"Another washing machine car," a friend suggested about the Getz, Hyundai's new entrant to the supermini market.

Maybe. But every home has a washing machine. Every one of which does the job it is supposed to do, in marginally better or worse terms than each other. And at starter home level, that just what is needed. Time enough for the super-machines at some mature stage into life's future.

So the Getz is targeted at getting into the driveways of every one of those homes, to match the washing machines. And I'm betting right now that it will do for Hyundai in the supermini segment what Santa Fe, Trajet and Coupe have already done for theirs.

And I've only so far had a short acquaintance with the car.

It's going to score first in that it has a 1.1-litre engine that's genuinely peppy, as economically close to the psychological 50mpg spot as makes small matter, and looks at least as good as most of its opposition.

Only Opel's Corsa 1-litre among the key players is better in some of those respects, but is a fair bit more expensive. Similar can be said about the funkier and faster Toyota Yaris.

Fiat's Punto is cheaper, but has a 1.2-litre base engine which costs more in tax and insurance.

Ford's Fiesta has a much more established name, but suffers by only having an entry-level 1.3-litre engine.

And the Getz has ABS. The only other car in the segment like that is the Renault Clio, and it costs a fair chunk more.

So, given the growing acceptance of the Hyundai brand as being right up here in the 21st century, not to mention the marque's determination to become the fifth biggest global carmaker, and Getz is certainly up there as its key mass-market championship contender.

Getz is from the start a good looker, well up in the style stakes of the segment. The build quality, from this short acquaintance, certainly seems as good as it getz (couldn't resist it, sorry).

Inside, it's smart, functional, simple and comfortable. The driver's area doesn't try to be sassy, all is traditionally placed to hand and eye, the gearshift is a sweet as anything I've ever driven, and the visibilty all around isn't half bad.

There's a downside in sound insulation, and getting that smallest petrol mill up to revs is not the quietest experience in town, or in the class. But it is no worse than the new Ford Fiesta, for instance, which is aiming to get back its top selling spot in the segment.

There's also a certain buzz about the acceleration perception from the sound effects, though the figures really don't bear it out as being necessarily fast.

And don't expect hi-fi audio to punch through that distraction. But if you go for the up-specced CDX it gets a little better.

I have a sense that the wheels are a little small for the body, and pushing the Getz around Kildare's excuses for backroads can be a fraught experience for even a better-hung car, so I forgive any imperfections in the ride and handling there. On more decent surfaces it runs more than acceptably.

The Getz is priced at launch at E12,995 for the 3-door version powered by a 1.1-litre engine, with the 5-door version coming on the market at E505 extra.

The Irish distributors are expecting to sell 2,000 units of the Getz in 2003. While the vast bulk of sales are going to be of the 1.1-litre car - and they're calling 70 per cent of these to be the CDX - there are also promised options of 1.3- and 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder diesel car next year. Though I recently got the impression of a hesitation about the arrival time of the diesel.

This is a first view, and first feel. And a longer acquaintance may throw up some grittable glitzs. But so far it looks like the competition should be afraid of what their own customer base might be Getzing if they stroll to their local Hyundai dealership.

They've got into the habit of doing that kind of thing for their washing machines.