Well-priced family wagon

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Over the years several other car manufacturers have produced “fun vehicles for the whole family” with varying degrees of success, culminating in the SUV/MPV tsunami which today rules the roads world-wide.

Along the way the Kombi era ended, station-wagons became “un-cool” and “flexible seating” became the in thing. Fancy high-tech became more important than seats and packing space, and the days of cheap transport for families with three or more children, gran and the Labrador were virtually over.

But then a bright marketing type saw the gap and got the white coats in the design department to create a people-carrier that can shuttle small groups and their luggage to and from hotels and airports, workers between home and work-place - and can also do very well, thank you, for fun-filled family outings.

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And so a whole new market was created for tour and taxi operators, hotels, lift clubs, schools and sports clubs and larger families, serviced by the likes of Mercedes-Benz Viano and Vito, Toyota Quantum, the Volkswagen T5 range of Kombi, Crew Bus and Caravelle, and the Nissan Primastar.

Now newcomer Hyundai has also joined the party with its 9-seater H-1. Like all vehicles in this class its boxy shape won't win any design prizes. And as far as names go, H-1 won't be immortalised as names for the next generation of puppies or new babies.

And nine-seater is pushing it a bit, because one of the nine seats (the middle front seat) will hardly accommodate a garden gnome.

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For the rest, it's a spacious, comfortable, quiet, smooth vehicle that will carry eight people in leather-and-air-conditioned comfort, plus a Jack Russell on the jump-seat between the driver and front passenger.

But what really makes this vehicle a seriously attractive option is its mix of comfort, safety and value for money.

For R289,900 you get adjustable aircon (with roof vents for all the rear seats), a six-speaker CD front-loading sound system, electric windows and mirrors, full leather seats, dual sliding-doors, air bags, crumple zones, body pillars, ABS brakes, and a frugal (10.2 litres/100km) 2.4 fuel-injected engine that produces 126kW and 224Nm, linked to a smooth five-speed manual transmission.

Also on the specifications list you will find anti-submarining seats, fog lights, central locking, a child-lock system, alarm, transponder immobiliser, a lifting tail-gate, and an electronic park assistance control system fitted to the rear bumper.

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But to potential buyers the cherry on top undoubtedly is Hyundai's very own brand of peaceful sleep - a five-year/150,000km warranty and a five-year/100,000km service plan.

At the media launch I drove the H-1 from Bellville to Wellington, through Malmesbury and on to Durbanville for a very pleasant lunch stop at Hillcrest. During my relatively short spell at the wheel I was impressed by it spacious, airy cabin, good all-round visibility and smooth ride.

Vehicles of this nature can be a little thumpy and jumpy at times, but progress in the H-1 on tarred roads is smooth and the large cabin is well insulated from road, engine and wind noises.

We didn't have the opportunity to test its likes or dislikes for gravel roads, but with its good ground clearance of 190mm, 215/70x16 wheels and rear-wheel drive, it should cope quite well on rougher surfaces.

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The engine felt a little sleepy and we had to work the gearbox quite enthusiastically to get the revs up, but once at cruising speed it jogged along quite easily, although it wasn't too fond of uphill stretches. Perhaps the stiffness of the engine had something to do with it, but I suspect it might well be a tad lethargic in the thin Reef air.

The seats are comfortable and getting in and out of the vehicle is no problem and even for the front row passengers it's only an easy one-step up.

Getting luggage and other non-human cargo into the back is hassle-free, thanks to the large tailgate with its low sill height.

Initial impressions are that this family-wagon is well-built with good quality material that will stand up to regular bouts of tourist and luggage shuttles and all the punishment and paraphernalia that goes with family holidays and weekends of leisure.

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If only Hyundai was a little more imaginative prior to the christening ceremony. Imagine the looks on the faces of your mates at the pub or golf club, or the comments from your wife and children when you tell them you've bought an H-1?

Footnote: There is also a no-frills version of this Hyundai available at R234,900 and it really won't bother me if my plumber pulls up in my drive-way in a panel van called an H-1 because who cares what a commercial vehicle is called?