Home LivingGardenHyundai HYM480SPER review: a top self-propelled petrol lawn mowerA fully-featured petrol mower with electric start, self propulsion and a rear rollerWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Hyundai)T3 VerdictThe petrol-powered Hyundai HYM480SPER is a great choice for larger lawns and comes with a tranche of tantalising features, including electric start, six-speed self propulsion, variable engine speeds, a rear roller for laying lawn stripes, a huge grass collector and even a pair of cup holders for your afternoon coffee.Reasons to buy+Electric start+Self propulsion+Rear roller+Ideal for large lawnsReasons to avoid-Very heavy-Not great in tight spacesWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Home LivingGardenHyundai HYM480SPER review: a top self-propelled petrol lawn mowerA fully-featured petrol mower with electric start, self propulsion and a rear rollerWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Hyundai)T3 VerdictThe petrol-powered Hyundai HYM480SPER is a great choice for larger lawns and comes with a tranche of tantalising features, including electric start, six-speed self propulsion, variable engine speeds, a rear roller for laying lawn stripes, a huge grass collector and even a pair of cup holders for your afternoon coffee.Reasons to buy+Electric start+Self propulsion+Rear roller+Ideal for large lawnsReasons to avoid-Very heavy-Not great in tight spacesWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
A fully-featured petrol mower with electric start, self propulsion and a rear roller
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Hyundai)T3 VerdictThe petrol-powered Hyundai HYM480SPER is a great choice for larger lawns and comes with a tranche of tantalising features, including electric start, six-speed self propulsion, variable engine speeds, a rear roller for laying lawn stripes, a huge grass collector and even a pair of cup holders for your afternoon coffee.Reasons to buy+Electric start+Self propulsion+Rear roller+Ideal for large lawnsReasons to avoid-Very heavy-Not great in tight spaces
(Image credit: Hyundai)
(Image credit: Hyundai)
T3 VerdictThe petrol-powered Hyundai HYM480SPER is a great choice for larger lawns and comes with a tranche of tantalising features, including electric start, six-speed self propulsion, variable engine speeds, a rear roller for laying lawn stripes, a huge grass collector and even a pair of cup holders for your afternoon coffee.Reasons to buy+Electric start+Self propulsion+Rear roller+Ideal for large lawnsReasons to avoid-Very heavy-Not great in tight spaces
T3 VerdictThe petrol-powered Hyundai HYM480SPER is a great choice for larger lawns and comes with a tranche of tantalising features, including electric start, six-speed self propulsion, variable engine speeds, a rear roller for laying lawn stripes, a huge grass collector and even a pair of cup holders for your afternoon coffee.
T3 Verdict
The petrol-powered Hyundai HYM480SPER is a great choice for larger lawns and comes with a tranche of tantalising features, including electric start, six-speed self propulsion, variable engine speeds, a rear roller for laying lawn stripes, a huge grass collector and even a pair of cup holders for your afternoon coffee.
Reasons to buy+Electric start+Self propulsion+Rear roller+Ideal for large lawnsReasons to avoid-Very heavy-Not great in tight spaces
Reasons to buy+Electric start+Self propulsion+Rear roller+Ideal for large lawns
Electric start
Self propulsion
Rear roller
Ideal for large lawns
Reasons to avoid-Very heavy-Not great in tight spaces
Very heavy
Not great in tight spaces
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Welcome to our review of the Hyundai HYM480SPER, a four-stroke petrol-powered lawn beast with electric start, self propulsion and rear rollers for laying lawn stripes.
If you have a large lawn – and one preferably not too close to neighbours – a petrol lawn mower is the most efficient way to get the job done. There’s no electricity cable to drag along behind you and no batteries to run out half way through. And if you use Aspen 4, an ethanol-free alkylate fuel that contains 99% fewer harmful hydrocarbons, the act of mowing won’t affect the environment either.
The Hyundai HYM480SPER is one of the best models in our esteemed guide to thebest petrol lawn mowersand here’s why.
Hyundai HYM480SPER review: design and features
(Image credit: Hyundai)
(Image credit: Hyundai)
In the pantheon of hunky lawn mowers, the Hyundai HYM480SPER is quite a mean looker that tells neighbours you take your lawn mowing very seriously. In fact so seriously you chose a model that comes with two drinks bottle holders. Really, there are two robust bottle holders built into the Hyundai’s handlebar system – presumably included just in case you get thirsty after your first 20 minutes on the sod.
But you haven’t alighted on this page to read about drink bottle holders. What you want to know is the kind of features this mower has and whether they’re good enough to splash out the required £600 to have it on your lawn.
