Hyundai Accent 2012 (GLS Sedan)

Hyundai Accent 2012

For no immediately obvious reason, the very first car to be reviewed here, would be the very humble but impressive 2012 Hyundai Accent. Maybe its because I have used 2 generations of the model (currently have the 2012 model in my stable), or because you spot one in every 15 to 20 cars on the roads today. Asides the relatively competitive price tag, some other factors have led to its increasing numbers on our coal tar network. There are very few changes in the 2013 Accent, which is just fine by me. So we'll just do 2012.

Interior

Honestly, this car looks far roomier than its outer appearance would suggest. The interior is very nice and welcoming. And it does look like hyundai spend a bit more on the quality of materials that have been used. Especially impressive is the tasteful color illuminations on display on the dashboard at night. Speedometer and Tachometer are surrounded by a halo that makes you want to stare at them all night. Except for the out-of-place-looking circular knobs for volume control and menu/audio adjustments, the dash looks almost soulful.

This fourth generation accent takes a huge leap from the previous editions as it now comes with a lot of options that hitherto were not available. The Premium package offered on automatic-equipped GLS models bundles together foglights, 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, premium cloth upholstery, upgraded interior trim, a center storage console with sliding armrest, cruise control, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and Bluetooth. Nice to to talk on the phone with both hands on the steering wheel right? Right. My iPhone 4S paired very easily with the music system and i could play music remotely, producing some nice enough output from the six 172-watt speakers. Steering wheel tilts but doesn't telescope which is a minus.

Sitting in the back seat is no problem even for six-footers such as myself. Excluding the center seat, the rear seats are very comfortable with enough legroom. Definitely no problems in that department. Overall the interior of the 2012 Accent is warm and inviting. Roomy and properly designed. Definitely a pass mark in my books!

Courtesy: Edmunds.com

The Accent sedan offers relatively large trunk space at 13.7 cubic feet. The four-door hatchback, meanwhile, provides 21.2 cubic feet of cargo volume with the rear seats up and 47.5 cubic feet when folded.

Exterior

Accent 2012 comes in eight lively colors: ironman silver, marathon blue, mocha bronze, boston red, ultra black, cyclone grey, century white and clearwater blue. Nice color names don't you think? I certainly do. I think i'll do my living room walls in boston blue...no that's not quite right is it??!

The 2012 Accent is definitely easy on the eyes. Flowing lateral lines, smooth dorsal curves...the designers did a fine job of making this subcompact vehicle noticeable everywhere it goes. The available 16-inch 8-spoke alloy wheels accentuates the car's unique design. I also fancy the head,rear and fog lights. Makes you want to reach out and just feel them. Really gives the car presence.

Specs And Performance

Trim levels are GLS (sedan), GS (hatchback), and SE (hatchback). All trim levels and body styles are available with either manual or automatic transmission and achieve the same fuel economy which Hyundai say is 28mpg in the city and 37mpg on the highway. Well let me just say here that if you stay in Lagos, Port Harcourt or in such busy climes, you'll never ever achieve this acclaimed fuel economy. In a normal drive around town you should get something close to 29/30 miles to the gallon. Which is fair enough i guess. Let me spend some lines talking about the 'Eco Mode' function which according to Hyundai when activated, modifies engine and transmission control for a 7 percent improvement in real-world fuel economy. It can be turned on or disabled from the Trip computer. Personally i didn't really notice much fuel economy improvement, but that's just me.
The Hyundai Accent is powered by a direct-injection 1.6-liter inline-4 engine that produces 138 horsepower (a 28 hp improvement over the outgoing engine) mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic and 123 pound-feet of torque. This is among the highest horsepower in this class. It accelerates just fine (from standstill to 60mph in about 9.8 seconds), though one would notice a slight delay as you go instantaneously flat on the accelerator. It has to be said here that the suspension is very stiff, which makes you feel every bump on each inch of gravel you drive upon.Traction control (called Electronic Stability Program 'ESP' in Hyundai) can be turned off in some options. My option however cannot be disabled. It would have been nice to feel how sporty the suspension could get. In any case, you really can't perform maneuvers on our roads right now so, just as well.

My Take

The first impression you get looking at the 2012 Accent is that you feel the Head of designs over at Hyundai gathered his team at the top floor conference room, asked for quiet, and then demanded they churn out bold, tasteful sleek and trendy designs for their current fleet of vehicles. From Elantra, to Sportage, to the lovely Sonata...they all have this endearing 'fluid design' that endears you jealous when you drive past on. They're pretty cool. In the subcompact category, the Accent certainly holds its own and won't be dismissed. It drives smoothly with minimal engine noise, a bit all over the place in straight lines but can be mastered, and has an average fuel economy. Talking about fuel economy, the tank is rather small. The Accent's redesign now enables it to run with stiff competition. The Honda Fit offers a more versatile interior, the Ford Fiesta packs more technology, the Mazda 2 handles better, and the redesigned Kia Rio shares similar underpinnings but with bolder styling. Then there's the new Chevrolet Sonic, which is perhaps the most well-rounded of them all. Still, the Hyundai Accent is invisible no more and definitely deserves a look.

Summary
CAR TYPE Sedan
TRANSMISSION 6-speed Shiftable Automatic
FUEL ECONOMY (City/Highway) 28/37 mpg (varies widely)
TOTAL SEATING 5
HORSEPOWER 138 hp @ 6300 rpm
TORQUE 123 ft-lbs. @ 4850 rpm
CYLINDERS Inline 4
FUEL TANK CAPACITY 11.4 gal
PRICE Starting From N2.195m (manual transmission and manual everything!!!)

Autoakuko Rating: 2/5