REVIEW | Hyundai Exter sits in crosshairs of formidable competition

When you bought a basic budget car two decades ago, that is exactly what you got. Models like the Toyota Tazz, Volkswagen Citi Golf and Opel Corsa Lite come to mind. They were cheap and cheerful but lacking in conveniences — and more crucially — safety equipment.

But the budget compacts of today, in contrast, border on luxury. They aim to pander to upwardly mobile buyers with slick infotainment screens and more. All while coming in under those important psychological pricing barriers — keep it under the R300,000 mark and you are good to go.

Hyundai has long been a player in the affordable compact arena. From the days of the original Atos in the 90s, the South Korean marque has had a diminutive, cut-price contender to offer would-be buyers.

In this class it has a two-pronged approach. Shoppers wanting a simple, no-frills, appliance-like small car can consider the Grand i10 (from R224,900). Moving up a notch, those who fancy the allure of a crossover-style experience have the Exter to ponder over.

It was launched in 2024 and prices start at R269,900. The most expensive model, the Elite grade, goes for R334,900 and is standard with an automated-manual gearbox. This amount also gets you into the lower- and mid-grade versions of the i20 and Venue, both slightly larger prospects, appealing to maturer sensibilities.

As with all Hyundai passenger cars, the Exter carries a five-year/150,000km warranty and separate seven-year/200,000km powertrain warranty.

Setting sights on the Exter for the first time, seeing it parked in our basement, one almost chuckled at how small the vehicle is in stature. It looks like a toy, one that could get stuck in the tread pattern of a Hyundai Santa Fe.

Interestingly, there are visual parallels between this tiny tot and its large SUV sibling: note the squared-off shape and frontal styling execution. From some angles it looks like the latest Santa Fe, but shrunken after being forgotten in the tumble dryer. It is 3,815mm long, has a height of 1,585mm and width of 1,710mm.

Truth be told, my expectations were low. Its puny 175/65/15 rollers looked more like bottle tops than car wheels integral to sound vehicular dynamics. On the inside, there were clear giveaways to the cost-cutting mantra that must have guided development. This includes flimsy visors and one-piece backrests without adjustable head restraints.

After the second day of commuting in traffic, on the freeway and in some truly appalling rain, it was clear that there was more substance under the skin than what met the eye. The Exter showed respectable road manners, with a stable feel and relatively confident nature. Low marks for cabin insulation, however. Exterior intrusions are prominent, particularly from the rear. It always felt like a window was open in the cabin.

On specification level, the Elite model brings colour-screen infotainment, cruise control, a digital instrument cluster, multifunction steering wheel, electric windows all-round, anti-lock brakes, stability control, six airbags, LED daytime-running lights (with halogens on main headlamp duty) and a reverse camera.

We tested the middle-tier Executive manual grade (R289,900). The only omissions that stuck out were the lack of stability control, cloth upholstery (versus cloth-on-leatherette) and of course, the different transmission. But given how woeful automated-manual gearboxes are known to be, this Premium manual is likely a far nicer prospect.

The 1.2l, four-cylinder, petrol unit is a proven source from the Grand i10. It delivers 61kW/114Nm and is happy to haul the 940kg mass of the little Hyundai. Aside from a springy clutch action which took careful modulation for smooth take-offs, the five-speed pairing made for an enjoyable, easy drive. The Hyundai scampers through traffic like an eager mouse, while its fuel gauge is obstinate: even when driven hard, the worst economy we saw was 6.5l/100km.

You can tell there is a sense of “emerging market resilience” to the Exter, in the way it deals with Johannesburg's crumbling roads. Its ground clearance of 185mm is par for the course in this category, handy for shrugging off poor surfaces, potholes and, as we saw last week, severely waterlogged roads.

So the Exter is not a terrible deal. But its fortunes might have been better had it come in with a lower asking price. Because for the same money, in the same class, buyers can have themselves more substantial compact picks — that disguise their budget roots with a more tangible layer of refinement. Think of cars like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, Suzuki Fronx, Kia Sonet — or even the Hyundai Venue mentioned earlier.