Hyundai Accent has get up and go
Design underwhelms, but it’s a prudent pick.
Against the backdrop of a strong economy and popularity of SUVs, affordable subcompact cars are seldom a class consumers want to shop. But if budget or size constraints land you there, the redesigned Hyundai Accent is a prudent, if unexciting, choice.
By competitive standards, the Accent’s design, quality and roominess all underwhelm. But it drives quite well — something shoppers who aim to put serious miles on it will appreciate.
The Accent comes in SE, SEL and Limited trim levels, all with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine. The SE has a standard 6-speed manual transmission or optional 6-speed automatic; the SEL and Limited have only the automatic.
At least the Accent’s pint-size 4-cylinder engine is up to the task, with immediate accelerator response up front. And the 1.6-liter, 130-horsepower motor delivers enough power at city speeds to sustain the oomph even with multiple adults aboard.
Driving solo, highway passing is acceptable, if noisy — both from engine and wind noise. The 6-speed automatic downshifts quickly, though it sometimes hunts for gears before settling on the right one.
Steering is free of the prior Accent’s numb feedback, and its quick ratio evokes the Yaris iA or Honda Fit. Modest body roll limits the fun, but road-holding is impressive with the Limited trim’s wider Continental tires, which stave off eventual understeer to impressive lim- its. Not so with the skinnier rubber on the SE and SEL (also Continentals). For all their benefit to ride comfort, they slide early and often.
The redesigned Accent wears its scaled-down-Elantra styling well. Even SE models have painted side mirrors and door handles, avoiding the budgetcar giveaway of black plastic. Alas, the dashboard blows that cover: It’s an unremarkable dome-and-shelf routine with center controls slapped down the middle — a shape little different from any interior a decade ago.
The Accent’s multimedia system is generous, at least. SE models get a 5inch touch-screen, while SEL and Limited trims have a 7-inch unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Most controls feel weighty and secure, and SEL and Limited trims have a padded center armrest, but quality is otherwise spartan. The seats have rough-hewn cloth upholstery even in Limited models, and a mess of hard, shiny plastic surrounds them. Shoppers on a shoestring budget need not accept such limitations: The Yaris iA and Ford Fiesta, for example, have notably higher quality.
Pricing starts around $16,000 and tops out around $20,000. That’s a bit north of the outgoing Accent, which runs from $15,630 to $18,380, but the redesign has a pile of new features and the price range is in line with major competitors.
Standard features include the 5inch touch-screen multimedia system, steering-wheel volume and cruisecontrol buttons, power windows and locks, remote keyless entry and air conditioning and Hyundai’s excellent warranty to boot.
At the other end, an Accent Limited has keyless access and push-button start, heated seats, single-zone automatic climate control and a moonroof. Leather or vinyl upholstery, a feature some competitors offer, is missing.