In our recent discussions with Suzuki, we were informed that the company’s micro-car – the Splash – would not make it to Australia for some time. There was talk of another car coming and we suspect its based on this, the
The all-new Hyundai Accent is a great addition to the ever-expanding light car segment.
In today’s uncertain economic times, light cars make a lot of sense. In fact, it was three years ago now in the height of the first global financial crisis that sales of light cars overtook those of large cars in Australia. As it stands today, one in every four cars sold to private buyers is a light car.
With prices for the Accent starting from $16,990 for the Active five-speed manual, Hyundai has yet another excellent entry point into a competitive market.
We last saw the Accent nameplate in 2009, so it’s interesting that the South Korean company has continued to keep the badge for the new model. Unlike its ‘i’ cars, which are designed primarily for the European market, the Accent is destined for ‘general’ markets, which includes pretty much everywhere but Europe.
Even so, the Korean-built Accent is now the fourth model to be styled in Hyundai’s new Fluid Sculpture design language. From the outside it’s certainly an attractive little car, with its sharp and modern styling both front and rear. Even from a distance you can instantly tell it’s got the new Hyundai ‘look’.
Offered in both hatch and sedan, the Accent is set to target a large group of buyers, from those looking for their first new car to the elderly seeking a practical retirement car.
With the end of the unbelievably popular Getz, the all-new Hyundai Accent and the i20 have a lot to deliver.
Hyundai has repositioned the Indian-built i20 to sit below the new Accent, with all model year 2012s only being offered with a 1.4-litre engine. Meanwhile, the Accent gets a 1.6-litre petrol from launch and is positioned below the i30.
The South Koreans will offer the Accent in three trims and two body shapes with all models initially powered by a 1.6-litre four cylinder engine. Delivering 91kW and 156Nm of torque, the four-cylinder is great for city driving and cruises comfortably on the highway. If you want more performance, wait a few more months as a direct-injection petrol engine and a common-rail diesel are in the pipeline.
The 1.6-litre can be coupled to the standard five-speed manual, which returns fuel economy figures of 6.0L/100km, or you can option up a four-speed automatic that consumes 6.4L/100km. Like most light cars, the automatic variant tends to highlight the engine’s lack of punch when overtaking, making the manual the preferred transmission.
All variants get all the safety kit as standard. In addition to the six airbags, the Accent is full of electronic aids to help prevent an accident before it even happens. The combination of Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Traction Control System (TCS) helps form Hyundai’s Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system. Apart from doing the regular job of applying brake and power to whichever wheel needs it the most, VSM also uses a Motor Driven Power Steering (MPDS) system to guide in the steering process when needed.
If none of that makes any sense, all you need to know is that the new Accent gets the maximum five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assesment Program (ANCAP) – and that’s not easy.
Base model Accent Actives come standard with a four-speaker audio system that supports Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming with controls on the steering wheel. This allows wireless, hands-free transmission of not only your phone calls but also your music. A USB port adds a wide variety of additional media integration opportunities (e.g. iPod). From the outside the standard 14-inch steel wheels let down what is otherwise a good looking car.
To launch the new Accent, Hyundai brought CarAdvice to Sydney where we embarked on a test drive around the CBD and surrounding suburbs. The company was keen to emphasis the Accent is primarily a city dweller, destined to spend the majority of its life in CBD locations doing short trips. This was possibly done to stem any potential criticism of the vehicle’s ride and handling.
Our first car was a green mid-trim manual Elite hatchback, which for an extra $1500 over the base model Active, is certainly worth the extra coin if you can afford it.
