A single-generation hatchback built from 2002 to 2011, sold under a string of local names, rated four stars for safety and once converted to electric power.
The Hyundai Getz was a supermini hatchback built from 2002 to 2011, with either three or five doors. Sold under many local names, it achieved four stars in Euro NCAP testing and spawned an electric conversion, the Blade Electron. Its production ended in 2011.
The Getz was a small Hyundai hatchback built between 2002 and 2011 in three-door and five-door forms. It carried different names in different countries and was assembled in several plants around the world. This article covers its origins, engines, safety record, regional versions and the electric conversion sold in Australia.
What is the Hyundai Getz?
The Hyundai Getz is a supermini hatchback made between 2002 and 2011 with either three or five doors. It was a single generation, sold in most countries but not in North America's largest markets or in China. Its name changed by market, appearing as the Click in South Korea and as the Getz Prime in India.
Hyundai's naming tells the wider story. The car was the TB in Japan, the Inokom Getz in Malaysia and the Dodge Brisa in Venezuela, where a badge-engineered version carried a different identity. The name Getz itself has been linked to the idea of being achieved by desirability, a playful choice for a small car.
One generation, two body styles and a long list of local names, from Click in South Korea to TB in Japan.
Where was the Getz designed and built?
Hyundai's European engineering centre in Frankfurt designed the Getz, and the car premiered at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show after a concept debut at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show. Production was centred on Ulsan in South Korea, with a second plant in Chennai, India, running between 2004 and 2009.
The concept appeared under the TB name, and that name stayed with the production car in Japan. Both three-door and five-door bodies were released in the first wave, so buyers in each market could choose the shape that suited them. The Frankfurt design work gave the car a European character even where it was sold in Asia.
Assembly was spread across several sites. Besides Ulsan and Chennai, the car was built in Barcelona, in Venezuela, in Kulim in Malaysia and in Taipei in Taiwan. That network reflects how widely Hyundai sold the car, and each local plant adapted the model to its own market.
How did the Getz change with its 2005 facelift?
The facelifted Getz arrived at the autumn 2005 Frankfurt show with reshaped front and rear ends, curved headlights and a new grille. It also gained a new 1.4-litre petrol engine, an upgraded dash and refreshed interior trim. Venezuelan buyers did not receive the revised model, which kept the older design.
The facelift also updated the diesel, which gained a variable geometry turbo in two power outputs. In the UK, the CDX trim received air conditioning and side airbags as standard. That change showed how equipment levels could vary from one market to the next, even for the same basic car.
The facelift changed how the Getz looked on the road more than what it was. Its basic layout, body style and the choice of three-door or five-door bodies stayed in place, so the revised car was easy to recognise as the same model.
What engines were fitted to the Getz?
At launch the Getz offered three petrol engines, 1.1-litre, 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre, plus a 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel licensed from VM Motori. Australian cars launched with only the 1.5-litre G4EC petrol engine. Later the 1.4-litre replaced the 1.3, and a 1.6-litre version was also offered.
The four-speed automatic appeared on the 1.3 and 1.6 petrol versions, while the five-speed manual was available with every engine. Automatic versions were a real choice for buyers who did not want to change gear in traffic, and they were a regular feature of the range in several markets.
Owners of the 1.4-litre petrol reported that it lacked pull with air conditioning running on an uphill climb. The diesel, by contrast, came with a variable geometry turbocharger and two power levels, which gave it a more flexible character on the road.
What trim levels did the Getz offer?
Trim names depended on the market. In the UK buyers chose between GSI, CDX and Sport, while New Zealand offered XD and XE. Australia used XL, GL and FX before the facelift, then the sporty SXi, with the base car later simply called the Getz.
The top Australian trim included front and side airbags, anti-lock braking with electronic brakeforce distribution, remote central locking with an alarm, alloy wheels, fog lights and air conditioning. Options included leather upholstery, metallic paint and satellite navigation. In early 2008 the 1.4 became the S and the 1.6 became the SX.
From 2006 a Getz Cross appeared with SUV-style touches. It had extended wheel arches, a roof rack, raised suspension and larger wheels, and it was offered with petrol and diesel engines. A South African SR sport edition followed later, adding a bodykit and special badges.
Buyers comparing two Getz cars needed to check the trim name and the engine together. The 1.6-litre version, for example, carried 15-inch alloy wheels, which set it apart from the rest of the range.
Was the Getz safe in crash tests?
In its time the Getz did well. It scored four stars in Euro NCAP testing in 2004, with 25 points for adult occupants and 37 points for children. Pedestrian protection was weak, with a score of 5, and the test noted that the design did little to protect people on foot.
The 2004 assessment praised the restraint systems, including front airbags for driver and passenger, seat-mounted thorax and head bags, and belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters. A seat belt reminder for the driver earned an extra point, and the child protection result was rated as generally good.
