The Hyundai Atos was marketed in South Africa from the late nineties and became an instant hit with the young and the young-at-heart. This economical little hatch was replaced in 2014 with the Grand i10 but returned to the market in 2021 as a budget model.
Hyundai created a mechanically simple car to keep the price point low. The car uses a front-wheel-drive scheme, with MacPherson front suspension, and a torsion-beam rear suspension.
Then came the Atos Prime with its redesigned body and 4.5cm lower roof (making the cabin smaller). The tail had new lights, tailgate and colour-coded bumpers. The nose barely changed, but the grille was now made available with chrome plating. The interior and 1.0-litre petrol engine remained unchanged.
The bigger change came with the second facelift in 2004. This cute city slicker had an entirely new nose and tail, new headlights, bonnet and bumper.
The new 1.1 four-cylinder 12-valve engine delivered 59 hp (44?kW; 60?PS), 5 more than the previous 1.0. The car kept the five-speed manual gearbox, with a four-speed automatic option.
For five years, the brand was not marketed in SA but returned to the market in 2019 with some great new specs. The 1.1-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder petrol unit produces 50kW and 99Nm (versus the Grand i10’s 48kW/94Nm 1.0 unit). According to Hyundai, this hatch can reach a top speed of 155km/h and its combined consumption amounts to 5.7 litres per 100km – surely an attractive achievement in the days of twenty-something rand a litre for petrol.