2012 Hyundai Accent SE Hatchback: High quality and value

Written by Steven Macoy
Thursday, 15 December 2011 11:16

One of our relatives inexplicably continues to own, and drive, a 1998 Hyundai Accent. The styling is bland; performance, lacking; reliability, dubious; overall package, decidedly lacking in refinement. Even the fuel economy is nothing special. But the 2012 Accent is nothing like its uninspiring predecessor.

In short, today’s Accent is priced right, nicely styled and loaded with amenities. We sensed that Hyundai engineers compromised on the side of comfort rather than sharp handling when setting up the suspension, and likewise sacrificed performance potential in the name of fuel economy. But the broader impression is one of high quality and value.

Our 2012 Accent SE hatchback, equipped with a six-speed stick shift, wore a sticker price of just $15,925 and came with two options: carpeted floor mats for $95 and an iPod cable for $35. All the other goodies, from the XM satellite radio to the power windows and locks, to the cruise control and Bluetooth hands-free phone system, are standard in SE models.

The Accent’s ride is quite composed and quiet, but it lacks the crisp handling that defines competitors like the Honda Fit and Chevrolet Sonic. Our most fuel-economy-minded driver, who tends to upshift at comparatively low RPM levels, judged the engine a little boggy at his preferred shift points. Revving it up a few hundred RPM eliminated the lag but probably reduced the fuel economy, estimated by the EPA at an impressive 40 mpg on the highway. The best we were able to obtain, in mainly highway driving, was 35.5 mpg.

We wouldn’t have minded softer seat cushioning on a four-hour, early December round trip across Connecticut, and an adult passenger who rode in the back seat for half the distance complained the seatback was too upright. On the plus side, our six-foot driver was satisfied with the subcompact car’s leg and head room. But these are not matters of concern during the shorter trips and commutes the Accent seems designed to provide.

Where the earlier Accent looked and felt cheap from stem to stern, the 2012 model practically exudes quality and workmanship. Fit and finish and quality of materials are of a high caliber, and the car’s switchgear and controls are easy to navigate.

The hatchback is a versatile design, providing up to 47.5 cubic feet of cargo room when the rear seatback is lowered. Even with the seatback upright, luggage space is an impressive 21.2 cubic feet.

One area where the Accent falls short of the Sonic and Ford Fiesta, subcompact models we recently test-drove, is safety. While the Sonic and Fiesta are Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Picks, the Accent was judged merely Acceptable. Head and neck protection were found to be Good, however.

This is not a fault easily ignored when comparing the Accent with its competitors, but in all other respects — especially price, amenities, warranty protection, fuel economy and styling — it’s among the best in its class.

 

Steven Macoy ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) is a longtime car enthusiast and full-time editor who lives in Bethel, Conn.

 

Price: $15,925

Engine: 1.6-liter inline Four, 138 horsepower, 123 lb.-ft. torque

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Drive: Front-wheel

Weight: 2,430 lb.

Suspension: MacPherson strut front, torsion beam rear

Wheels: 16x6-in. alloy

Tires: P195/50R H

Passengers: 5

Luggage capacity: 21.2 cu. ft.

Maximum cargo capacity: 47.5 cu. ft.

Fuel capacity: 12 gal.

Fuel economy: 30 mpg city, 40 highway

Fuel type: Regular unleaded gasoline