Hyundai ACCENT range
Women's view
When I heard that I was receiving a Hyundai Accent for a week, the prospect of Shanks Pony looked increasingly attractive. I remembered these cars as being rather podgy and dullI, hardly the sort of thing for youd choose if you wanted to make an impression. When the car arrived I still maintained that it wouldnt cause much of a splash amongst my friends but it looked a whole lot neater than I remembered, especially around the front end. I stopped cutting eye holes for the paper bag I had been planning to wear over my head when driving the Accent through town and decided to take a closer look.
| Build |  |
| Comfort |  |
| Depreciation |  |
| Economy | |
| Equipment | |
| Handling | |
| Insurance | |
| Performance | |
| Styling | |
| Value |  |
The Accent is as it has always been a very sensible proposition. Customers now have the choice of three engines. The 1.3-litre engine is familiar fare and the 1.
5-litre CRTD common rail diesel has been a steady seller for Hyundai. The 1.6-litre petrol unit that now features in the Accent range is the same powerplant found in the entry-level Coupe version and is good for 103bhp, giving the 1.6 Accent a good deal more verve than any previous version.
Campaigning on value, safety and reliability, the Accent would seem to make a strong case for itself. All versions feature twin front airbags, anti lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, power steering, side impact bars, a CD-based stereo, electric windows all round, split/fold rear seats, ISOFIX child seat mounts and alloy wheels. Plump for a CDX model and youll also get side airbags, air conditioning, drivers seat height adjustment and lumbar support, impact sensing door unlock and a trip computer. Despite the generous allowance of standard equipment, the Accents interiors are still predominantly grey and rather dated in feel, which is a shame as Hyundai have shown that they are capable of designing a decent interior, as evidenced by the sharp Coupe.
Despite the vast steps Hyundai have taken, the latest Accent never feels as thoroughly developed as a modern mainstream supermini like a Peugeot 206 or a SEAT Ibiza. In defence of the Accent, however, there is a good deal more space. The boot on the four-door cars is cavernous and theres plenty of legroom in the back seats.
The 1.3-litre engine that was fitted to my test car has always been popular with Accent customers and with some justification. Although youll only have 83bhp to play with, the top speed of 108mph and a sprint to 60mph in 12.7 seconds are a fair return.
The 1.6-litre car is usefully quicker, topping out at 118mph and capable of sprinting to 60mph in 10 seconds flat whilst returning an average fuel figure of 41mpg. The three-cylinder diesel versions crank out 81bhp and 136lb/ft of torque with an excellent average fuel consumption of over 51mpg. Comfort and convenience remain the keynotes (or the `Accents`) of this design. If you can operate a payphone, youll have little trouble with the cabin controls. Indeed, the ease of changing gear and the lightness of the clutch and steering will also appeal to the older buyers who bought so many of the previous model. Dual front airbags are standard across the range along with load limiters in the seat belt reels.
These reduce belt tension and help limit internal injuries. Side door beams are fitted and models with anti-lock brakes now have electronic brake force distribution to reduce stopping distances in emergencies.
The summit of the Accent range is still hardly nosebleed territory, the £10,995 1.6 CDX slotting into a price gap that sits roughly between what youd pay for either a plush Ford Fiesta or a larger but more basic Ford Focus. This may seem strange given that Hyundai has achieved some decent results in the World Rally Championship with the Accent WRC car. Surely it would make sense to produce a sporty high-end Accent that trades on this success and boosts the cars profile in the UK? Hyundai would seem to disagree.
Despite the latest cars sassier front and rear lights and neater lines, the big draw is still the five-year warranty arrangement and the peerless value for money. This pioneering five-year warranty was the first in the UK to be fully transferable between owners, plumping up the Accents once mediocre residual values. Used buyers can now pick up an two year old car knowing they have three years of worry-free motoring ahead of them, a huge benefit that transforms the way the Accent is perceived. With genuine unlimited mile cover, buyers arent about to be tripped up by tedious exemption clauses.
It even covers certain perishable items and features three years RAC assistance, removing the prospect of being snookered on some dark hard shoulder.
If you want a lot of metal for your money its hard to ignore the Accent. Personally, Id probably forego some of that space and opt for the sassier Getz supermini but if I had a burgeoning family and was more intent on clothing the children than cutting a dash in the car park, the Accent would definitely make the Hinkley shortlist.