We’ll go into more detail in the following chapters but, in a nutshell, this mower features electric start, six speeds of self propulsion, a 139cc OHV single-cylinder four-stroke variable-speed Hyundai engine that develops 3.5hp, a large 48cm (19 inch) cutting deck, five adjustable cutting heights – from 25mm to a 75mm – a huge 70-litre grass collector and two large rollers on the rear for producing lawn stripes. It also comes with a three-year home-use warranty which is blooming good.
At 41.5 kilos, this is one of the heaviest mowers we’ve tested – second only to the humongous Hayter Harrier – so you absolutely won’t be able to lift it up any steps without some help. Also, like most self-propelled petrol mowers that are equipped with extra drive cables, the handlebar can’t be folded. Bear this in mind if you have a small storage shed because this model is 1.53m in length from nose to the end of the handlebar.
Let’s look at its key features in a bit more detail.
Hyundai HYM480SPER review: self propulsion
Many large petrol mowers these days are equipped with self-propulsion and that’s the case with this model. You get six propulsion speeds with this fella – from a gentle stroll to a brisk walk – and, unusually, the 139cc engine’s revs increase with each of the first three speed settings. This seemed odd at first because in first gear the revs are really low and I wondered if the blade was actually turning fast enough to cut the grass. Well it was, it turns out, but only because the grass hadn’t grown much since the last cut.
When it comes to longer cuts, you’ll need to engage second or third gear via the tactfully notchy lever on the handlebar to increase engine revs and blade speed. However, this also increases the self propulsion speed. I personally had no issue with this because speeds one to three are quite slow anyway. However, when you get to speeds four and upwards, the mower becomes more spritely but still not beyond the effort of most people. Nevertheless, if you’re elderly and your legs aren’t what they used to be, I would advise keeping it below speeds five and six. The engine and blade is still at full pelt from speed three or four onwards so the extra notches on the lever will only increase the propulsion speed and not the engine revs. If that makes any sense.
Hyundai HYM480SPER review: electric start
The Hyundai HYM480SPER has an excellent electric start feature – plus cup holders if that is your wont(Image credit: Hyundai)
The Hyundai HYM480SPER has an excellent electric start feature – plus cup holders if that is your wont
The Hyundai HYM480SPER has an excellent electric start feature – plus cup holders if that is your wont
(Image credit: Hyundai)
This is what prompted me to call the Hyundai in for a review. I’m okay with pulling on a start cable – which this mower still comes with for emergencies – but I was dead keen to try a mower with electric start. And what a difference it makes.
Anyway, back to the electric start. Having prepared it with Aspen fuel and oil, I completely forgot to engage the choke as advised and simply pushed the electric start button, expecting the brand new engine to turn over repeatedly before firing up. Well, blow me down with a feather because it started immediately within two seconds of hitting the button. That was impressive enough but even more impressive was the noise, or rather lack of it. Since I started it with the gear lever in the first position, the engine revs were so low it purred like a cordless mower. But even at full revs, this engine is quieter than most petrol mowers I’ve used, so full marks in that respect.
Hyundai HYM480SPER review: rear roller
(Image credit: Hyundai)
(Image credit: Hyundai)
If you like stripes and can’t afford a Hayter, the brand of choice amongst professional groundkeepers, I would suggest giving this machine a whirl. The Hyundai has a heavy 38cm roller on the rear which flattens the grass as it moves over it. Since the act of mowing involves moving sequentially up and down a lawn, the blades of grass are flattened in each direction and this gives the visual effect of the grass having stripes of different shades. In this instance, the roller is split in the centre to allow for easy turns at the end of each pass.
I should add at this juncture that lawn stripes don’t last much longer than a couple of days because the grass eventually springs back up. Hence, if you want to impress your guests with your football stadium stripes, mow the lawn just before they’re due to arrive.
Hyundai HYM480SPER review: performance
(Image credit: Hyundai)
(Image credit: Hyundai)
Unfortunately the recent drought prevented me from trying this mower out on really long grass but the way it handled a medium-growth lawn impressed me and I have no doubt it will easily tackle long stuff, especially with the engine in top gear.
However, I did find it wasn’t nearly as manoeuvrable as my favourite Cobra MX534SPH, especially when turning it and negotiating garden obstacles. I put this down to the extra weight of the rear rollers and their increased rolling resistance. However, I loved the control system, the slick gear changes and the extra large 70-litre grass collector that helped reduce my journeys to the compost bin.
Hyundai HYM480SPER review: verdict
Want a different type of lawn mower? Head over to our guide to thebest cordless lawn mowers
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