Faults:

Had an impact at around 20mph - the car was declared a total loss, suffered from blatant structural damage.

General Comments:

The Getz isn't the most glamorous car, nor is it the most fun, nor is it the most economical, however after owning one, it will almost certainly hold a special place in your heart! It sufficed for numerous motorway trips to and from work and was fine around town. This car definitely hasn't been designed to be pushed - even after installing 4 new tyres, the car would understeer a lot. I would describe the driving feeling much like an enlarged go-kart, the steering is heavy and has a decent feel to it, the brakes do the job and the go pedal doesn't do much... going... Having said that, the tiny wheelbase combined with the nimbleness and agility means you can outpace many modern cars of a similar category round bends (the fastest car I could consistently outpace was a 1.2 TSI polo)!

After a slight impact (the airbags didn't even go off), the car was totalled, unfortunately. These things are built like a tin can and quite frankly, I'm not sure if they're even worth driving purely due to the fact that the structural elements are not sturdy in any way, shape or form. If you can, save up and buy a CDX, as they come with side airbags. Better yet, work hard and buy a Volvo so to lower the chances of you ending up on the news.

Faults:

Air-conditioning (I suspect), there are funny noises, and the anti-fog function does not operate as before.

General Comments:

The first word that comes to my mind is “uncomfortable”.

I’ll try to explain:

1) The suspension of the car is tuned to exaggerate small bumps and fissures on the road, which translates very uncomfortably to the passengers. And a funny thing is that bigger bumps are more or less OK given the small car the Getz is. The chassis leans too much when cornering, which I can accept, because after all the car is tall and narrow. The cure for that could be to stiffen the suspension, which will make comfort even worse. I tried everything except the coilovers. Sporty suspension helps with cornering, and if it is quality one, does not take too much of the already very bad comfort for the passengers.

2) Noise in the cabin. There are two things to mention. One is bad noise insulation. I can imagine that car has barely any noise dampening installed. This occurred to me while waiting at a stoplight. I had the feeling I left the door opened because I could hear very well the noise and rumbling of other cars' engines around me. Very disappointing. The other issue is various noises in the cabin induced by vibrating plastic parts. I tried to fix the ones that I can reach without taking the trims apart. But the ones under the dashboard and behind the door trims remained. I could not fix the back door to be silent. Tried with adjusting the rubber parts, adjusting the lock of the door, and insulation tape on suspected parts – nothing helped. All very frustrating, it leaves you with the feeling that car will fall apart.

3) Adjusting the temperature in the cabin – lack of insulation affects the heat in the cabin during the summer. The air-conditioning just does not have the power enough to make things cosy for the passengers. It is always too hot. And after about two years of owning the car, I could not get rid of the foggy windows. At first the air—con solved the problem easily, but after that… nothing. It is very dangerous to drive, especially in the winter, because there is no way to clear the windows.

This is unacceptable by today’s standards and leaves you with the impression that someone has been very cheap in the production chain.

On the good side, the Getz did not suffer from any significant mechanical failure so far and is safe to drive (with improved suspension, and if the fog issue can somehow be solved). The engine is thirsty but reliable. I should mention that the car is regularly serviced in an authorised dealer repair shop to manufacturer's standards, and is maintained in best order I can provide. I have had the Getz for eight years now and from day one.