Review of the new Hyundai Matrix 1.5 TD GSi Diesel

Pininfarina. The word alone conjures up impossibly romantic images, of chilly blue skied mornings outside the Ferrari factory waiting for the first drive in a voluptuous supercar, of Turin cafe society, extravagantly outrageous show cars, and the concept of car design being the new rock'n'roll. It doesn't mean diesel Korean mini-MPVs to most people, but what are perceptions if not to be challenged? Keep an open mind and the Hyundai Matrix 1.5 TD GSi could well strike a chord with those looking to get more for their money in a notoriously overpriced market sector.

It's doubtful that the Matrix will challenge the Ferrari 355, the Alfa Romeo Spider or the Peugeot 406 Coupe as the studio's poster children, but it's nevertheless a distinctive effort. That rather odd window line is a novelty and divided opinion amongst those who sampled it, ranging from the derogatory "It looks like it's suffered some structural subsidence" to the complimentary "Neat - a wild west saloon." It certainly makes an interesting visual hook, something that will make the Matrix easily identifiable in a crop of lookalike egg-shaped rivals.

The front end is somewhat anonymous, looking all-too similar to any other Far Eastern mini-MPV that drifts aimlessly to mind. The rear is far sharper with some neatly bevelled planes that catch the light in interesting ways and would look great with a mica 'flip' paint job.

Inside, the Matrix continues the slightly left-field styling theme with centrally mounted instruments which, although angled toward the driver, require some effort to read quickly and the overall feel is of a number of good ideas stunted due to cost considerations. Nevertheless, the Matrix features a befuddling array of storage boxes, cubbies, shelves and pockets to the extent that finding a casually secreted key/card/Ginster's Buffet Bar can be the work of several minutes.

"Although it looks tiny outside, with its diminutive wheels and miniaturised detailing, the Matrix is, in fact, bigger than a Renault Scenic inside."

Unlike many of the more smugly self-congratulatory offerings in the mini-MPV sector, the Matrix only boasts five seats, but this in itself is no great drawback. The rear seats slide and with a 60/40 split can be folded double. Unfortunately they can't be removed, which limits the Matrix's ultimate carrying capacity, but even with the seats in place you'll get more useable boot space than you'll probably need. Although it looks tiny outside, with its diminutive wheels and miniaturised detailing, the Matrix is, in fact, bigger than a Renault Scenic inside. With a 2600mmm wheelbase and a width of 1740mm it 's one of the biggest cars in the class. Break out the tape measure and you'll find your eyes aren't deceiving you. The Matrix is just 4025mm long, which makes it a good 20cm shorter than a Scenic and over a foot shorter than a Zafira.

The driving position is good, and the wheel is pleasantly upright, unlike in many small MPVs which make steering feel like opening a lock gate. Likewise the driving position is pleasantly relaxed, and the pedals are well spaced. The windscreen pillars don't contain any airbags and, as a consequence, are relatively slim, such that you'll probably be more likely to avoid an accident on a bend or roundabout in the first instance. Should you need to stop, the brakes are well up to the task, although they require quite a stomp to get maximum effect.

The 81bhp 1.5-litre engine isn't the quietest unit you'll ever hear, having something of an old-school death rattle on start up, but it soon settles into a reasonably agreeable thrum. As with any turbo diesel, torque is a big plus, the 180Nm making it by far the most muscular of the three Matrix models. Peak power is developed at 4000rpm - pretty high for a diesel - although the torque band is sufficiently wide that you won't feel the need to stretch the engine that far too often. It's a decidedly unusual engine, one of very few mass-produced common-rail three-cylinder diesel and its all Hyundai's own work.

The manual gearbox offered requires a firm hand, but if you've the mechanical sympathy of a demolition derby driver you can hurry the TD GSi to 60mph in a yawnsome 17.7 seconds. The magical 100mph barrier remains resolutely unmolested by Matrix diesel drivers, the little Hyundai running out of steam at 99.4mph. The flipside of the leisurely performance is an average fuel consumption of over 47mpg with over 37mpg being easily attainable around town.

Being based on the Elantra platform, the Matrix rides well and makes all sorts of sense in town, as the turning circle is almost comically tiny and the steering is light and direct. It may lack feedback, but if you want a driver's car for the family, you'll need to fork out a heck of a lot more than £12,000.

Technically intriguing yet managing to disguise the areas where costs have been cut, the Matrix TD GSi is refreshingly different from the mini-MPV norm. Let's just hope it's not too different for the conservative UK buyers to get their heads round.