Decent at-hand storage levels? Check. Surprisingly generous headroom? Check. Room on board for four adults? Plenty. Really, this thing feels larger inside than you'd expect.
There's a simple and logical control layout, plenty of color and texture contrast, and a nice set of instruments, too.
Affordably upscale ride
Start driving, and the new Accent shows the same positive attributes your writer appreciated in last year's model. Albeit road noise on rougher surfaces, Accent rides more quietly than its price leads on. Even up to 130 km/h on a smooth highway, wind noise is kept nicely isolated. And even on rougher surfaces, the suspension feels robust, well-damped, quiet and solid - rather than flimsy, noisy and delicate.
GDI performance
Like the ride, the Accent's all-new powertrain impresses. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine uses gasoline direct injection (GDI), a rarity virtually anywhere near this price range. That gave the tester 138 highly efficient horsepower, managed by a six-speed automatic with manual mode.
Thanks to enhanced efforts to keep weight down, Accent has a class-leading power-to-weight ratio, so it scoots along in a relative jiffy when drivers give it the boots. In the process, it's smooth and pleasant sounding, even if just a little noisy. The engine and transmission work well with one another for surprising smoothness and higher-than-expected performance.
Overall fuel consumption during my week with a low-mileage tester landed around 7 L/100km, including plenty of highway cruising around 120 km/h.
Steering weirdness
The electric power steering system lets the driving experience down slightly. At highway speeds, it tightens up on-centre for a more stable feel, but loosens up once turned, before tightening again. Observant drivers will notice the ongoing loosening and tightening, which results in a strange, slightly awkward and inconsistent feel, especially on winding highways.
There's a simple and logical control layout, plenty of color and texture contrast, and a nice set of instruments, too.
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| That gave the tester 138 highly efficient horsepower, managed by a six-speed automatic with manual mode. (Photo: Hyundai) |
Affordably upscale ride
Start driving, and the new Accent shows the same positive attributes your writer appreciated in last year's model. Albeit road noise on rougher surfaces, Accent rides more quietly than its price leads on. Even up to 130 km/h on a smooth highway, wind noise is kept nicely isolated. And even on rougher surfaces, the suspension feels robust, well-damped, quiet and solid - rather than flimsy, noisy and delicate.
GDI performance
Like the ride, the Accent's all-new powertrain impresses. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine uses gasoline direct injection (GDI), a rarity virtually anywhere near this price range. That gave the tester 138 highly efficient horsepower, managed by a six-speed automatic with manual mode.
Thanks to enhanced efforts to keep weight down, Accent has a class-leading power-to-weight ratio, so it scoots along in a relative jiffy when drivers give it the boots. In the process, it's smooth and pleasant sounding, even if just a little noisy. The engine and transmission work well with one another for surprising smoothness and higher-than-expected performance.
Overall fuel consumption during my week with a low-mileage tester landed around 7 L/100km, including plenty of highway cruising around 120 km/h.
Steering weirdness
The electric power steering system lets the driving experience down slightly. At highway speeds, it tightens up on-centre for a more stable feel, but loosens up once turned, before tightening again. Observant drivers will notice the ongoing loosening and tightening, which results in a strange, slightly awkward and inconsistent feel, especially on winding highways.
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| Overall fuel consumption during my week with a low-mileage tester landed around 7 L/100km, including plenty of highway cruising around 120 km/h. (Photo: Hyundai) |