Sustainability is what Hyundai has put forth as their main focus, a point made clear as they announce that they will have no less than four 40 mpg models in 2012. This is 40 mpg with no premiums, by the way. Hyundai are keen to point out that with other manufacturers that promise the same fuel economy, there’s always that little niggling asterisk that precedes such claims. Leading the charge in the subcompact segment in the following year is the 2012 Hyundai Accent.
They haven’t skimped on style with the new Accent. As with the latest round of Hyundai models, the current Accent has a Chrome accented grille with hexagonal vents, sculpted hood creases and wraparound headlamps. Wraparound taillights with match these on the 4-door sedan while the 5-door hatch will have vertical taillights and stylish rear deflectors.
The accent features a 1.6 liter GDI engine that puts out 138 hp and 123 lb ft torque at 4850 rpm. This is the first GDI engine to be found in a subcompact car and it’s also 40 pounds lighter than the outgoing alpha engine. This can be paired with a six-speed manual transmission that has an EcoShift indicator to show you the ideal shift points for fuel economy. The automatic transmission includes an overdrive lock-up torque converter for higher fuel economy at freeway speeds.
The interior of the car is quite roomy, with a total of 103 cubic feet of space in the sedan and 11cu. Ft. in the 5- door, both just edging out the Ford Fiesta. While Spartan, Hyundai has made the effort in reducing the hard plastics of the surfaces inside, and this is most evident in the work they put in for the interior pillars. By combining plastic, fibrous tissue and volcanic rock, they have come up with a scratch resistant surface with a cloth-like texture. It’s a detail that may go unnoticed by many, but it’s an appreciated step in the right direction, away from cheap, ugly materials.
We spent considerable time with the 5-door Accent, taking it on a windy route through country back roads, cruising around farms that reflect the sustainability of Hyundai’s latest priorities. The front independent McPherson strut suspension and rear torsion beam axle is tuned to deliver ride comfort (and “sport-tuned” on the SE version), and this is done well enough, transmitting a hefty dose of road feel, but not so much so that it distracts from the task at hand. Going about your daily routine and regular highway driving, the Accent will perform that duty admirably.
We noticed that, in attempting to keep pace with a sister vehicle, the Genesis sedan, the accent revealed a few nuances. We are, of course, not making a direct comparison of its power and handling, but there were a couple situations where we wished we’d swapped cars. For instance, however sport tuned as Hyundai claimed the suspension is, the accent remains an affordable FWD subcompact, so highways with diminishing bends do get slightly harrowing. Also, in the same vein, be mindful of turns that run over small hills as when encountered with a combination upward and sideways momentum, the front independent suspension may follow the road properly, but the torsion beam rear will want to travel away.
The great thing is, most people are not foolish journalists, but situations do arise, and the Accent has many things going for it in regards to safety. Notably, the Accent is the first subcompact with 4 wheel disc brakes as standard, giving it great braking characteristics. Other standard safety features are front airbags and side-impact airbags for both front and rear passengers, hill start assist, and dual bodyside reinforcements to protect front and rear passengers in a collision.
The accent has three trim levels available, the standard 4-door GLS, the more equipped 5-door GS, and the sporty 5-door SE. All of these come with a great host of standard equipment and options. The base 4-door has an MSRP of $12,445 with absolutely no options, but take the comfort package and it’s $14,195. The 5-door starts at an MSRP of $14,595 with the GS and rises to $16,795 with the SE. The Accent is available now, so checkout hyundaiusa.com for more info.
Words By – Alex Kalogiannis
Photos provided by Hyundai
