2018 Hyundai Accent debuts with new looks
What is it?: There will be a day where sales of crossovers and SUVs will eclipse cars, but that isn’t stopping Hyundai from breathing new life into its plucky and not-so-little Accent. The fifth generation grows in almost every dimension and gets a snazzy new look inspired by its bigger brother, the Elantra. Why does it matter?: The 2018 Accent is one of Hyundai’s bread-and-butter models in Canada, dominating the subcompact segment with 23.7 per cent of the market and having sold more than 430,000 Accents over the past two-plus decades. Like it or not, bargain-basement cars are here to stay.
And yet, the Accent is so much more than a “bargain-basement” compact. Underpinned by Hyundai’s Superstructure platform, the Accent is 32 per cent stiffer than the previous model, thanks to the use of more high-strength steel in the chassis. This means better driving dynamics and an improved sense of refinement, but we’ll have to wait and see how this translates to on-road behaviour.
Powertrain options are familiar: a 1.6-litre direct-injected fourcylinder engine pumps out 132 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque, but it’s been retuned for better passing power and fuel economy. Buyers can have the 1.6L four-cylinder engine hooked up to a manual or automatic transmission, both with six gears.
The most impressive bit is, arguably, the looks, both inside and out. Coming across as something of a baby Elantra, the Accent is fetching for a subcompact, wearing Hyundai’s trademark cascading grille and optional LED daytime running lights up front. Under the skin, goodies such as push-button start, a seven-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus safety nannies such as automatic braking, are available. When is it coming?: The 2018 Accent sedan will launch later this year, followed by a hatchback in early 2018. That hatchback, will be exclusive to Canada.