Hyundai Accent Review

Style and glamour may have eluded the Hyundai Accent, but since its 1995 introduction, this economy car has quietly established itself as one of the better-built, better-performing choices at the bottom end of the new car market.

Although grouped with the subcompact cars in their price range, the Accent sedan and hatchback have always fallen under the EPA’s classification for a compact car, which translates to a surprisingly roomy interior. Other Accent advantages include a nicely furnished cabin, a long standard equipment list and adequate acceleration and handling. Generous warranty coverage is another plus: Since 1999, Hyundai has backed the Accent with a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile drivetrain warranty.

If there’s any reason you wouldn’t want to buy the generally competent Hyundai Accent, it’s the increasingly diverse selection at the lower end of the economy car segment. Competing import manufacturers have introduced new models with added style, personality and options availability. Another drawback is the Accent’s typically low resale value (though this does make it quite affordable on the used market). For buyers who don’t need all the glitz and plan to keep their car for more than five years, though, the Hyundai Accent is a sensible choice among budget sedans and three-door hatchbacks.

Current Hyundai Accent

The Hyundai Accent is a five-passenger compact offered in four trim levels: Blue, GS, SE and GLS. The Blue, GS and the SE are two-door hatchbacks, while the GLS is available as a four-door sedan only. All Accents are powered by a 110-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. Transmission choices are either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

The base Blue two-door hatchback makes do without a standard stereo, but it does feature a six-way-adjustable driver seat with height adjustment, a reclining 60/40-split rear seatback, front seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Moving up through the trims nets air-conditioning, AM/FM radio and optional power accessories and antilock brakes (standard on SE and optional on GS). The SE also has alloy wheels and sport-tuned suspension and steering.

Inside, there’s a clean, two-tone decor with straightforward controls. Materials are tasteful in appearance and solid in quality, with just a few cheap plastics on the console and dash. Interior room is ample enough that average-sized adults can get comfortable in the front or rear. In terms of feature content, the Hyundai Accent delivers on all the essentials.

In reviews, we’ve found the Accent to be a good choice for those seeking basic, fuel-efficient transportation. Driving the Accent offers no revelations in performance, but the brakes are strong, and ride quality and handling are fully acceptable for an economy car. The four-cylinder engine provides ample power for driving around town, but acceleration can be sluggish at highway speeds on automatic-transmission models. We recommend getting the manual gearbox if you can.

Used Hyundai Accent Models

The current-generation Hyundai Accent dates back to 2006, when it was introduced in sedan body style only — the two-door hatchback arrived a year later. There was a slight bump in fuel economy for ’09, as well as the added options of cruise control and a sunroof. For 2010, the Blue trim joined the lineup as the new value leader, while the SE got standard cruise control and a sunroof, and USB connectivity was added to the available auxiliary input. Most importantly, antilock brakes became available on the Accent GS. Used car shoppers should pay special attention to whether or not an Accent has ABS, as the car’s braking distance grows excessively long without it.

The second-generation Accent was sold in sedan and hatchback form from 2000-’05. Initially, this Accent was offered only with an 89-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine (horsepower varied slightly over the years). A 104-hp, 1.6-liter engine joined the lineup in 2001 and replaced the 1.5-liter altogether in 2003. Acceleration was adequate even with the 1.5-liter engine, however, and both the automatic and manual transmissions perform acceptably.

Handling and braking capabilities were modest on second-gen Accents, mainly because of the car’s undersized 13-inch wheels and tires. Hyundai did offer the ’04 and ’05 GT hatchback with 14-inch wheels and a firmer suspension, but if you’re buying any used Accent, it’s a good idea to set aside some money for better tires. Unfortunately, antilock brakes were optional only on 2005 Accents. Front seat-mounted side airbags were standard on ’03 GL sedans and hatchbacks, and on all ’04 and ’05 models.

Sold from 1995-’99, the first-generation Hyundai Accent was also available as both a compact sedan and a three-door hatchback; it replaced Hyundai’s shoddily built Excel subcompact (1986-’94). All Accents of this era came with a 92-hp, 1.5-liter engine, except for the ’96 and ’97 GT hatch, which had a DOHC, 16-valve version of this engine good for 105 hp. ABS was optional on automatic transmission-equipped Accents sold from 1995-’98, but this safety feature was discontinued entirely for ’99 and didn’t turn up again until 2005.