Were this big nine-seater Hyundai dire, I could say something like, “A compelling argument for contraception.”
But that's not even my own line. I filched it from one of my four decades' worth of UK Car magazines in a review on some forgettable '80s MPV.
And the range-topping Hyundai H1 bus sitting in my driveway is far from dire – matter of fact, it's rather delightful. In its own way.
Partly because of its 1001 Nights-carpet ride quality.
Partly because this bus recently had a facelift. Mostly noticeably to its snout.
It now looks way slicker and sleeker. More Hyundai-ly homogeneous. More cool people-carrier than anodyne Oriental hotel shuttle.
Other new stuff numbers pretty 17-inch alloys, steering wheel that now adjusts for height plus reach, and a rather good infotainment system mated to a touchscreen.
You also get new projection-style headlights that do a good job of lighting up the night. (I should probably have said “illuminating” as these days I notice writers employing linguistic acrobatics to dodge the shame of using the same word twice in the same sentence).
Its turbodiesel mill is paired to a five-speed self-shifter that never really leaves you wanting more ratios, and in daily darting about the H1 felt brisker than its acceleration figures suggest.
So it's nice to drive, it's easy to drive, with a reverse camera helping, and it soaks up sif surfaces.
But a nine-seater bus invites altruism and selflessness, and consideration of others. So I've sat and sprawled all over this huge Hyundai, and it's really very comfortable.
Ingress and egress is good, there are air vents for the arctic air-con in the third row, too, and cup- and bottle-holders everywhere but perhaps more charging ports and stuff would possibly work.
Plus the middle bit of the front-row seats folds, giving you a big bench-seat. Rather like one of my favourite test cars ever, the Lincoln Town Car I had for a week on a work trip to Miami some while back.
Now, you probably won't wake up extra early to explore the visceral joys of driving the H1. But it does its job of ferrying (large) families, kids, clients or whatever and whoever else with aplomb and ease – and it looks rather cool while doing it.
Hyundai H1 2.5 CRDi Bus Elite Specs:
Price | R629,900.00 |
Engine | 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel |
Power | 125kW |
Torque | 441Nm |
Transmission | Five-speed automatic |
0-100kph | 14.4 seconds |
Top Speed | 180kph |
Average Fuel Consumption | 9.8l/100km |
CO2 Emissions | 257g/km |