Review: Hyundai Accent is all work and no show
Corrections & Clarifications: Accent is made in Mexico
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.
Hyundai gave its fifth-generation Accent sedan the green light for U.S. dealers, but a hatchback variant that's available elsewhere won't make it stateside. Hatch-o-philes can consider the redesigned Kia Rio, a platform sibling that's available as a hatch.
The Accent comes in SE, SEL and Limited trim levels, all with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. The SE has a standard six-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed automatic; the SEL and Limited have only the automatic.
At least the Accent's pint-size four-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 six-speed automatic downshifts quickly, though it sometimes hunts for gears before settling on the right one.
The manual transmission has medium throws, a large shift knob and a light clutch. For parents who want to teach three-pedal driving to their teenage children — more for character-building than practical application at this point — the Accent's stick is a quick learn, though it comes at a slight mileage penalty: 31 miles per gallon vs. 32 mpg with the automatic. Both figures are class-competitive.
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 limits. 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 budget-car 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 5-inch touchscreen, 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 5-inch touchscreen multimedia system, steering-wheel volume and cruise-control 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.
Whether this redesign improves on the old Accent's middling crash-test scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety remains to be seen. Subcompact cars aren't known for good crash-test scores, but ratings on the 2018 Accent are still pending. Still, the automaker missed an opportunity to leapfrog the competition with greater availability of forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking — important safety features that few competitors aside from the Yaris provide standard.
In a value-conscious group like subcompacts, the 2018 Accent is acceptable in many ways and impressive in a few. That may not overcome shopper sentiment against a class that's under steady sales decline. But if you're among the shrinking group of consumers who want an entry-level sedan — and if you've read this far, I suspect you are — the Accent is worth a look.
This full version of this story, 2018 Hyundai Accent Review: Sensible Trumps Sexy, appeared on Cars.com.
What stands out
Performance: Enough pep. Just enough.
Value: Loads of new features
Safety: Adequate, but could have been better
2018 Hyundai Accent
What: An entry-level subcompact
When: On sale now
Where: Made in Mexico
What makes it go: A 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine producing 130 horsepower
How thirsty: Rated at 28 miles per gallon in the city, 38 mpg on the highway and 32 mpg overall
How big: 14.3 feet long
How much: $15,995 before delivery charges for the manual transmission base model
Overall: If getting from A to B doesn't involve style or panache, Accent is a solid choice.