Value for money

If money is a universal act of faith — working when we believe in it, collapsing when we don’t — what about value for money? Is that just part of the beneficial illusion or is it something more tangible?

If money is a universal act of faith — working when we believe in it, collapsing when we don’t — what about value for money? Is that just part of the beneficial illusion or is it something more tangible?

I was pondering this recently in relation to Hyundai and Aston Martin. One range starts at £7,725 (the excellent and frugal Hyundai i10, champion beneficiary of the scrappage scheme) and the other at £88,995 with the scorching V8 Vantage. Yet the Hyundai does almost everything the Aston does, starting with that most important of tasks, getting you there. So in terms of value for money there’s no contest, surely.

Indeed, there’s precious little contest between Hyundai and its Kia sibling and the rest of the industry. With their competitive pricing, unobjectionable styling and demonstrable reliability — five-year unlimited mileage or seven-year 100,000- mile warranties — some are now calling these upstart Koreans the new Honda and Toyota because they’re better value than either. Buffeted by Korean success, Toyota, Daihatsu and Chevrolet are now going for five years, while Rolls-Royce, Maybach and even Ferrari (that’s brave) are going for four. Last month Vauxhall announced a ‘lifetime warranty’ — albeit that ‘lifetime’ means 100,000 miles and the warranty isn’t transferable beyond the first registered owner. But only with Hyundai could you do 100,000 miles a year (offered since 2002) and still be under warranty, so it’s no surprise that police forces are snapping them up, particularly the £14,900 i30 hatchback.

I recently borrowed the Hyundai ix35 crossover SUV (from £16,495) and its big brother, the seven-seat Santa Fe (from £21,620).