Inokom ATOS – Small Car for Those Who want Something Different
It has taken them a long time, but finally, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors finally called up to give me a test car. Even then, I did not get enough time to do a comprehensive test, the explanation given being that they only have one car, and a long list of journalists to go through.
Nevertheless, I gave it a go, and found it to be quite interesting. In the looks department, there isn’t much to talk about. It is not an ugly car, but it does not take my breath away either; I would say it looks ‘functional’. And functional it is, with a seating capacity of four, or five at a squeeze, a high roof for plenty of headroom, with a ‘station wagon’ rear end that gives a little more luggage storage space.
Many people out there are still confused as to whether this is the ATOZ, or ATOS, as both models are seen in town; to set things straight, the Inokom Atos is the locally assembled and re-badged version of the Hyundai Atoz. Now available with a 1.1 litre engine, the Atos makes a pretty nippy runabout. The catalogue says 58 Kilowatt of power, but it is definitely a misprint confirmed through a telephone call to the PR company handling the account, and it really is only 58 horses under the hood, from the 12-valve, 4-cylinder SOHC (Single Overhead Camshaft) engine from the Hyundai group. (I suppose there should be some red faces when this is brought to light, and some hurried reprints.)
Coupled to a 4-speed automatic transmission, it delivers just enough power to keep it on the move. It can cruise at around the highway regulation speed of 110 km/hr, and when pushed, my test unit hit 140 before it started to choke. We did not have the car long enough to do a proper fuel consumption test; in fact we effectively only had it for a little more than one day, and the car spent all its time running around the Klang Valley and the city of Kuala Lumpur. With a full tank of RM60.00, (topping up from an almost empty tank to the full capacity of 35 litres) we covered 240 plus kilometres and returned it with around a quarter tank of fuel left in it. This does not speak well for its fuel consumption, but then the Koreans are not known for frugality in the fuel department. To be fair, we drove it around quite aggressively; gentle drivers may get somewhat better figures.
Overall handling is fair, considering that the vehicle is a little higher than others. There is a little bit of body roll, but other than being a little disconcerting, it does hold its line reasonably well. The front suspension is made up of Macpherson struts, while the rear is held up by a simple beam arrangement with a panhard rod to keep it in line. Coil springs are on all four wheels. As a result, the ride is quite comfortable, and as long as you are not pushing it, it is actually quite fun to drive.
Dubbed an ‘MFV’, which means Multi-Function Vehicle, the Inokom Atos is designed to be a city car, and more. It is a city runabout, made with compact dimensions for easy driving. Parking is easy with its small size and the power steering makes the steering easy to use.
Inside, the trim is spartan and there are no frills. However, I must commend the design of the interior, especially the high ceiling that does not give you the claustrophobic feeling of a small car, the seats that are large and well padded, with a high hip point that allows one to get in and out very easily, and has the bonus of a large recess under each front seat so that tall rear passengers can slip their feet into.
In the final analysis, the Atos does look a little different from the rest of the little cars running around; not a lot, but different enough that you would note the difference. Current price is RM46k, on the road without insurance.
