Getz buyers choose alloys over safety

HYUNDAI says it remains committed to offering electronic stability control at least as an option in its latest models – despite the fact that less than one per cent of Getz customers have opted for the potentially life-saving safety technology since it became an option in February.

ESP stability control is standard in the new Sonata and Grandeur sedans and the Santa Fe SUV, and became an option for the first time in Hyundai’s smallest model as part of the $1290 Getz Protectz pack, which also includes front side airbags.

Hyundai said the ESP-equipped Getz 1.6 manual, at a price of $16,280, is Australia’s least expensive model to offer the significant swerve-control technology. Previously, the only other sub-$20,000 vehicle to offer it was the two-seater Smart ForTwo hatch.

Despite the fact that between 10 and 15 Getz buyers have opted for the Protectz pack each month since February (representing less than 0.8 per cent of an average of 1800 Getz buyers a month), Hyundai has made ESP a $1790 option for the base SX variant of the new Elantra sedan (in which it comes with front side and side curtain airbags), a $990 option in the SLX and standard in all other Elantra sedan variants.

Hyundai also said it was still investigating the fitment of stability control for its new MR-series Accent.

"I personally am very frustrated," HMCA director of sales and marketing, Theo van Doore said. "It’s very disappointing when people pay $1200 to put a set of mag wheels on their car when for the same price they can have ESP." Mr van Doore said he expected a similar ESP/Protectz option take-up rate for the new Elantra and that combining ESP with an alloy wheel option – as some makers do and as Hyundai itself has previously – would make stability control an even more costly option, at around $2000.

Hyundai said it has no plans to stop offering ESP as either standard or optional equipment despite the low take-up rate with Getz, and draws similarities between ESP and ABS technology, which first arrived as optional equipment in expensive models before becoming standard in virtually every passenger car available today.

"We don’t want to exclude it from those that want it and we want to make it (ESP) affordable, but we need to make it available at a price point. Hyundai remains committed to road safety," Mr van Doore said.

Ford’s Territory was the first locally-produced vehicle to offer stability control, while Holden’s new VE Commodore sedan is the first homegrown passenger (non-4WD) vehicle to make it standard across the range.