The Australian picture was less flattering. A 2006 Used Car Safety Ratings assessment placed 2002 to 2004 cars as significantly worse than average for occupant protection in a crash. Buyers comparing the two results should read the Euro NCAP score and the local ratings as separate measures.
Which awards did the Getz win?
The Getz won several small-car awards around its launch. Australia named it Best Small Car in 2003 and 2005, Scotland gave it Small Car of the Year in 2003, and the UK magazine What Car? named it Budget Car of the Year that year.
Other honours included Budget car champion on the Fifth Gear programme in 2003 and Denmark's best seller title for the same year. The Portuguese Car of the Year award for 2004 went to the 1.5 CRDI diesel. The Getz has no recorded motorsport entries, so its reputation rests on road cars and sales.
How many Getz cars were built and sold?
Hyundai built 1,390,084 Getz variants between 2002 and 2011. The Australian market took 153,000 of them. In Europe the Getz topped Hyundai's sales charts from 2003 to 2008, a strong result for a car of its size. Australian showrooms kept the car until December 2010, while Venezuelan assembly ran until 2014.
The Chennai plant, which had run from 2004, ended its Getz output in 2009.
What replaced the Getz?
The i20 replaced the Getz in most markets from late 2008, while the Accent WIT took over the Click in South Korea in mid-2011. Markets without an i20 hatchback moved to the i10. Kia's Picanto also took over the Getz's role in the small car market.
In Europe the two cars overlapped until the Getz was phased out in 2011. In India the car was discontinued after demand fell in comparison with the i20, and the arrival of Euro 4 emission norms in May 2010 added pressure. In Japan the TB was dropped shortly before Hyundai left the passenger car market in late 2009.
Was there an electric Getz?
Yes. Between 2008 and 2014 the firm Blade Electric Vehicles offered a battery conversion, called the Blade Electron, built in Victoria, Australia. It retailed for AU$52,000 and was Australia's first electric car sold commercially. Its first generation reached 120 km/h (75 mph), and one charge was enough for 120 kilometres (75 mi).
Roughly 50 vehicles were built, and four were believed to be still running as of 2019. Because it was a conversion rather than a factory model, each car began life as a regular Getz before its battery and electric drive were installed.
Did the Getz have special editions?
Yes, several regional editions appeared. The Inokom Getz SE was a limited edition from late 2009 with 300 units built in Malaysia. South Africa's SR sport edition ran from 2010 to 2012 and added a bodykit and special rims. Venezuelan cars added a further option.
A factory CNG kit allowed the Getz to run on petrol or natural gas, and the Venezuelan assembly line built the 1.6-litre engine with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic gearbox. The Dodge Brisa, meanwhile, was badge-engineered from the Getz with a 1.3-litre engine and a four-speed manual.
Getz specifications at a glance
The table below gathers the core figures for the Getz across its single generation, from the launch engines to the sales totals and the electric conversion. Where a figure applies only to a regional version or a specific engine, the table says so, so the petrol and diesel details stay separate.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Body | Three-door or five-door hatchback |
| Generation | Single, 2002 to 2011 |
| Launch petrol engines | 1.1-litre, 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre |
| Launch diesel | 1.5-litre three-cylinder, licensed from VM Motori |
| Facelift petrol engines | 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre DOHC |
| Gearboxes | Five-speed manual; four-speed automatic on 1.3 and 1.6 petrol |
| Euro NCAP (2004) | Four stars; adults 25, children 37, pedestrians 5 |
| Total produced | 1,390,084 variants, 2002 to 2011 |
| Australian sales | 153,000 cars |
| Blade Electron | AU$52,000; top speed 120 km/h (75 mph) |
Why does the Getz matter in Hyundai's history?
The Getz mattered because it sold in large numbers in Europe and Australia and gave Hyundai a volume product in the small car class. Its awards and sales totals show a car that many buyers judged to be good value for the money.
The Getz also showed how a single design could be spread across many plants and many names. Its reach across several assembly sites showed how Hyundai could adapt one body to very different markets, from Japan's TB to South Korea's Click.
Frequently asked questions
How many doors did the Getz have?
The Getz came as a three-door or five-door hatchback, and both versions belonged to the same single generation. Buyers chose between the shapes according to their own needs, while the mechanical range stayed broadly the same.
Was the Getz sold in the United States?
No. Hyundai never offered the Getz in the United States, Canada or China, so buyers in those countries had to look elsewhere. Buyers there looked to other Hyundai models instead.
What did the Getz score for child protection?
The 2004 Euro NCAP test gave the Getz 37 points for child occupant protection and 25 points for adults. Its pedestrian score was 5 points, and the assessors added an extra point for the driver's seat belt reminder.
How far could the Blade Electron travel?
The first generation Blade Electron managed 120 km/h (75 mph) flat out, and one charge gave it 120 kilometres (75 mi) of range. Those figures made it a short-range city car, but it was a credible electric option in its time.
