The Accent's cabin is equipped with an ETR AM/FM/stereo CD player with 4 speakers. I must confess that the sound quality is not that great. I found there to be more treble than bass. What's more the Accent's competitor, the Kia Rio, had a much better sound system. But hey, it still included a CD player, and if so desired for a few hundred dollars an upgrade can be made.
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| The 3-door GSi comes with some sporty exterior features, such as fog lamps, alloy wheels, a G-Force rear deck spoiler, and a sport-tuned suspension. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
In comparison to the rather sedate 4-door Accent GL I previously tested, the 3-door GSi has a sporty theme associated with it. The GSi comes with a leather-wrapped 3-spoke steering wheel, a leather-wrapped shift knob, front reclining bucket seats with adjustable headrests upholstered in sport cloth, fog lamps, alloy wheels, a G-Force rear deck spoiler, and a sport-tuned suspension.
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| The rev happy 104-hp 1.6-L MPI DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine on the GSi is best matched with the 5-speed manual transmission for optimal fun. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
Powering the prowling Accent is a 104-hp 1.6-L MPI DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine, and it's pretty fast. It revs up quickly and matches the 5-speed manual really well. It also brakes surprisingly well for a sub-$15,000 car, despite having no ABS and drums in the rear. But then again, it only weighs 1,010 kg (2,227 lbs).
But while it's fun to drive, there are a few things that are not that ideal about the Accent GSi. Because it's a 3-door hatchback, there is a fairly severe blind spot when checking over the shoulder to make a lane change. It requires more than a quick glance to check see if the coast is clear. Also, the visibility out the rear window is limited due to the sloping nature of the trunk. Leg room in the back seat is limited because of its subcompact size, but nevertheless, it's not uncomfortable. On the plus side, there is a decent amount of trunk room plus the detachable cargo cover hides valuables effectively. And yes, the 6'4" boyfriend was quite comfortable.
