By: Denis Droppa
Johannesburg - The Hyundai H-1 Wagon has become South Africa’s best-selling family mini bus with over 10 943 sales since its South African launch in 2009, and to try keep it that way it’s been updated for 2016 with a number of enhancements.
The blink-and-you’ll-miss-them visual tweaks are limited to newly designed alloy wheels and a revised grille with body-colour horizontal slats. Mechanically there are no changes and the two powerplants on offer are still the 126kW/224Nm 2.4-litre petrol manual and 125kW/441Nm 2.5 turbodiesel automatic.
Inside the cabin of the most popular seller, the 2.5 diesel, upgrades that bring the H-1 Wagon nine-seater bus into the 21st century include a new cooled glovebox, an electric folding rear-view mirror, automatic climate control (instead of manual aircon), and cruise control, while the audio system now features a slightly enlarged display screen and Bluetooth integration for cellphones.
There’s a safety improvement in the diesel too with the addition of stability control, a pair of side airbags, and an anti-pinch function for the auto-up driver window which will no longer crush wayward hands.
The 2.4 petrol bus gains only the Bluetooth and the cooled glovebox and there are similar tweaks made to the two more commercially-focused body styles, namely the three-seater panelvan and the six-seater multivan. ABS brakes and dual front airbags are standard across the entire Hyundai H-1 range.
The updates come with a price increase of R14 000.
SMOOTH AND GUTSY DIESEL
I drove the nine-seater diesel bus at the Gauteng media launch last week. At altitude the engine felt smooth and gutsy with just two people on board, and the hefty torque suggests it’ll schlep a full passenger load without too much fuss.
The rear-wheel-drive H-1 drives and handles much like a passenger car; it’s very easy to steer and doesn’t feel intimidatingly large.
The gizmos and comforts are relatively plentiful and the car-like dash design prevents the H-1 from feeling too commercial, but the leather covering the seats is a little puckered and not as neatly fitted as some of the more luxurious buses in the market.
The cabin’s roomy – it’ll fit eight people comfortably while there’s an extra fold-out seat in the front row to squeeze in a ninth passenger in an emergency. It’s a versatile interior with the seats able to be variously folded or slid fore and aft to cater for either more passengers or extra luggage space, of which there is plenty.
HYUNDAI H-1 PRICES
2.5 diesel 9 seat bus - R579 900
2.4 petrol 9 seat bus - R482 900
2.5 diesel 6 seat multicab - R492 900
2.5 diesel 3 seat panelvan - R441 900
All models are sold with Hyundai’s 5-year/150 000km warranty and roadside assistance plan, and 5-year/90 000km service plan.
Star Motoring