Second-hand Sense: One continually wonders about the logic, or lack of it, when it comes to naming cars. While European makers tend to go for the bland but at least understandable. Names such as Focus or Scenic need no explaination - others such as Astra are Latin-based and about as exotic as things get.
When it comes to cars of oriental origin, however, things can become quite esoteric. Starlet we can get, but Corolla or Matiz or Yaris? Which brings us to the Atoz, the car produced by Hyundai of Korea until the Getz filled its supermini slot. Even when it was explained to me (and it had to be) that Atoz really meant A to Z - or everything you would need in a car - I was quite lost.
Someone once described the Atoz as resembling a wardrobe on castors - and this isn't far off the mark. It's one of those very clever little city cars which is taller than it's wide so we can all sit upright and park in spaces the width of a greyhound trap in Shelbourne Park. Drive in Korea or Japan and you get a good idea why such a design concept is so important.
So, the Atoz is a near perfect city car. Tall, with lots of glass to brighten the cabin, it takes four adults, or an average small family, with a few belongings but not their luggage, in comfort. It has a nippy 1-litre engine which is extremely economical, although it winds up like a washing machine and sounds like the end of the spin cycle when you push it.
Ride and handling are ideal for town, but the Atoz is not for the challenge of rural roads. In fact, it's a good little car for someone who is either learning to drive or has learned they should drive less.
The Atoz achieved three stars out of a possible five in the EuroNCAP crash tests, but the body became unstable in the frontal impact "resulting in large steering wheel movements and substantial brake pedal intrusion. This and high loading on the driver's chest led to a poor performance overall". The side impact result was described as "very creditable". The car has no major recalls listed and Hyundai has done very well in terms of reliability and warranty claims.
The Atoz is not common on the second-hand market thanks to its relatively brief life. While some liked it as a pragmatic response to congestion, others found the little bread van profile altogether too much.
You can pick one up quite cheaply. A 2000 model with 71,000 on the clock has an asking price of €5,700, for which you will get a car with basic equipment and a functional plastic-dominated interior. A similar 2002 model with 43,000 on the clock has an asking price of €5,900. Sounds like a mistake on the part of the seller of the former while the dealer selling the latter should be able to offer a good deal on a car with relatively high mileage for its age.
FOR: Nippy little town car with great economy and interior headroom
AGAINST: Looks like a covered-in golf cart. Very light build quality