Morgan’s 2000 V6 Sonata has done 98,000 mostly troublefree kilometres. So happy is he with it that he rates it the best car he’s owned. His only gripes are that the suspension needs to be beefed up for use in the bush and he’s not keen on the look of the grille.LOOK FOR• Challenging looks• Good performance from four and V6• Sound engineering overall• Annoying kickback in steering• Good ride and handling• Electrical woes• Airbags only on top modelTHE BOTTOM LINEGenerally reliable, feature-laden, mid-sized sedan with mostly good road manners and performance.RATING65/100

It was early days for Korean carmakers when Hyundai unveiled its SCoupe in 1990. Hyundai was the first Korean company to arrive here and was still finding its feet in a sceptical market in the years before the Excel X3 broke through in 1994.The SCoupe brought another dimension to the Hyundai brand with its cute two-door coupe shape and impressive array of standard features at an affordable price.It represented an important step away from the Korean image of cheap basic transport and introduced some much needed emotion to an otherwise bland brand.MODEL WATCHWhen first launched there was just a single model which came with standard power steering, power windows, alloy wheels, a sporty tachometer, colour coded bumpers, and an AM/FM radio cassette player.Power was delivered by a Mitsubishi-derived 1.5-litre fuel-injected single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine, which put out 62 kW at 5500 revs and 120 Nm or torque.Although modest the coupe’s performance was surprisingly spirited, while at the same time it returned amazingly low fuel consumption.There was a choice of a five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed automatic transmission with a floor shift, with final drive going through the front wheels.The single model was replaced by a two-model line-up in July 1991. The base model was stripped of its power windows and alloy wheels, while the LS retained them and got tinted glass as well.A further realignment followed a couple of months later when the base model was rebadged the LS and the LS became the GLS. Both had steel wheels and wheel caps as standard, alloy wheels were then an option on both models, and both featured a rear spoiler.A facelift in 1992 brought a new narrow slot grille and slim line headlights, along with a small power increase, to 68 kW and 132 Nm, and a hot turbocharged engine which boasted 84 kW and 168 Nm.The LS base model then had power steering, rear spoiler, tachometer, split-fold rear seat, with cloth trim and carpet. On top of that the GLS had power windows, colour-coded bumpers, alloy wheels, and four-speaker sound.If you stepped up to the Turbo you also got central locking, fog lamps, sports seats, sports suspension, and a leather wrapped steering wheel.IN THE SHOPThe best advice for anyone contemplating buying an SCoupe is to hang back and think about what it is you’re buying. Park your emotion for a moment and remember that you’re buying an old car, one that was cheap and cheerful when new and is now nearing the end of the road.Have it checked carefully by a mechanic or a motoring organization before you purchase it. A few dollars spent on a pre-purchase inspection could save you the nightmare of a troublesome car later on.Hyundai build quality was questionable and certainly variable back when the SCoupe was launched so listen carefully for squeaks and rattles when driving your prospective purchase.Also listen carefully for knocks and clunks in the suspension and driveline when driving, the SCoupe’s drive shafts are a known problem.Same with the gearbox, which can be noisy in the intermediate gears, and weak synchros can make second gear difficult to select.The engine is a Mitsubishi unit similar to that used in the Lancer and Colt. It’s relatively trouble free although it has been known to crack cylinder blocks, so carefully check around the engine for water stains that might indicate a leak.The SCoupe was nicely equipped given its low price, and included full electrics as standard on some models. Unfortunately Korean electrics were troublesome back then which can mean trouble today.Early Korean paint quality wasn’t great and many are suffering from paint fade, particularly some of the bright colours that are prone to fading anyway. Lack of regular cleaning and the occasional wax and polish exacerbates the problem.IN A CRASHThe SCoupe was given an average rating in the recent used car survey, which means its crash performance, both in protecting its occupants and its likely impact on other drivers, was quite good.There were no airbags fitted to the S Coupe.OWNERS SAYCampbell Laidlaw bought his SCoupe in 2001 with 113,000 km on the speedo. It now reads 215,000, and he says it’s fun to drive, handles quite well and servicing has been limited to book services.Tina Lazaridis drives a 1996 SCoupe and loves the styling, the performance, and roominess. It’s a great car and very affordable.M. Hargreaves bought a 1990 SCoupe when it was seven years old and with 147,000 km on the clock. Although told not to buy it because of the high km she loved the look and feel of it, and the extras. It was red with a sporty look without the sports car price, just right for a young girl looking for her first car. She drove it for five years pushing the odo reading up to 250,000 km before selling it when it became too small for her growing family. At the time of sale it was still going strong.LOOK FOR• Sporty styling still appeals• Spirited performance with good economy• Holds value quite well• Affordable first car• Mitsubishi mechanicals quite reliable• Average build quality• Troublesome electricsTHE BOTTOM LINEStylish and affordable first car for beginner drivers, but rising kays mean increased risk of trouble.RATING50/100